Philippians, like all the Pauline epistles, begins with a salutation and a prayer with thanksgiving. Paul is convinced that God will complete the good work He has started in the Philippian church. Paul closes the opening prayer with a summation of the theme of Ephesians; that the love of the Philippians would increase in knowledge and insight; so that by their intelligence they could be blameless by choosing what is best. Paul is writing to the Philippian church from prison in Rome and he indicates that the purposes of the gospel have been advanced by the occasion of his imprisonment. Paul praises the Philippians for their steadfast unity in the face of opposition. Paul explains that the motive of the preachers matters in so far as Christ is preached. Paul faces his mortality and shares his indecision between going to the hereafter or to remain on earth to serve. He says, “For me, to live is Christ, to die is gain”. So Paul exhorts to live worthy of the good news, in order that their reputation may serve as a witness to their opposition. Toward that end, Paul recommends humility and unity. Paul tells the Philippians that his happiness will be full if they will only value each other more than each one values themselves, and place the interests of others above their own. Paul mentions the qualities that should stimulate this humility and unity: encouragement from being united in Christ, comfort from Christ’s love, fellowship in the spirit, and tenderness and compassion. Paul tells the Philippians that Jesus is the prime example of humility and that they should think like He did. Jesus did not think that divinity was something to be grasped and held at all costs, but set aside His prerogatives of Godhood in order to become human and the servant of all. Paul introduces this holily with an appeal to unity. And he starts this appeal with a reminder of what Jesus does for us. He gives us encouragement, comfort, and sharing in the spirit and these come by way of His love and union with Him. This union is not only the total communion of supping with Him, and He with you, because we are also sharing in the spirit as in First Corinthians chapter two and verse ten and eleven: “God has uncovered the unimaginable things prepared for us by the Spirit. The Spirit by searching finds out everything, even the deepest truths about God. For who knows a person’s thoughts, except their own spirit with in them?” By the same token, only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God. And in Romans 8:26, the Spirit assists us to pray with this knowledge, because since we don’t know the appropriate prayer to make, the Holy Spirit of God prays for us with yearnings that go beyond words. “And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”NIV
1. The Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God.
2. Our spirits know our own thoughts.
3. The Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God.
4. He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit. The mind of the Spirit communicates with God according to the will of God in a manner that is beyond words
5. We have the Spirit of Christ.
In that flowing communion of thoughts, to have the same outlook as Jesus in humility is only natural. Because when you put it all together, God knows us, and through the spirit we know God and the will of God. Also God knows the Spirit and because the Spirit knows our weakness, the Spirit communicates our needs in ways beyond words because we don’t know for what to pray. But when we are sharing in the Spirit, we know God and are known by God in ways beyond understanding. The tenderness and compassion that comes from the union of our spirit with the Spirit of Christ. The description of the humility of Christ we are to emulate begins with an injunction against empty conceit or ambition that is selfish. Selfish ambition is contradistincted and contrasted with the object of humility; which is to reject selfishness by placing others and their interests above ourselves and our interests. First, we are to have the same outlook as Christ, who, despite being God, did not think that membership in the Godhead was something to be grasped at; something to be retained at all costs. And if, being humbled from Godhead to humanity was not enough, He was humbled from there to being a servant and crucified the death of a criminal. It is because of that, that God has exalted Him to the highest place, so high that it is He who will be respected by all. Because His name is above every other name, we respect Him also by continuing to work on our own salvation in cooperation with God in us working out our salvation that we might coordinate our will with His purpose and take actions toward the fulfillment of that purpose. Grumbling and arguing will not bring about that purpose, but diligent effort will insure that we are not contaminated by social environment like the Israelites Moses led out of Egypt, constantly arguing and grumbling and turning away from God to idols. If we grasp at the word of life because it is something to be held at all costs. Then Jesus will shine through us against the background of a warped and crooked generation. The shining of the light of Jesus will be brilliant. Paul explains that he is sending back their messenger with Timothy and Paul is to follow soon thereafter. The third chapter is another argument against the Judaizers who followed behind Paul trying to make gentile Christians conform to Judaism. Paul considers that compared to having Christ and being in Him and the righteousness by faith from God taken to its natural conclusion in participating in the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ, the righteousness of the law, Paul’s own righteousness, and his standing in the nation of Israel is all garbage and loss. And Paul declares his perseverance in pursuit of that ultimate participation in Christ and his method to forget the past and push on forward. Paul declares that God will clear up differences in thought. Paul encourages the Philippians to follow his example and unlike the enemies of the cross of Christ whose minds are on earthly things, focus on heaven and the return of Jesus with everything under His feet and glorification of our bodies.
In the closing fourth chapter, Paul starts by making some personal requests. Then, two very valuable exhortations:
1. Because the Lord in near: rejoice always and let everyone see your gentleness. And in each and every situation set anxiety aside and with thanksgiving in prayer and in petitions, give your requests to God. In this way, the peace of God that is beyond comprehension will be a fortress around your heart and mind, protecting them. With your mind and heart protected, contemplate whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy.
2. Contentment in all situations whether in need or not.
Paul thanks the Philippians for their support. Paul advises unity on two female co-workers in the gospel and conveys and enjoins greetings.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. . . .And my God will meet all your needs according to His riches in glory.” As Kenneth Hagin says, find out what God’s word says and make that your confession and make it personal. When feeling overwhelmed, I make Philippians 4:13 my confession. He further says that the soul is the seat of the intellect, emotion, and will. This must make metaconsciousness a function of the soul. “Faith is always expressed in words. Faith must be released in words through your mouth.” (Hagin, 1997, pg 6) Hagin says that four keys to Spirit filled living are:
1. Forgive yourself
2. Forget (Philippians 3:13)
3. Glossolalia
4. Speak the word
Because the words you speak:
1. Identify you
2. Set the boundaries of your life
3. Affect your spirit
Romans 10:10 belief is of the heart, but it is the confession of the mouth that brings salvation. Speaking the word is Peter stepping out of the boat.
References
Hagin, Kenneth, 1997
Welcome to God’s Family: a Foundational Guide to Spirit Filled Living
Faith Library Productions, Tulsa, OK
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