WEBVTT 00:00:01.159 --> 00:00:06.639 Welcome to NECF Sermons. Each message here is 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:09.660 designed to uplift and strengthen you in your 00:00:09.660 --> 00:00:13.939 walk with God. Don't miss out. Stay with us until 00:00:13.939 --> 00:00:17.879 the end for a rewarding experience. Let's dive 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:32.560 right in. But I'll do my best to just read as 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:35.679 much as I can as we go. Philippians chapter 1. 00:00:36.299 --> 00:00:39.479 Paul and Timothy, born servants of Jesus Christ, 00:00:39.619 --> 00:00:44.020 all the saints, Christ Jesus, who are in Philippi, 00:00:44.020 --> 00:00:48.039 with the bishops and deacons. Grace to you and 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:50.179 peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus 00:00:50.179 --> 00:00:54.759 Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:58.200 of you, always in every prayer of mine, making 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:02.679 request of you. All we draw for your fellowship 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:06.700 in the gospel from the first day until now, being 00:01:06.700 --> 00:01:09.159 confident of this very thing, that he who has 00:01:09.159 --> 00:01:12.000 begun a good work in you will complete it until 00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:15.540 the day of Jesus Christ. Just as it is right 00:01:15.540 --> 00:01:19.019 for me to feel these of you all, because I have 00:01:19.019 --> 00:01:23.200 been with my heart in as much as forth in my 00:01:23.200 --> 00:01:25.840 chains and in the defense and the confirmation 00:01:25.840 --> 00:01:29.519 of the gospel. you all are partakers in me of 00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:33.719 grace for god is my witness how greatly i long 00:01:33.719 --> 00:01:36.480 for you all with the affection of jesus christ 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:41.659 and this i pray and your love may abound still 00:01:41.659 --> 00:01:46.599 more and more in knowledge and all the sad men 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:51.099 and this was our prayer hallelujah this was our 00:01:51.099 --> 00:01:53.340 prayer this is still our prayer as pastors that 00:01:53.340 --> 00:01:59.200 your love will abound in all knowledge and all 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.620 discernment, that you may approve the things 00:02:02.620 --> 00:02:05.019 that are excellent in the result of abounding 00:02:05.019 --> 00:02:07.900 in love, in knowledge and discernment. You will 00:02:07.900 --> 00:02:10.599 be able to approve the things that are excellent, 00:02:10.860 --> 00:02:14.560 that you may be sincere and without offense to 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:18.460 the day of Christ. Be filled with the fruit of 00:02:18.460 --> 00:02:21.379 righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to 00:02:21.379 --> 00:02:24.539 the glory and praise of God. Hallelujah. We stop 00:02:24.539 --> 00:02:29.289 here. for that later on so this year by the grace 00:02:29.289 --> 00:02:35.069 of god we have been on the topic manifesting 00:02:35.069 --> 00:02:38.009 the kingdom of god and today i'm just going to 00:02:38.009 --> 00:02:40.889 speak about living worthy of the kingdom for 00:02:40.889 --> 00:02:44.909 the short time that we have you know i'll encourage 00:02:44.909 --> 00:02:48.490 you to to read the entire book of leakers because 00:02:48.490 --> 00:02:52.229 for the rest of this month we'll be looking at 00:02:52.569 --> 00:02:54.689 chapter by chapter each sunday so i just want 00:02:54.689 --> 00:02:58.550 you to have a time to study and i pray that as 00:02:58.550 --> 00:03:01.810 we open the scriptures who have our eyes open 00:03:01.810 --> 00:03:07.069 to truth in jesus name so living worthy of the 00:03:07.069 --> 00:03:15.930 kingdom now we've said here in church that the 00:03:15.930 --> 00:03:20.379 kingdom of god here we're talking about Is not 00:03:20.379 --> 00:03:24.620 something that is physical. You know. We thought. 00:03:24.740 --> 00:03:28.780 Even in the foundation. In the cell meetings. 00:03:30.340 --> 00:03:33.639 And even. In Sunday services here. Trying to 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:37.759 describe what. The kingdom of God is. We say 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:41.280 that the word kingdom. Is from the word in Greek. 00:03:41.419 --> 00:03:45.439 The noun in Greek. Which means dominion. It means 00:03:45.439 --> 00:03:49.680 royal power. Or rule. So our role, the kingdom 00:03:49.680 --> 00:03:53.319 of heaven, refers to authority of heaven and 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:56.960 it's not a place. Amen? We're not referring to 00:03:56.960 --> 00:03:59.800 something that is physical. We're not referring 00:03:59.800 --> 00:04:04.759 to something that is tangible. Or rather, a reign 00:04:04.759 --> 00:04:09.139 of God, the authority of heaven on the earth. 