Phil 5:4-8
Intro: Man is made up of body, soul, and Spirit. The body and soul interact with the physical, intellectual, and emotional world, and our Spirit relates to the spiritual world. The fight the Lord, flesh, and the devil fights rages in the soul, and each is battling to take control of our souls (Ps 103:1, 2)
Why does the battle rage in the soul?
Because the Bible says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…“, Pro. 23:7, therefore, we need to build a wall “to fortify the mind.”
Building walls to fortify your mind
1. (V. 4) what wall should you build?
Build the wall of praise
A. Paul commands the believer to “rejoice.” in other words, it means “to be glad” (Note: It is in the present tense, active voice, and imperative mood. It means the believer is commanded to “go on being glad in the Lord.“)
But life does not lend itself to our happiness. When Paul penned these words, he was bound in prison. But he said, “rejoice in the Lord.”
Why? He knew the Lord never changes, regardless of people and life-changing circumstances. Therefore, we can learn to rejoice in Who He is, what He has done, and what He is doing in our lives.
If the road is hard, remember that:
- He has planned your path, Psa. 37:23.
- He has promised to make all things work for good, Rom. 8:28.
- He has promised to go with you through everything in life (Heb. 13:5.)
- He has promised you an abiding victory (Rom. 8:37.)
- He has promised us that the destination will be worth every mile of the trip (Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17.)
Therefore, even when you can’t be happy about your life, learn to be happy in the Lord! Built the wall of praise!
2. (V. 5a) Mention the wall to build?
Build the wall of patience
A. The word “moderation” literally means “gentle or gracious spirit.” It has the idea of being patient, giving way to the rights and wishes of others in this life. It does not mean a compromise in doctrine, and it does mean that you have a willingness to take the back seat in favor of other people. It is the idea of Phil. 2:4 “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Paul is saying faith should get demonstrated in how we deal with people. The idea is to get the focus off of me and get it on others as stated in 1 Cor 13:5 “does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.” When we focus on those around us, we will be less likely to get hurt by what they do. What they say won’t sting us so bad, and how they act can be passed over more quickly.
The devil loves nothing better than to get your eyes off Jesus and on the faults of others! When this happens, the mind is in danger!)
3. (V. 5b-7) What is the wall to build? (Vs 5b-7)
Build the wall of prayer
A. Verse 6 warns us against the dangers of worry. The word “careful” has the idea of “anxiety.” It refers to a state of mind that is agitated over the events and circumstances of life. Now, there is nothing wrong with having concerns, and we all have our concerns about certain things. It is when your concerns have you that the problems begin to arise!
How dangerous is worried?
Worry is so dangerous because it allows the mind to conceive false notions about God. Worry says, “God is dead!“. Or “If there is a God, He doesn’t care about me and my situation.” These statements are false! God is alive, Heb. 7:25, and God does care, Heb. 4:15; 1 Pet. 5:7.
1. V. 5b – The Lord is near – Not just His second coming, but He is always near to His children – Heb. 13:5-6.
2. V. 6 – Exercise, the prayer tool – Paul speaks of prayer, supplication, and requests. These might be thought of a general praying, specific praying, and detailed praying. The main thrust of the verse is to stop worrying and demonstrate faith in the power and will of God by seeking the Lord in prayer!
3. V. 6 – Develop a thankful heart – Regardless of the situations you face in life, learn to praise the Lord through them all. Nothing brings Him nearer or drives the devil away any faster than a genuinely thankful heart!
The Lord’s promise to us is that He will replace our worries with His peace when we come before Him in faith, humble prayer. The word “keeps” in verse 7 means “to the garrison, or build a fort around, to post a guard.” The Lord promised to guard the heart and mind of those that trust Him with the needs of life. Instead of worrying yourself sick about things you can’t change, learn to lean on the Lord in prayer! Build the wall of prayer!
4. (V. 8) What is the wall to build? (Vs 8)
Build the wall of purity
A. All of these words Paul uses in this verse are a picture of the Word of God. It is true – John 17:17. Since the Bible is true, everything it says fits within the categories mentioned by Paul. It is honest, it is just (right), it is pure (holy, clean), it is lovely (beautiful), it is of an excellent report (good reputation), it is full of virtue (excellence) and praise (that which tends toward worship).
It is a call to fix our minds on God to shield the heart against worry, fear, vengeance, confusion, and trouble. The mind can be stable only through God’s word, and it would transform us if we gave as much energy to dwelling on God’s word instead of feeding on the world’s filth. (2 Tim 1:3; 1 Tim 5:22; James 1:27)
Conc: Your mind is a precious gift from God. God and forces of evil are battling to control your soul. You always determine the battle! No one can control your mind but you. We need to fortify the mind, says the scripture, it is our job, individually, and it cannot get passed off to another.
This is a critical matter because how you think determines how you will live your life, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Pro. 4:23 (NLT). We are to see that our minds are in love with Jesus – “Jesus said unto him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” M att. 22:37 (KJV) Until the mind is settled, all of life is out of control – “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:8. (KJV) I challenge you to fortify your mind!
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