Reading: Philippians 4
Spotlight: Philippians 4:12-13

Paul’s little secret…

I have seen so many books advertised with titles along the lines of “The Secret to Success” or “The secret to true happiness.” We Americans spend billions of dollars a year on books or programs or videos to help us find the secret to whatever it is we’re looking for. Everybody wants to know the secret. What are we looking for? We all want to be content. We all are looking for fulfillment. We all want to be happy. It is our fundamental nature to seek out fulfillment and contentment. We in America have become a culture of pursuing contentment. It’s even in our founding statement, “…life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” We reserve the right to pursue fulfillment with all of our strength and all of our hearts and we celebrate that pursuit. The world around us gives us millions of options on how to find that fulfillment. These options run the gamut from financial success and material wealth to self-improvement or self help, to hobbies and recreational past times, to religions of many kinds or social causes, to every kind of sin and addiction imaginable and some we’ve yet to think up (Rom 1:30). Yet in a culture that is designed to be so “user friendly” for the fulfillment seeker why does it seem like for the most part, we go our whole lives pretty unfulfilled? It makes you want to scratch head and say, “hmmm.”
Of all the claims I have heard there is a reason that I give ear to Paul’s statement in verse 12 where he says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” It doesn’t sound different than any of the commercials I’ve seen making the same claim that they have ultimate contentment for you for just $19.95 a month. SO, why do I choose to believe this one? It’s in the word of God. As believers, we should only get our answers from the word of God. We should only find fulfillment in the book penned by the God of all eternity through his servants, the prophets and apostles instead of looking to the latest self help guru or psychic who will put us in touch with our dead relatives. So, what is this big old secret? As you continue reading the chapter there certainly isn’t any “hook” to speak of. Paul doesn’t drop a bomb that causes us to gasp and marvel at the unveiling of this deep secret. So what is the secret? I want to point out that there are many aspects this secret of contentment just here in this chapter alone as well as all over the word of God. Let’s go over them.

1. (v.4) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! – Paul says that we should find joy in the Lord. We should seek to be made joyful by God and the things of God. To some of us that sounds like a let down, because we have become so programmed by a culture of entertainment to find joy in other things. I promise you that you can get to the place of finding fulfillment and joy in the Lord only. It takes work and wholehearted pursuit. It is not only possible but it’s God’s design for our lives. After all, the only true joy is in Him .All other joy is temporary and unsatisfying (Rev 7:16-17).
2. (v.6) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything… make your requests know to God. - Most will snort at a statement like this because it seems superlative and impossible. I don’t think it means that if you are anxious you are in sin. I think it means that when you come into a situation of anxiousness then you should pursue the process of giving it to God and surrendering it to Him. I think quite often people read statements like this and think their supposed to snap their fingers and not be anxious. No, that’s not it. It’s more of a pursuit. A journey to freedom from anxiousness by prayer and seeking God.
3. (v.8) … 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 - There is so much to be said about our thoughts and how they relate to our contentment. Hebrews 3:1 says “Fix your thoughts on Jesus,” Romans 8:6 says, “The mind controlled by the spirit is life and peace.” What occupies your thought life? What do you think about most of the time? If there was a T.V. screen on top of your head showing everyone what is going on in your brain, would that scare you? We have more control over our thoughts than we think. One of the biggest lies the enemy will convince us of is that we don’t have control over what enters our minds. It’s a lie of Satan reinforced by a culture that is wrestling for control of your mind day and night.
4. (v.9) Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. – I marvel at statements that Paul makes like this. I would love to be able to say with all conviction of the Holy Spirit “Do what you see me doing because I am doing what I see God doing.” In I Corinthians 11:1 Paul says, “Follow me as I follow Christ.” Paul knows that he is speaking the inspired word of God. He knows that he is living a life by the Spirit. So he has no problems telling us to follow him. There are two success secrets in this verse: to hear God’s words and put them into practice and to follow those who are following Christ.
5. (v.13) I can do everything through Him who gives me strength – Once again we see Paul reaffirming that all his strength and joy and motivation come from God alone. And he trusts in God’s ability to strengthen him to accomplish all He has set him to do. This verse has a promise built right into it! God will strengthen you to do all things.

There are many other things we could find in this text about secrets of success. In verse 3 Paul exhorts those have contended with him in the work of the gospel. Verse 14 makes mention of sharing in the troubles of those doing the work of the Lord. Verse 15 and 16 talk about giving financially for God’s work but what I want to close with are the distinct promises that we find here. We often read the bible with the paradigm that it’s a lot of rules and regulations, and it is. Bu there are many promises as well. One of the things that motivates me to pursue a life of obedience to all the rules and regulations is to focus on the promises:

Promise #1: (v.7) “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We can have peace in a world of chaos. Peace that others will not understand because it is from the Lord. I want that peace and desire to live in it each and every day.
Promise #2: (v.19) “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” This is the secret to contentment, to trust that God will meet all of our needs .The key phrase is according to “His glorious riches.” We don’t find contentment because we are seeking it according to the world’s riches not God’s. We need to align ourselves with His desires for us. We need to submit to finding contentment in what He has to give us and only what comes from Him.
In Closing, read through this chapter and study it. Highlight the keys that speak directly to your heart and underline these promises. Memorize them and quote them in the face of adversity or when the enemy tries to sell you a counterfeit for what God has for you. His promises are good and true and we can take them to the bank!

How to pray this scripture:

Dear Lord Jesus, I want to learn to be content in you. Whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or living in want, may I find my contentment in you and you alone. I know that you will meet all my needs according to your glorious riches. I pray that you would strengthen me to do all the things you have called me to do. I pray that I would learn to walk in your strength and to “struggle with all your energy” (Col 1:29). I pray that I wouldn’t be anxious about anything but in all things with prayer and petition make my requests known to you. I pray that you would give me the peace that transcends all understanding. Lord, give me the strength to forsake the false contentment that the world would try to sell me. I surrender my desires to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Additional Scriptures:

Romans 1:28-32
Romans 8:6
Colossians 1:29
Hebrews 3:1
Revelation 7:16-17

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