00:04:09.659 --> 00:04:12.460 Now the kingdom of God is not a physical location. 00:04:13.659 --> 00:04:16.279 From Jesus' response in the text, he takes for 00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:20.100 the year. Luke chapter 17 verse 20. This is just 00:04:20.100 --> 00:04:23.660 to give us a recap. And then we. We continue. 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:31.660 Luke chapter 17 verse 20. Now when he was asked 00:04:31.660 --> 00:04:35.160 by the Pharisees. When the kingdom of God will 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:38.860 come. He answered them and said. The kingdom 00:04:38.860 --> 00:04:41.360 of God does not come with what? With observation. 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:46.040 Which means that. These people were hoping for 00:04:46.040 --> 00:04:50.100 a kingdom. They have an understanding there is 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:53.660 a kingdom that should manifest, that will come. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.319 A kingdom that will come to earth, not that we 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:00.220 are going to the kingdom, but a kingdom that 00:05:00.220 --> 00:05:05.019 will come on earth. So the idea of us going somewhere 00:05:05.019 --> 00:05:10.980 is not the reality. So they ask the question, 00:05:11.220 --> 00:05:13.639 when will this kingdom come? Which means that 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:15.920 through scriptures they have an understanding 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:19.220 that the kingdom of God will come to men. But 00:05:19.220 --> 00:05:23.180 the wrong understanding they have is that they 00:05:23.180 --> 00:05:24.939 have the wrong perspective of what this kingdom 00:05:24.939 --> 00:05:27.639 is. Now, when he was asked by the Pharisees, 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:31.000 verse 20 again, when, which means that there 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:33.540 is a time, when the kingdom of God will come, 00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:35.860 he answered them and said, the kingdom of God 00:05:35.860 --> 00:05:40.259 does not come with observation. Nor will they 00:05:40.259 --> 00:05:44.120 say, see here, or see there, for indeed the kingdom 00:05:44.120 --> 00:05:48.029 of God is where? It's within you. Obviously he 00:05:48.029 --> 00:05:51.050 is referring to himself. He is referring to Christ 00:05:51.050 --> 00:05:58.189 manifesting in their midst. Hallelujah. And Acts 00:05:58.189 --> 00:06:00.189 chapter 1 verse 6. We see that even after Jesus 00:06:00.189 --> 00:06:04.829 has died and was risen from the dead. They still 00:06:04.829 --> 00:06:07.430 had a problem. They still have a misunderstanding 00:06:07.430 --> 00:06:13.149 of the kind of kingdom that was promised. Therefore 00:06:13.149 --> 00:06:15.269 when they had come together they asked him saying 00:06:15.269 --> 00:06:18.810 Lord. Will you at this time restore the kingdom 00:06:18.810 --> 00:06:21.810 to Israel? Their attention was on what was an 00:06:21.810 --> 00:06:25.110 earthly kingdom. You are looking for a political 00:06:25.110 --> 00:06:28.129 movement, particularly to the people of Israel. 00:06:29.610 --> 00:06:31.529 Some of you will see the conversation in Luke 00:06:31.529 --> 00:06:37.069 chapter 24, verse 21. Luke 24, 21. I'm right, 00:06:37.149 --> 00:06:41.829 that text. Yes, from verse 20 there, where he 00:06:41.829 --> 00:06:43.990 appeared to some of the disciples. From verse 00:06:43.990 --> 00:06:54.899 20. Go back, go back, go back to verse 18. Go 00:06:54.899 --> 00:07:08.740 back to verse 14, I think, from there. 14. Yes, 00:07:08.740 --> 00:07:10.680 and they talked together of all these things 00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:13.079 which had happened as the disciples were walking 00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:14.920 on their way to the mountain. So it was while 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:17.680 they were conversing and reading that Jesus himself 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:20.879 drew near and went with them. But their eyes 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:23.639 were restrained so that they did not know him. 00:07:24.459 --> 00:07:26.579 And he said to them, what kind of conversation 00:07:26.579 --> 00:07:29.220 is this that you have with one another as you 00:07:29.220 --> 00:07:33.019 walk on our side? Then one whose name was Cleopas 00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:35.379 answered and said to him, are you the only stranger 00:07:35.379 --> 00:07:38.240 in Jerusalem? And have you not known the things 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:42.540 which happen there in these days? And he said 00:07:42.540 --> 00:07:44.959 to them, what things? So they said to him, the 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:49.139 things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was 00:07:49.139 --> 00:07:52.560 a prophet, mighty indeed, and worked before God 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:55.660 and all the people, and how the chief priests 00:07:55.660 --> 00:07:57.779 and our rulers delivered him to be condemned 00:07:57.779 --> 00:08:02.060 to death and crucified him. But we were hoping 00:08:02.060 --> 00:08:05.040 that it was he. Now this is their misconception. 