Philippians 1:15-19 NLT
It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.
The lessons we can learn from the Word of God are without end if we will open our minds and, more importantly, our hearts.
Let’s look at the situation that Paul finds himself when he writes this portion of scripture to the Phillipian church.
He’s in prison chained between a couple of guards because of being falsely accused of crimes that he did not commit. Christians are thinking because of Paul’s situation; they believe that he is paying for and suffering for some sin that he may have committed.
There are also those Christians who are jealous because of Paul’s ability to preach to the church so that through the work of the Spirit that changes hearts and minds.
Based on all of this, Paul could have become resentful. But based on his writing, his focus was on gratitude that the message of Jesus Christ was being preached despite the motive of both his supporters and his detractors.
Paul’s focus was on making sure that the Gospel was being preached even though he was suffering, and even in that suffering, he looked at it as an honor to suffer for Jesus Christ.
So how do we know if we are living for ourselves?
Galatians 5:19-21 NLT
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
And what will we experience if we live by the Spirit of God?
Galatians 5:22-23 NLT
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Heavenly Father, I pray that You give me the desire, strength, and courage to live by the Spirit.
I pray that You provide me the continued desire to be in Your Word daily, letting it affect my thoughts, attitudes, and actions.
Please let it affect how I see those around me, let it help me be sensitive to the needs of those around me, and please help me act with compassion to help others get to know You through my response to the Spirit.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️
