If you phone a hospital to check on a patient you might be told they are in a stable condition. What does that mean? It means “firmly fixed, unable to be moved!” To be spiritually “stable” means that you are not easily shaken. You are not easily carried away or swept off your feet by every new fad. God wants us to stand firm in our faith. See 1 Thessalonians 3:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:15 & 1 Peter 5:12. Those who are not are unstable. See James 1:8. Paul gives us four things to help us live a stable Christian life.

1 – Stand firm and major on the majors (vs. 1-3)

This is a command, not a suggestion. The image is of a general who has subdued the enemy in a territory and passes the land to the army. Jesus has already conquered and all we have to do is stand firm in our victory.

Paul takes time to rebuke two ladies in the Church who were fighting over minor issues. If they had been major issues then Paul would have taken one side or the other. He clearly sees these as only differences of opinion. These minor issues need to be nipped in the bud unless they become bigger issues. Sometime we get hung up over style rather than substance. Satan loves it! The gospel is the major issue. Agree in the Lord! Don’t insist on your way. We are not to get stuck in the minor issues of life. We are to serve one another and pass on the gospel. Your stubborn opinion will take away your joy in the Lord. Satan is able to come in and attack you. You can become bitter, proud and unforgiving. This is how factions happen. Paul pleads them to resolve their differences by majoring on what is most important.

2 – Always rejoice in the Lord (vs. 4)

How do you rejoice in the Lord? Is it when you are on an emotion high or is it when you are sitting in silence or tears? There are times when you are so overjoyed in the Lord that you cannot speak. There is a difference between happiness and joy. Your situation could be awful, yet you could be rejoicing in the Lord. We need to spend time with the Lord if we are going to know His will.

3 – Pray instead of complain (vs. 5-7)

To be gentle is not to be a wimp. There are times when we can bend over minor issues. We can be gracious in issues that have nothing to do with the Gospel. In doing so you are behaving like Christ. Don’t be inflexible in the matters of opinions. Don’t be stubborn in your opinion. Pray to the Lord about these things. God is in the middle of the argument. The Lord is there, though we cannot see Him. Our gentleness is to be evident to all. We end up doing the opposite by complaining to everyone we meet! This is not God’s way. God’s way is to pray and not complain!

4 – Fill your mind with Godly thoughts (vs. 8-9)

The mind is like a computer. What comes inside of us comes back out. You are what you think. We need to be careful what we fill our mind with. If it is lusts, anger or pornography then sooner or later that will come out in your life. We are to fill our minds with godly thoughts and this will come out in our lives. God will give you supernatural peace within – no matter the outside condition. You will be in a stable condition!

Categories: Philippians