To Live is to Rejoice | Philippians Devotional

To Live is to Rejoice | Philippians Devotional

We are living through a very chaotic time right now. The world around us feels tense, people are experiencing heightened anxiety, anger, and frustrations, and society does not feel like a joyful place at all. How could we possibly find joy in a time like this? How could Christ possibly be glorified in all this pain, sickness, and division? How can we rejoice in the middle of all this suffering?

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ‘

Philippians 2:10-11

Lately I have been on a roller coaster. Life seems to be going up and down, and I know most if not all of us are experiencing the same in our own ways. This week has been tough, but as I struggled in moments of anxiety I realized that I have begun to understand Paul’s words in these verses. He tells us that in every situation when we seek God out, bringing every joy, pain, and all the in-betweens to Him He does not sit idly by. When we’ve emptied ourselves out to Him and made space for Him to fill us, fill us is precisely what He does.

‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. ‘

Philippians 4:4-8

A vital way to make space in our hearts for more of Him is to remember what we have to be thankful for. These days it seems a bit harder to see those things, but even Paul, while he is imprisoned for his faith, points out that there are always things to be thankful for. Paul says at the end of verse 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.”

What is praiseworthy in your life right now?

Think about that. Don’t focus on what is going wrong; focus on those bits of light, patch them together, and see that there is so much more light than you realize. There is so much more to rejoice over than it seems. Let that light fill you and overflow from you, strengthening you.

‘I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:12-13
How do we rejoice when life is hard
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No matter what phase of life you find yourself in, whether you have much or little, whether you are in peace or suffering, whether you have more questions than answers, you can get through all of it with Christ. Christ is in you, strengthening you, building you up from the inside out. Paul is calling on you to change, to empty yourself, to be transformed by the power of Christ.

‘Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ‘

1 Peter 4:12-13

No matter what tests you face or waters you wade through you will always have His glory and promises to look forward to, and His love and provisions to be thankful for. You can rejoice in your responsibility to imitate Christ and bring others to Him. You have a mission while you are here, and an incredible inheritance to look forward to. Never forget how worthy of praise this is. Rejoice always, because there truly is so much to rejoice over.

‘The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”’

Zephaniah 3:17
To Live is to Be Filled | Philippians Devotional

To Live is to Be Filled | Philippians Devotional

Last week we discussed what it means to be emptied. When we are emptied of ourselves, we clear out our old selves and sinful nature, and with this clearing out we are making room to be filled up. This process of being emptied and filled is a constant process we need to repeat over and over throughout our lives. When we empty ourselves to God, we need to leave ourselves open to Him so He can fill us up with Himself; with all that He knows we need.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

Philippians 2:9

When Christ came to earth, He humbled Himself in becoming a man like us. He set aside His privileges in order to prioritize the needs of others; of us. He didn’t hold His status of being one with God over anyone. He emptied Himself of His privileges and allowed Himself to be filled with the spirit of a humble servant, obedient to God’s will and glory.

‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. ‘

Philippians 2:3-4

Jesus remained steadfast, humble, and obedient in all He did. He served people all around the world, loved them, did not complain or slander, and in this servitude, He was then placed in the highest place above all others. If we are called to be like Christ, we, too, are called to empty ourselves of our perceived and assumed privileges, our selfishness, our complaining and slandering, and our old, sinful selves and allow God to make us new in Christ, filling us up as well with the spirit of servitude for His Kingdom and obedience to Him.

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Galatians 5:13

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:45

He calls us to love others, to display patience, kindness, humility, mercy and grace. This is what He wants to fill us up in, but we must be emptied of what our culture expects of us, what our society demands of us, the norms and stigmas we face, and instead become a beacon for Christ.

‘Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky ‘

Philippians 2:14-15
What does it mean to be filled by God
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Philippians 2:15 says we “… will shine among them like stars in the sky”. We can choose to be a beautiful light spreading love, joy, truth, and healing or we can choose to be a broken light that spreads darkness, hurt, and harm. You have an identity in Christ and a responsibility to spread His light rather than the broken lights and darkness of this world. Empty yourself to God, let Him change your broken bulb, and be filled with His light so that you can spill over into the lives of others.

And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Daniel 12:3

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp-stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Matthew 5:13-15

The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Romans 13:12

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Romans 13:12
To Live is to Be Emptied | Philippians Devotional

To Live is to Be Emptied | Philippians Devotional

The other day I found myself asking “what sin do I struggle with most?” This isn’t something people are likely to ask themselves often if at all, but it reminded me of a similar question I have been asking myself; “What have I been saved from?” It led me to explore the additional questions “what has God emptied me of?”

‘In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:5-8

Each question is unlikely to come up in everyday conversation, but all are questions I wholeheartedly believe God wants us to be asking ourselves often. These aren’t questions to condemn, or make you feel guilty or ashamed, but are rather questions to steer you in the direction of emptying yourself.

In the book of Philippians, we see a theme of three key principles to answer these questions. We are going to break these principles down and look at why we should be asking ourselves these questions, as well as the importance of being emptied, filled, and rejoicing always.

What does it mean to be emptied?

To be “emptied of yourself” means to cast off your old self, or your sinful nature. When we make the decision to follow Christ we undergo a transformation. We go from “believing” to applying that belief. We are made new in Christ and must empty ourselves of how we once lived before we knew Christ, of who we were before we gained our new identity as a child of God. The answer to these questions we are asking can be found within this transformation and will continue to shift and change as you continue to be transformed by God.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Romans 6:6

In order to be emptied, it can be helpful to know what we need to be emptied of. Christ died to save us each from our own specific sins. We all face our own struggles. Some of us battle with pride and esteem ourselves higher or better than others. Some of us fight with sloth or gluttony, some with idolatry, wrath or violent behavior, lust, and even envy or jealousy. The sins we face come in different forms, depths, and names, but we all fight sin.

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Colossians 3:5
What does it mean to empty yourself
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I determined that sloth is my weakness. I am not intentionally lazy, but man do I lack motivation sometimes. Sometimes I just purely have a hard time correctly prioritizing tasks and then more important things can sometimes fall through the cracks or become delayed. Knowing this about myself makes it easier to give my laziness to God, empty myself of it, and strive to let that nature go.

We will always be faced with temptation for our weaknesses, but in allowing God to empty that out time and again I’m better able to resist, avoid, and become stronger against it. It’s not a one and done or quick fix, but each time we lift it up our yoke is lightened.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

Galatians 5:17

So what do you need to be emptied of?

What do you need Christ to save you from?

Look at where He is transforming your life as you give yourself over in faith. Lift your hands up and give it to God. Allow yourself to be emptied, so that you may be filled again, and rejoice always.

‘For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ‘

Philippians 1:21-23

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Luke 9:23‭-‬24

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