00:08:05.300 --> 00:08:07.939 First of all, they didn't have a proper understanding 00:08:07.939 --> 00:08:11.120 of who Jesus was. They saw him as a prophet. 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:17.040 They saw him probably as the matiluda of their 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:23.259 time. They saw him as, you know, the political 00:08:23.259 --> 00:08:27.819 emancipator of their time. But we were hoping 00:08:27.819 --> 00:08:31.360 that it was he who was going to redeem Israel. 00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:35.279 So this made, we were looking for a redemption. 00:08:35.820 --> 00:08:40.360 And this redemption was something physical. Indeed, 00:08:40.500 --> 00:08:42.759 besides all this, today is the third day since 00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:46.200 these things happened. Yes, and certain women 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:48.379 of our company who arrived at the tomb, they 00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:51.580 astonished us. When they did not find his body, 00:08:51.639 --> 00:08:53.779 they came seeing that they had also seen a vision 00:08:53.779 --> 00:08:56.460 of Andrew who said he was alive. And certain 00:08:56.460 --> 00:08:58.919 of those who were with us went to the tomb and 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:03.399 found just as the women had said but him they 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:07.259 did not see. And they said to them, O foolish 00:09:07.259 --> 00:09:11.870 ones! And slow of heart to do what? To believe. 00:09:13.029 --> 00:09:17.190 So, their problem is not only ignorance, but 00:09:17.190 --> 00:09:21.389 it's unbelief. To believe in all that the prophets 00:09:21.389 --> 00:09:24.970 have spoken. So, all the prophets have been speaking 00:09:24.970 --> 00:09:30.370 was meant to be believed upon concerning what 00:09:30.370 --> 00:09:34.549 Christ will bring. A spiritual reality and not 00:09:34.549 --> 00:09:38.429 something physical. So, we see in Jesus. you 00:09:38.429 --> 00:09:40.750 know, cautioning them, rebuking them concerning 00:09:40.750 --> 00:09:43.309 their unbelief and their lack of comprehension 00:09:43.309 --> 00:09:48.929 of what reason he was bringing to the world. 00:09:49.870 --> 00:09:52.210 So we say that the kingdom of God is not like 00:09:52.210 --> 00:09:55.289 the kingdom of men. John chapter 18, verse 33 00:09:55.289 --> 00:10:02.350 to 37. John 18, 33 to 37. Then Pilate entered 00:10:02.350 --> 00:10:04.129 the praetorium again and called Jesus and said 00:10:04.129 --> 00:10:07.350 to him, Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered 00:10:07.350 --> 00:10:09.190 him, Are you speaking for yourself about this 00:10:09.190 --> 00:10:13.990 or the others tell you this concerning me? Article 00:10:13.990 --> 00:10:20.929 6. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this 00:10:20.929 --> 00:10:26.029 world. So Jesus was not speaking about or was 00:10:26.029 --> 00:10:29.750 not bringing a kingdom that is earthly. If my 00:10:29.750 --> 00:10:32.330 kingdom were of this world, my servants would 00:10:32.330 --> 00:10:35.610 fight so that I should not be delivered to the 00:10:35.610 --> 00:10:40.139 Jews. But now my kingdom is what? Is not from 00:10:40.139 --> 00:10:44.720 here. Hallelujah. The kingdom is not from here. 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:48.200 And we're also taught that the kingdom of God 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:51.980 is a spiritual reality accessed by what? By the 00:10:51.980 --> 00:10:55.759 spirit. It is a demonstration and a walkings 00:10:55.759 --> 00:10:58.100 of the spirit of God in the life of the believer. 00:10:59.080 --> 00:11:01.639 We see Jesus speaking to Nicodemus in John chapter 00:11:01.639 --> 00:11:05.500 3. They explained to him how he will come into 00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:07.879 this kingdom. When you read John chapter 3, verse 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:13.539 1 to 17, you see the conversation. It's a spiritual 00:11:13.539 --> 00:11:18.000 reality. And we said also that the kingdom of 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:20.100 heaven or the kingdom of God which is ascended 00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:23.600 is manifested through human activities here on 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:28.639 earth. It's manifested through human activities. 00:11:30.889 --> 00:11:33.289 Through preaching of the gospel accompanied by 00:11:33.289 --> 00:11:38.230 miraculous signs and wonders. And we also notify 00:11:38.230 --> 00:11:41.769 clearly that we who are believers, who have received 00:11:41.769 --> 00:11:46.110 the gospel, are members of God's kingdom. We 00:11:46.110 --> 00:11:48.190 are not looking forward to a kingdom of God, 00:11:48.289 --> 00:11:52.490 but we are already in the kingdom of God. So 00:11:52.490 --> 00:11:54.269 if you are looking forward to a time where you 00:11:54.269 --> 00:11:58.129 die, and then you will find yourself in the kingdom 00:11:58.129 --> 00:12:01.159 of God. That you have a wrong understanding. 00:12:02.139 --> 00:12:05.679 Because the moment you believe. There is a translation 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:09.519 that happens. There is a change of position that 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:12.480 you have. Colossians chapter 1 verse 13 speaks 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:18.759 about this. Colossians chapter 1 verse 17. Verse 00:12:18.759 --> 00:12:22.340 13 rather. It says. He has delivered us. Who? 00:12:22.500 --> 00:12:25.460 He is talking about Jesus. He has delivered us. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:28.570 From the power of darkness. That is from the 00:12:28.570 --> 00:12:31.429 kingdom of darkness. From the reign of darkness. 00:12:31.549 --> 00:12:35.190 From the influence of darkness. And not only 00:12:35.190 --> 00:12:38.149 delivered us. But he conveyed us into the kingdom. 00:12:39.009 --> 00:12:46.730 Of his son. The son of his Lord. So a man and 00:12:46.730 --> 00:12:49.889 a woman that believe the gospel. Has been transferred. 00:12:50.610 --> 00:12:54.330 Has been delivered. Has been converted from the 00:12:54.330 --> 00:12:58.080 kingdom of darkness. from the power and the dominion 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:01.659 the authority of godness into the power the authority 00:13:01.659 --> 00:13:06.080 and the domain of god in whom we have redemption 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.360 through his blood even the forgiveness of our 00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:13.960 sins we see similarly speaking about our citizenship 00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:30.210 our identity He says, for our citizenship, who 00:13:30.210 --> 00:13:33.250 are the hour, you and I who have believed the 00:13:33.250 --> 00:13:38.789 gospel, our identity is in heaven. It's not utterly, 00:13:38.950 --> 00:13:41.909 but it's in heaven. From which we also eagerly 00:13:41.909 --> 00:13:44.970 wait for who? For a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:13:45.269 --> 00:13:51.070 Who will recall? Hallelujah. So since the manifestation 00:13:51.070 --> 00:13:54.570 of the kingdom of God is done through preaching 00:13:54.570 --> 00:13:59.700 of the gospel of Christ, We see Paul calling 00:13:59.700 --> 00:14:05.080 on believers in Philippians 1 verse 27 to live. 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:10.639 Philippians 1 verse 27, it says, only let your 00:14:10.639 --> 00:14:16.220 conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Let 00:14:16.220 --> 00:14:20.379 only that your conduct be worthy of what? Of 00:14:20.379 --> 00:14:23.440 the gospel of Christ. so that when i come and 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:27.120 see you or absence i may hear of your of your 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:31.960 appears that you stand fast in one spirit with 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:35.840 one mind striving together for the faith of the 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:42.320 gospel hallelujah speaking to those who have 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:46.379 received and are part of god's kingdom to live 00:14:46.379 --> 00:14:49.639 their life word worthy of the gospel through 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:53.399 which they have received The way by which we 00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:55.120 receive the kingdom is through the preaching 00:14:55.120 --> 00:15:02.840 of the gospel. It's called the gospel of the 00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:06.779 kingdom. A message concerning the kingdom of 00:15:06.779 --> 00:15:10.820 God. About what God intends to do in humanity. 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:15.080 And you and I have come into this reality when 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:23.269 we believe the gift will receive the gift. So 00:15:23.269 --> 00:15:25.190 when we believe in Jesus Christ as a Messiah, 00:15:25.409 --> 00:15:30.049 as the one that has come to die for our sins, 00:15:30.149 --> 00:15:34.269 to forgive our sins, we receive the kingdom as 00:15:34.269 --> 00:15:39.009 a gift. Every part of the kingdom is not by works. 00:15:42.950 --> 00:15:45.769 There are some ugly kingdoms, some ugly nations. 00:15:46.250 --> 00:15:48.149 You know, you have to stay there and work for 00:15:48.149 --> 00:15:52.500 some years. You go through processes. And then 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:56.879 you become part of that kingdom. But the kingdom 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:02.080 we have is a gift without works. It's a gift 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:05.659 received through faith in the totality of what 00:16:05.659 --> 00:16:10.919 God has done in Christ Jesus. And we say that 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:15.340 we are what? Our members of his kingdom. Therefore, 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:19.279 the challenge for us this day is to be worthy 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:24.440 of the kingdom we represent. It's for you and 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:34.059 I to live worthy of what? Of our citizens. So, 00:16:34.179 --> 00:16:37.940 the book of Philippians, you know, let's look 00:16:37.940 --> 00:16:40.019 at some historical backgrounds and concepts so 00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:42.399 that we can move on. The book was, first of all, 00:16:42.419 --> 00:16:45.379 is a letter written by Paul, right? While he 00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:49.679 was in Rome. He wasn't on a holiday in Rome. 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:54.059 He wasn't just sitting on the beach. And he just 00:16:54.059 --> 00:16:56.259 said, let me just send a WhatsApp message to 00:16:56.259 --> 00:17:01.519 this church. In NACF. No. It was a book written 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:07.240 while he was in Rome. In prison. And he had been 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:09.160 in prison. It was not because he stole something 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:12.700 or he was accused of stealing something. But 00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:14.960 the reason of his imprisonment was because of 00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:18.000 what? It was because of the gospel. For the sake 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:21.740 of the gospel. And he was writing to the Christians. 00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:26.819 The Christian church in Philippi. A Roman. Colony 00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:30.259 in Macedonia. So Philippi is in northern Greece. 00:17:31.779 --> 00:17:35.480 He was in prison in Italy. Rome. And he wrote 00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:38.400 the letter to the Christians. In where? In Europe. 00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:42.980 In northern Macedonia. In modern day northern 00:17:42.980 --> 00:17:49.220 Greece. So Philippi. Was a major city in Macedonia. 00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:52.920 It was a Roman colony. That means. an extension 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:56.880 of Rome, known for its patriotism and military 00:17:56.880 --> 00:18:01.819 history. In fact, this was the first city in 00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:05.599 Europe where Paul preached the gospel. We can 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:07.759 see that in Acts chapter 6, Acts chapter 16. 00:18:07.819 --> 00:18:15.359 Let's look at it. Acts chapter 16. Acts 16 from 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:30.589 verse 6. Now when they had gone through Phrygia 00:18:30.589 --> 00:18:32.869 and region of Galatia, they were forbidden by 00:18:32.869 --> 00:18:35.390 the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After 00:18:35.390 --> 00:18:38.369 they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into 00:18:38.369 --> 00:18:41.029 Pythinia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 00:18:41.390 --> 00:18:45.910 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Thrace, 00:18:45.950 --> 00:18:49.390 and a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A 00:18:49.390 --> 00:18:51.869 man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, 00:18:51.890 --> 00:18:56.349 saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. This 00:18:56.349 --> 00:18:58.490 was how we got the direction to go to Macedonia. 00:19:00.710 --> 00:19:03.529 Now, after he had seen the bishop, immediately 00:19:03.529 --> 00:19:06.750 we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that 00:19:06.750 --> 00:19:09.769 the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to 00:19:09.769 --> 00:19:16.430 them. Therefore, setting from trust, we ran a 00:19:16.430 --> 00:19:24.240 straight course to Samothrace, right? And the 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:27.279 next day we came to Neapolis, and from there 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:30.539 to Philippi, which is a former city of the part 00:19:30.539 --> 00:19:33.819 of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in 00:19:33.819 --> 00:19:37.059 that city for some days. And on a Sabbath day, 00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:40.339 we went out on the city to the riverside, where 00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:43.380 prayer was customarily made, and we sat down 