Stand Firm, Part 2

“Rejoice in the Lord, always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!” - Phil. 4:4

Paul wrote these words of encouragement to the people who started the first church in Philippi. Knowing how difficult it would be for them to stand firm in their faith, he shared a six-part battle plan with them in the verses that followed.  

His plan is timeless, and is just as useful to us today as it was two thousand years ago. 

Standing Firm - Battle Plan to Fight Worry: (Philippians 4: 4-10)

• Rejoice! - When worry strikes, immediately rejoice that God is with you and for you.  On God’s team, you always have something to rejoice about.

• Be Gentle – Let your gentleness be evident to all. Allow the Holy Spirit to be your guide in every situation.  Seek to understand, not to convince or seek revenge.  Be slow to anger and lovingly listen. Follow Jesus’ example.

• Pray - Cast all your cares on Jesus because He cares for you.  Give your burdens to Him because He promises to lighten your load and carry them alongside you. When worry strikes, position your heart immediately to pray.

• Ask for Help & Give Thanks – Give God thanks in advance. His will and His ways are best for you.  You were never meant to go the road of faith alone.  Ask Jesus to guide your steps and thank Him for His amazing plans.

• Think Right – If your thoughts are not true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable or excellent, then your mind is not aligned with Jesus’ spirit.  Take each thought captive and question its truth.  With God, bad thoughts can be replaced with good ones.  

• Practice Your Faith Daily - Follow Jesus’ teachings and truths.  Let the word of God spur you on to run the race God has marked out for you.  Be awake to His promptings and obey when God says, “Go!”

Yes, these six steps help us to stand firm in our faith, but let’s be real.  When life gets complicated, or relationships become challenging, it’s common to forget God and fall asleep in our faith.  That’s why we have to look to Jesus’ promises not our own abilities.  He promises to:

• Be the author and the perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  
• Be always on guard of our hearts and minds (Phil. 4:7).

That’s it!  We can stand firm because Jesus is always standing guard!  

As He walks with us, our paths become straight and our feet hit smooth ground.  Worry wanes and peace prevails. Our great guard is always on duty.  That’s reason enough to Rejoice!  Let’s say it again: Rejoice!  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement