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Philippians 4 verse 4. Rejoice
in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation
be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your request be made known unto God. and the peace of God,
which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren. Whatsoever
things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things
are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue,
if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things
which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in
me, do, and the peace of God shall be with you. Amen. We know the Lord will add his
blessing to the reading of his word. The title today is really,
Think on These Things. Philippians chapter 4 verse 8
starts a new section in Paul's letter, but also verse 8 is a
connecting verse. As we can see this by Paul's
words, finally brethren. The word finally does not mean
lastly or ending, because Paul writes for another 15 verses.
Rather, the word finally comes from a Greek word that means
what remains, the rest of something, that which continues, or basically,
I have more to say. And for that reason, the word
finally can be translated furthermore, henceforth, moreover, so then,
or now then. In other words, Paul has more
to say regarding the peace of God and how it is to be received
and how it is to be applied to the life of every believer during
the storms and the trials of life. In verses 6 through 7,
Paul teaches that God supplies believers with peace through
Jesus Christ during times of anxiety, worry, and disturbance. They have the peace of God that
passeth all understanding, or peace that is superior than our
limited understanding. There is peace to guard, peace
to keep, peace to preserve our hearts and minds through Jesus
Christ. Paul's words in verse 8 then
teaches believers how we are to apply the peace of God to
our lives. so that we will be aware of our
hearts and our minds being preserved and being protected. Notice the
last words of verse eight. Think of these things. The word think means to dwell
upon, to meditate upon, to ponder, to give serious thought to. It's in the imperative, which
means it's a command. It's also middle voice reflective,
which means the person is responsible themselves to take action. There's something that you are
to do yourself in this matter of the peace of God. You are
to keep your mind stayed upon the Lord. God's peace is supplied
through Jesus Christ. but we are to keep our mind stayed
upon the Lord by meditating, by thinking, by pondering, by
considering things that are virtue or excellent and worthy of praise. Also, this phrase, to think upon
or think of these things, is present imperative, which meaning
here is a continual command that every single day you are to think
upon things that are excellent and things that are worthy of
praise. Why is that? Because every single
day your mind is under attack And therefore, the only way to
have victory, the only way to enjoy the peace of God in that
situation, is to think of things that are virtue, things that
are excellent, things that are worthy of praise. And so Paul
is calling upon God's people to exercise their hearts and
their minds in spiritual things. In other words, avoid thinking
of things, avoid meditating on things, avoid filling your mind
with things that are harmful. rather think upon things that
pertain to godliness and righteousness Solomon said in Proverbs 23 verse
7 for as he thinketh in his heart so is he and the word thinketh
refers to the thoughts of the mind, that which affects the
heart and that which determines the action of the person. In
other words, what you sow in your mind is what you will reap
in action. And the greatest battle every
believer faces day by day is the battle of their mind, the
battle of their thought life, what they think about and how
they think about it. You see, No other person can
enter into your mind. The mind is a secret society. The mind is a strict, restricted
zone to others. To some, their mind is a war
zone. To some, their mind is confusion. To some, their mind is depression. To some, their mind is a world
of carnal imagination. A theme park of fantasy and pleasure
island. The thoughts of the mind are
unknown to others. No one else can read your mind. No one else can say what you're
thinking. No one else knows what battle
you're facing in the mind. Only the Lord. And that's why
it is Satan's aim to manipulate the mind, causing confusion,
to twist facts, coming to different conclusions regarding salvation
and regarding living the gospel. That's why there's so many casual
Christians today. Because Satan has targeted the
mind that they can live the gospel whatever way they want to. But
Paul has taught believers that they are to live a life that
is in keeping with the Word of God. Again, Satan has confused
the mind when it comes to salvation. People look for many ways to
be saved, different ways to be saved. When God has revealed
one way to be saved, through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the only remedy To take away sin is the precious blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ. That blood that is pure, sinless,
spotless. That blood that washes whiter
than the snow. And therefore there's a lot of
confusion today. The mind is in trouble with these
things. Instead it's a system of good
works. Instead it's a system of bondage. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians
4, verse 4, referring to Satan, the God of this world, hath blinded
the minds of them that believe not less, or for this reason,
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God, should shine on to them. That's why Paul exhorted God's
people, in Ephesians, to put on the whole armour of God. And really, when you look at
the whole armour of God, Jesus Christ is that very armour himself. But in taking bit by bit, and
thinking off the head, Paul spoke about the helmet. Because in
battle, The mind, the head must be protected, and so spiritually
Paul said in Ephesians 6, verse 6, above all, taking the shield
of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts
of the wicked. The wiles of the devil may be
to ruin your marriage, hinder your spiritual growth, mar your
service for God, cover your light before others, and that believers
will not be in the same mind of the Lord. Now while Satan
cannot take away your salvation, you can never lose salvation
because it's Christ's salvation to give. Yet he can play with your mind.
He can create doubt. Doubt regarding salvation. Doubt
regarding marriage. Doubt regarding the things of
God. Satan wants us to think evil
is good and good is evil. He attacks the mind. He wants
us to think wrongfully, sinfully, to think unbiblically. He wants
us to be full of anxious cares, because He knows that wrong thinking
will lead to discouragement, disappointment, discontentment,
disinterest, division, and ultimately a departure from blessing. It
has always been said regarding preachers that the most dangerous
time for the preacher is immediately after the preaching of the Word
of God, because he is an open wound. and therefore Satan takes
every advantage to attack him. Paul's counsel to believers is
therefore whenever the mind comes under attack, whenever the mind
starts to think about things that really is a trouble, is
a burden, whatever that may be, Paul gives these qualities to
think upon, to meditate upon, to ponder upon, and in so doing,
Fill your heart and your mind with Christ, because each quality
that we have read this morning is reflected perfectly by the
person and life of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's why Paul said
in verse 9, those things which ye both have learned and received
and heard and seen in me do, and the God of peace shall be
with you. You see, Paul leads by example
once again. He's calling the church at Philippi
to take action. The key word is the word do. Just as you've looked at my life,
or you've heard from my life, you've learned from my life,
that when I was in great affliction, my mind was stayed upon the Lord. I rejoiced in the Lord always.
I kept my focus upon Jesus Christ. I pressed toward the mark of
the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. My mind, through
time in prison, through times of adversity, has been upon Jesus
Christ. My thoughts have been centered
upon Christ. I meditate upon Him. I think
upon Him. Therefore, what you've learned
from me, what you've received of me, you do the same. That
when your mind comes under attack, when there's a war against the
lust of the flesh within your mind, or you're starting to think
wrong, or ill, or something else, don't dwell on it, but think
of Jesus Christ. Think of these qualities, and
the peace of God shall be with you. So with that in said, we
want to look at verse 8 today. on the subject of things to think
upon. And I have two simple thoughts
today. One will be a bit longer than the other, but don't you
worry. It will just be a blessing to you. First of all, To think
on these things is to consider them. That's what Paul is getting
at. To think on these things, these
qualities that Paul gives, to think on them is to consider
them. The word, as we said, or the
phrase, think on these things, means to dwell on them, to consider
them, muse over them, meditate upon them. And so in verse 8,
Paul mentions six spiritual qualities to dwell upon and to continually
consider day by day, to fill your mind with. Now, when we
go through these six things, you ask yourself, and I have
to challenge myself as well, do we do this day by day? Maybe
that's some of the reasons why we have maybe the issues we have
in our mind, in our thought life, our process life, because maybe
we fail to look at these things. These are things that are profitable,
spiritually benefit, and they build us up in the faith. Notice. We are to consider things
that are true. Now, I'm not gonna go into every
individual word, what it is, and the Greek language, and all
that rest for time, but simply I'll just give you the meaning
of the word. Paul says, think upon things
that are true. That means things that are truthful,
things that are valid, things that are reliable, things that
are honest. Consider things that are honest.
That means things that are honorable, reverence, things that are of
worship. things that are just means what
is right or what is righteous things that are pure means what
is unblemished uncontaminated but clean and holy consider things
that are lovely which means kindness pleasing and gracious consider
things of good report that means a good reputation. Consider these things,
dwell upon them, and apply them to your life. When you have all
the cares, the troubles, and the anxieties, think on these
things, because these six things, they are of virtue. And the word virtue, it means
excellent, it means surpassing, it means what is above or that
which is higher. This word virtue is the same
word passeth which is used in verse 7, and the peace of God
which passeth or surpasses or higher than your understanding
shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. It's also
the word better than in Philippians chapter 2 verse 3. Let each esteem
other better than superior than themselves. The phrase praise
means worthy of praise. And so, therefore, Paul is showing
that to consider and meditate upon these six qualities is to
do so because they are excellent. They are better than anything
else. They are worthy of praise and
honor because these six spiritual qualities, these graces are clearly
seen. in the person and life and work
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because Jesus Christ is excellent. Jesus Christ is superior. Jesus Christ is exalted. He is
above all. He is worthy of all honor and
all praise. Didn't Paul say in Colossians
chapter 1 verse 18 that in all things he would have the preeminence. And therefore, Christ is every
one of these. And when you think about them,
is to think of Jesus Christ. Paul is basically saying, when
you have trouble in your mind, when you have cares in your mind,
when there's a war in your mind, when you battle with the lusts
of the flesh, Think of Jesus Christ. Meditate upon Jesus Christ. Get straight to the person and
work of Christ because that's your victory. Why? Because Jesus Christ is truth. John chapter 14, verse six, he
said, I am the truth. No man cometh on to the Father,
but by me. John 10, verse 41, all things
that John speak of this man are true. Jesus Christ is honest. First Peter chapter two, verse
21, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Again,
John 8, 29, Christ said, Regarding to his father, I do always those
things that please him. Christ is just because Pilate's
wife said of Christ in Matthew 27 verse 19, have nothing to
do with that just. Man, Peter said in 1 Peter 3
verse 18, Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust. He is righteous and he always
does right. Christ is pure. The angel said,
in reference to Christ's birth, in Luke chapter 1 verse 35, that
holy thing or holy one which shall be born of thee shall be
called the son of the highest Christ. First Peter chapter 1
verse 19 refers to the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb
without blemish and without spot. I forgot to give the other ones
the notes, by the way, but I'll just read them out anyway. Christ is lovely. Song of Solomon, chapter 5, verse
16. He is altogether lovely. 1 Peter, chapter 2, verse 6 and
7. He is precious. Christ is of
good report. Again, Paul said of Christ. In writing to Timothy, 1 Timothy,
chapter 6, Verse 13, Jesus Christ, who before Pontius Pilate, witnessed
a good confession. Remember the thief on the cross,
in Luke 23 verse 41 he said, this man, referring to Christ,
hath done nothing amiss, he's done nothing out of place. Matthew
7, 37, he hath done all things well. Matthew 3, verse 17, this
is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. The point is, believer,
fill your mind with Jesus Christ. Consider him, dwell upon him,
look to him, turn to him. Keep your eyes upon him, rejoice
in him, and the peace of God shall be with you. Fill your
mind continually with his righteous person and his redemptive ministry. Fill your mind with Jesus Christ. The psalmist said in Psalm 104
verse 34, my meditation of him shall be sweet. I will be glad
in the Lord. O sinner today. Take Christ for
your salvation because he is the true way to heaven. He is
honest. For it says about him, for whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. He is just. He deals with sin. He pardons
sin. He does that which is right.
He is pure. He can never sin. That's why
He can be your Saviour. He is a sinless Saviour. He is
lovely. He satisfies. He's the rose of
Sharon Fir, the lily of the valley, the one in whom the Father is
well pleased. He is of good report. The life
that He lived, the death that He died, it was to bring you
before God. He did all that was acceptable
and pleasing to the Father. His sacrifice is a most excellent
sacrifice and worthy to be praised. He hath done all things well
and his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain
unto life and godliness. through the knowledge of Him
that has called us to glory and virtue. To think on these things
is to consider them, to meditate upon them. And when you do so,
they will lead you to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is that? Because
secondly, Paul said, to think on these things is to calculate
them. We learn that the words, think
on these things, is also in the Greek language a mathematical
term. It refers to calculation, estimation,
weighing things in order to arrive at a conclusion. And so the answer
to reach is to know the peace of God with you. But to arrive
there, Paul is saying, take into account these six qualities that
are of virtue, that are excellent, that are worthy of praise, and
reflect carefully upon them, and shape your view on them. because everything else will
then add up. They will lead you to consider
the Lord Jesus Christ. And when you think of Christ,
that will dominate your thought life. It will give you victory
over what troubles you and hinders you. When you receive news that
shocks you and stuns you, leaves you faint, feeling weak, you
might find it hard to receive, you might find it hard to take
in, to come to terms with, and it maybe challenges your peace.