00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:47.240 and spoke to the women who we met there. Presumably, 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:50.740 this was the first place they were. And here 00:19:50.740 --> 00:19:57.289 you go. Now, a certain woman named Lydia, so 00:19:57.289 --> 00:20:00.269 the first person in this context that received 00:20:00.269 --> 00:20:04.410 the gospel, who was in Europe, was a woman. Lydia 00:20:04.410 --> 00:20:08.769 had us. She was a sailor from the city of Tyre, 00:20:09.069 --> 00:20:12.509 from the city of Tyre, who worshipped God. The 00:20:12.509 --> 00:20:16.049 Lord opened her heart. The Lord opened her heart 00:20:16.049 --> 00:20:20.319 to hear the things spoken by Paul. And when she, 00:20:20.420 --> 00:20:23.099 at her house, was baptized, she begged or said, 00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:26.759 if you have touched me to be faithful to the 00:20:26.759 --> 00:20:29.819 Lord, come to my house and stay. So she persuaded 00:20:29.819 --> 00:20:31.740 us. And we were seeing on and on and on where, 00:20:31.839 --> 00:20:34.599 you know, they preached. There was an instance 00:20:34.599 --> 00:20:36.900 where they preached to the castle of the devils 00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:39.960 after they saved a slave. They came to prison. 00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:42.920 They converted the prisoners. And they jailed 00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:47.720 out the people. So this is the context of this 00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:50.700 city. So Paul founded the church during his second 00:20:50.700 --> 00:20:54.279 missionary journey. And of course, a notable 00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:58.059 group of what you can see here is Lydia. There 00:20:58.059 --> 00:21:01.880 was a delivered slave girl, a Roman jailer, written 00:21:01.880 --> 00:21:06.980 father. So this church was very dear to Paul. 00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:10.220 And this is very essential. Understanding context 00:21:10.220 --> 00:21:14.660 is very important. It's very, very important. 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:18.289 So the church was very dear to Paul. Because 00:21:18.289 --> 00:21:21.410 they supported his ministry financially. Not 00:21:21.410 --> 00:21:23.950 only that, you know, they believed the message, 00:21:23.990 --> 00:21:26.690 they received the message, and they also partnered 00:21:26.690 --> 00:21:34.750 with him in ministry. So the purpose of Paul's 00:21:34.750 --> 00:21:38.970 writing of this letter to them was not for doctrine, 00:21:39.170 --> 00:21:41.829 just as other, you know, what do you call, other 00:21:41.829 --> 00:21:46.269 epistles. He wasn't teaching them some doctrinal 00:21:46.269 --> 00:21:49.880 issues. Unlike other episodes such as Romans, 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:55.799 letters to the Corinthians, and so on, where 00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:58.799 he was teaching or answering doctrinal questions. 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:03.420 But in this, you know, it wasn't the same. His 00:22:03.420 --> 00:22:05.539 purpose was to fund the Philippians for what? 00:22:05.579 --> 00:22:08.039 For their partnership with him in the ministry. 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:11.640 To encourage them to remain joyful and united. 00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:15.700 Because there were some people that were disagreeing. 00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:18.920 We'll look at it later on. To exhort them to 00:22:18.920 --> 00:22:22.220 imitate Christ's humility. In chapter 2 they 00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:25.740 are about, chapter 2, yes. And to warn them, 00:22:25.740 --> 00:22:27.740 you know, against false teachers, especially 00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:33.680 those who are Judaizers, legalist people. And 00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:38.480 so on. So similarly, the goal of this sermon 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:41.099 or this teaching, just as false letters were 00:22:41.099 --> 00:22:44.519 for the Philippians, is to admonish us to walk 00:22:44.519 --> 00:22:48.859 worthy of our identity. Are we together? It's 00:22:48.859 --> 00:22:50.960 to admonish us to do or to work worthy of our 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:57.660 identity. Of our citizenship. The letter, just 00:22:57.660 --> 00:23:00.799 as any part of scripture, was documented for 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:04.700 our own learning. Alright? It was documented 00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:07.099 for our own learning that we may live worthy 00:23:07.099 --> 00:23:12.640 of our calling as citizens of God's kingdom. 