New resources – Philippians 4:1-9

These notes accompany the sermon from Sunday, 26th July 2020.

Paul is wanting to equip the Christians in Philippi with all they need to ‘stand firm’ (v1) and grow in their whole life discipleship. So he teaches about:

  1. Relationships with others (v2,3) – don’t let disagreements fester. Take initiative to resolve them and restore unity, however insignificant the issues may seem. 
  2. Relationship with the Lord:
    1. celebrate the presence of the Lord, his promises and his peace, irrespective of circumstances v4.
    2. recall his constant love v5.
    3. let worry be a springboard to prayer which leads then to peace that is beyond all understanding v. 6,7
  3. Reflect on what you think about v8, and pray for the Spirit’s help to make healthy choices every day and every night. 
  4. Find inspiring examples of lives well lived, and learn from them
  5. Practice what you want to make permanent (from all the above)

Choose one of these points, the one which has resonated most with you. 

Commit the verse to memory and write down a way of putting that into practice which you can do each day for the next 30 days. Share what you have decided with a trusted friend at the start and the end of the month. Pray for God’s help as you take this discipline forward.