Take a moment to read these verse from Philippians...
(Philippians 4vs4~7 NIV) "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
(Philippians 4vs8 NIV) "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
(Philippians 4vs12~13 NIV)
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."(Philippians 4vs20 NIV)
"To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen."Now, imagine what life would be like if you lived as if those verse were true! What would your days look like if you took the words of Philippians 4 as a command?
We easily remember and recite these verses. We can refrence them off the back of our hand and we use them as inspirational quotes often.
But we need to ask ourselves if we actually believe these words.... or are they just words.
Do we walk into each day choosing to obey what God is asking of us through this chapter in Philippians in each day, no matter what we face!
It's easy to rejoice when it's already joyful! It's easy to not be anxious when there is no anxiety around you! It's easy to give thanks and praise when it turns out right.
But what about the darker days?
WHat about the harder times?
What about the desperate times?
What about the times when it's just too hard to rise above what we see!
Can we still take God as His word and rejoice?
Becuase if He's told us to trust and obey, we should just not worry right!
But we all know that's not the easiest thing to do. It's not very well recieved by those around us, it's not practical and it certainly doesn't fit into our hustle cultur..... the idea of letting go when it's not going your way.
But Philippians 4vs4 doesn't say rejoice in the Lord if it's works.
It says; Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS.
'REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS' IS A COMMAND
~ What would it look like to rejoice in all things?
~ How would it feel to not experience anxiety?
~ What would it take it give everything over to God in prayer?
~ How would life look to live in the peace of God?
~ Who would I be if I trusted truth, nobility, righteousness, purity and loveliness?
~ What does being content mean in my life?
~ What if I lived as if I could truly do everything through Jesus?
~ How do I give God glory in everything I do?
It's asking the questions that have the opportunity to light your heart on fire for the presence of God.
It's opening your eyes to realising that Jesus came to earth to do mroe than fulfill a prophecy.
He came to give you eternal life.
But He also left His Spirit so that we could experience eternal life right now!
The moment I chose to give thanks for all things and to pick up joy instead of complaining is a moment that changes everything!
These verses in Philippians remind me that there is more to my life than what I see.
These words remind me that the perspective of my heart is not based on my circumstances, but on God's goodness.
If every word in Scripture is God~breathed and God~inspired, than I have the gift of taking these words in Philippians to heart.
~ I get to be joyful in all things.
~ I get to resist anxiety.
~ I get to live in a constant dialogue of prayer.
~ I get to claim peace over each day.
~ I get to focus on being truthful, noble, righteous, pure and lovely.
~ I get to be content in each day.
~ I get to do everything through the strength of Jesus.
~ I get to give God the glory in everything I do.
It's not a list of enduring.
It's a list of opportunity.
Joy is a command that you get to partake in!
It's a changing of my heart to remind me who is in control (Jesus) even when the world around me doesn't see the joy!
Each new day hands us the opportunity to choose joy and to choose life.
To choose abundance and to choose beauty
To choose to be content and to choose to live well.
To choose Jesus and to refuse fear.
So, the next time you read a verse that sounds nice and comforting, a verse that looks pretty on paper.... stop and ask yourself if you are doing yourself the favour of living as if you believe that those words came as instructions from God or as if they're like any other motivational quote out there today.
God's Word can change everything.... But that's only if we choose to take it as God's word!
~ X ~
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