00:23:13.299 --> 00:23:15.579 Just as any part of scripture, as Romans chapter 00:23:15.579 --> 00:23:18.109 15 verse 4 would say, This is what we are reading 00:23:18.109 --> 00:23:20.490 forward for our learning. In Romans 15 verse 00:23:20.490 --> 00:23:22.329 4, it says, for whatever things we have written 00:23:22.329 --> 00:23:25.329 before, we are reading forward for our learning. 00:23:26.789 --> 00:23:29.490 That we through patience and comfort of the scripture 00:23:29.490 --> 00:23:33.250 will have hope. So as we read the letter that 00:23:33.250 --> 00:23:37.349 he wrote to the Philippians, as we delve into 00:23:37.349 --> 00:23:42.089 understanding his message to them, we ourselves 00:23:42.089 --> 00:23:47.009 will learn. Hallelujah. And what I want us to 00:23:47.009 --> 00:23:50.849 learn specifically is how we can work worthy 00:23:50.849 --> 00:23:53.670 of our identity, even as he has emphasized today. 00:23:54.910 --> 00:23:57.230 So primarily there are four things. In the short 00:23:57.230 --> 00:23:59.009 time I have, I will try to be as fast as possible. 00:23:59.670 --> 00:24:01.970 Four things, important things that I want us 00:24:01.970 --> 00:24:03.410 to know. There are many things we can say, but 00:24:03.410 --> 00:24:06.630 just four for now, that are important for us. 00:24:07.609 --> 00:24:12.809 As we learn in this episode, it is essential 00:24:12.809 --> 00:24:17.380 for us to work worthy. First of all, it's a character 00:24:17.380 --> 00:24:22.339 for us to embody. It's a character we need to 00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:26.599 embody before we walk worthy. Secondly, there's 00:24:26.599 --> 00:24:30.599 a perspective we need to have concerning life, 00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:32.779 concerning the things that happen in our lives 00:24:32.779 --> 00:24:35.859 that we need to have in order for us to walk 00:24:35.859 --> 00:24:39.019 worthy. Thirdly, there's a sense of focus we 00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:42.180 need to have. I said first a character to embody. 00:24:45.099 --> 00:24:49.799 A perspective to have about life. A focus to 00:24:49.799 --> 00:25:02.740 have. And also a lifestyle to live. So from verse 00:25:02.740 --> 00:25:08.079 3 to 11. From verse 3 to 11 again. Forgiving? 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:13.539 No. Philippians 3. 1 verse 3 to 11. Philippians 00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:27.269 1. left this man in Rome. Alright. It says, I 00:25:27.269 --> 00:25:34.609 thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Always 00:25:34.609 --> 00:25:37.910 in every prayer of mine, making requests of you, 00:25:38.009 --> 00:25:42.029 all with joy. For your fellowship in the gospel 00:25:42.029 --> 00:25:46.609 from the first day until now. Be confident of 00:25:46.609 --> 00:25:50.109 this very thing, that he who has begun a good 00:25:50.109 --> 00:25:52.900 work in you. Will complete it until the day of 00:25:52.900 --> 00:25:56.400 Jesus Christ. Just as it is right for me. To 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:59.599 think this of you all. Because I have. Because 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:03.740 I have you in my heart. In as much as. In as 00:26:03.740 --> 00:26:07.440 much as work in my chains. And in the defense. 00:26:07.640 --> 00:26:11.240 And confirmation of the gospel. You all are partakers 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:17.819 with me. Of. Of grace. For God is my witness. 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:22.019 How greatly I long for you. All with the affection 00:26:22.019 --> 00:26:26.200 of Jesus Christ. And this I pray that your love 00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:31.160 may abound still more and more in knowledge and 00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:36.180 all discernment. That you may approve the things 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:39.799 that are excellent. That you may be sincere and 00:26:39.799 --> 00:26:43.319 without offense till the day of Christ. Being 00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:47.259 filled with the spirit of righteousness which 00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:50.940 are by Jesus Christ to the glory. and the praise 00:26:50.940 --> 00:26:56.400 of God. Hallelujah. It's a character in Paul 00:26:56.400 --> 00:26:59.099 here, from Paul's perspective that we need to 00:26:59.099 --> 00:27:06.019 learn. A character of prayer and gratitude. Especially 00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:09.400 in this situation. When you read through this, 00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:12.019 the book, you will not see an idea of someone 00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:17.299 who is in pain. It doesn't look like someone 00:27:17.299 --> 00:27:21.880 who is in chains. From Paul's perspective, regardless 00:27:21.880 --> 00:27:25.839 of his imprisonment, he was full of praise given. 