The situation that you're in keeps on changing. Things are
uncertain. Laws keep getting redefined in
defiance against God. The medical report that you've
just received is not in your favour. Your finances are low,
but the bills keep increasing. The children have spiritually
gone astray. The pressure at work increases. There's a strain on the marriage.
Exams are getting too stressful. You're putting more pressure
on yourself. Growing up has different effects. When you weigh everything together
and you calculate that situation or all those many things that
cause you to be anxious, If you keep thinking and dwelling upon
your cares, your worries, your fears, they will be exalted so
high that you will see no way through and no way forward. You
will see an impossibility of God intervening. Your worries
will appear greater and superior to the peace of God. And to do
so would be a wrong calculation. The conclusion would not be true,
honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. There would be
nothing excellent and nothing worthy of praise. For that reason,
Paul is saying, in making your calculation, in adding everything
together to be in the right frame of mind, to have and enjoy the
peace of God, keep dwelling upon Keep reflecting upon things which
are excellent, things which are worthy of praise, things that
lead to Jesus Christ, and then your hearts and your minds shall
be preserved, shall be protected, and you shall remain in that
frame of mind and that peace of mind. you'll have strength
in Christ, victory by Christ, because your calculation will
always total the same for every situation and for every answer. Jesus is the answer. That is why people always ask
ministers questions. Can I go here? Should I go there? Should I do this? Would it be
right to do that? Well, let me give you the advice
from God's word. When you have to make a decision
or you're put in a situation, should I do this or not? Should
I go with them or not? Should I behave this way or not? Should I be watching this or
not? Should I be speaking like this
or not? Should I be listening to this
or not? Should I be talking like this or not? The answer is not
to make your decision based on the opinions of others. While
they're watching this, I'll go with them. While they're speaking
like this, I'll speak like that. While they're doing that, I'll
join the crowd. Rather, whatsoever things are
true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report of any virtue,
praise, think on these things. If you're going somewhere, doing
something, taking something, drinking something, ordering
something, saying something, that does not agree with things
that are virtue and are worthy of praise, but the exact opposite. That you have to think, how can
I get away with this? How can I hide this? How can
I lie about this? How can I cover this up? How
can I do it that no one else will know? And it's filled with
deception, dishonesty, unjust, impure, unlovely, of evil report,
of shame. It's the opposite. then avoid
it, because if you fill your mind with things contrary to
the Lord Jesus Christ, then you give way for the little foxes
to spoil the thing, for a little lump to leaveneth the whole lump.
You give way to the world, the devil, and the flesh to run wild
in your mind, and you will think about everything and anything. You will lose the joy of the
Lord. You will lose the joy of salvation. I didn't say you lose
salvation. Don't listen to nonsense like
that. But you will lose the joy of salvation. You will not rejoice in the Lord.
You will murmur and complain. You will look on your own things
and not care about anybody else. You'll become self-centered. It'll all be about you. Are you
willing to lose your ministry? Are you willing to lose your
marriage, your family, your friends, your house, your job, your career,
your health, your well-being, your finances? Are you willing
to bear the cost, to suffer the consequences? To do so would
mean your equation, your calculation at some point went wrong because
you're not thinking like Christ. You're not having the mind of
Christ. And so here is a word today to
return, to recalculate, and have your mind renewed. Let your requests
be made known unto God, because He knows the battle you face
in your mind. And He knows a lot of things
that you let into your mind, because we're drawn away by our
own temptations. Ask Him today for help, for peace,
and He will come to your aid. His peace will be like an army
that shall run to surround you, to guard you and preserve you. And then stay in that frame of
mind by thinking upon Christ. Return to the Lord just now.
Maybe one needs redemption. You need salvation. You need
to be saved. You've thought about different
ways to get to heaven and your mind right now is just so confused
because you're trying to work your way to heaven. You're trying
to listen to this person and that person and their view and
what they hold. Instead of just coming to Christ
himself and hear what he says. Or for restoration. Give him
your heart, give him your mind, give him your all. Consider,
think on these things, and the peace of God shall be with you. I trust this week that you will
know great blessings in your mind. And when you fill your
mind with Christ, then you'll be blessed by Christ and you'll
be a blessing for Christ. May the Lord write his word upon
our heart.
Think On These Things
Series Philippians | Sermon Series
| Sermon ID | 622252031581218 |
| Duration | 31:51 |
| Date | |
| Category | Sunday Service |
| Bible Text | Philippians 4:8-9 |
| Language | English |
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