00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:29.160 He was full of rejoicing. I think in the entire 00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:31.579 Philippians, I counted, there were about 15 times 00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:37.700 Paul kept emphasizing joy and rejoicing. In respect 00:27:37.700 --> 00:27:41.140 of his experience being in prison, he was full 00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:44.880 of joy. And the reason for his joy is not something 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:47.940 that is happening. It's not a function of his 00:27:47.940 --> 00:27:54.490 circumstance. His joy, his rejoicing, is not 00:27:54.490 --> 00:28:00.190 the influence of his immediate environment. He 00:28:00.190 --> 00:28:03.269 was full of thanksgiving to God and his prayers 00:28:03.269 --> 00:28:06.769 were more for spiritual development of the people 00:28:06.769 --> 00:28:11.230 rather than his freedom from prison. Now imagine 00:28:11.230 --> 00:28:15.130 if you were the one in prison. Maybe they arrested 00:28:15.130 --> 00:28:21.380 you for residence permit issues. And maybe Pastor 00:28:21.380 --> 00:28:26.940 Cousman goes to visit you. And then he asks, 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:30.099 what should we be praying for you? I doubt if 00:28:30.099 --> 00:28:32.279 your prayer will be for the church to keep expanding. 00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:39.700 Oh, when will I have, you know, myself out of 00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:42.039 this place? Or maybe our concern will be about 00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:43.960 our freedom. But we see here in the life of Paul's 00:28:43.960 --> 00:28:45.980 life, it's very important for us to understand 00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:53.089 this. His heart, Was where? Was in a way it's 00:28:53.089 --> 00:29:01.069 supposed to be. His prayer. Was not for his own 00:29:01.069 --> 00:29:07.849 freedom. Regardless of his experience. God begins 00:29:07.849 --> 00:29:10.049 with thanks and prayers. Not for money or such. 00:29:11.130 --> 00:29:13.250 Not for them to send him aid. To release him. 00:29:13.329 --> 00:29:17.569 Not for them to look for a lawyer for him. But 00:29:17.569 --> 00:29:20.970 for God's people. For God's people. His prayer 00:29:20.970 --> 00:29:23.750 is not self -centered around his issue, his problem. 00:29:24.150 --> 00:29:29.049 But his prayer is spiritually focused. Look at 00:29:29.049 --> 00:29:35.589 verse 9. What was the content of his prayer? 00:29:35.809 --> 00:29:40.710 The content of his prayer was the spiritual development 00:29:40.710 --> 00:29:45.009 of the people of God. And this I pray that your 00:29:45.009 --> 00:29:51.500 love may abound. Still more and more. In knowledge. 00:29:51.940 --> 00:29:56.400 And all discernment. That you may approve. The 00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:59.440 things that are excellent. That you may be sincere. 00:29:59.880 --> 00:30:02.960 And without offense to the day of Christ. Be 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:06.460 free with fruits. Of righteousness. Which are 00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:08.660 by Jesus Christ. The glory and the praise of 00:30:08.660 --> 00:30:19.019 God. And some of us today. Little. What do you 00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:23.559 call it? Discomfort. Changes the dynamics of 00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:28.240 our spirituality. Little discomfort affects the 00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:33.460 way we apportion things of God. Some of us, the 00:30:33.460 --> 00:30:36.779 moment the semester begins, that's how we lost 00:30:36.779 --> 00:30:42.519 focus. Our prayer life changes. Our commitment 00:30:42.519 --> 00:30:45.279 to the fellowship changes. Our commitment to 00:30:45.279 --> 00:30:49.529 the brethren changes. And what betides you if 00:30:49.529 --> 00:30:53.089 your school fees is delayed? Then the focus of 00:30:53.089 --> 00:30:56.309 your prayer shifts from praying for souls to 00:30:56.309 --> 00:31:01.289 praying for money. Now we are not saying that 00:31:01.289 --> 00:31:06.769 praying for needs is wrong. Hallelujah. We are 00:31:06.769 --> 00:31:08.630 not saying that praying for needs is wrong. We 00:31:08.630 --> 00:31:12.109 always teach you to pray for needs. We also pray 00:31:12.109 --> 00:31:15.170 for needs. Are we together? For what consumes. 00:31:17.710 --> 00:31:24.109 Your life. What is the most dominant prayer you 00:31:24.109 --> 00:31:31.410 pray? What dominates your prayer life? Is it 00:31:31.410 --> 00:31:33.250 your circumstance that dominates your prayer 00:31:33.250 --> 00:31:36.329 life? Or the kingdom of God is what dominates 00:31:36.329 --> 00:31:41.130 your prayer life? If you must live in this kingdom, 00:31:41.230 --> 00:31:42.990 we must emulate the character of Paul. You see, 00:31:43.029 --> 00:31:45.170 we have to learn from his experience, right? 00:31:45.640 --> 00:31:48.460 The things that happen to them or their own experience 00:31:48.460 --> 00:31:55.319 for us to learn from, especially Paul. Do we, 00:31:55.420 --> 00:31:58.779 in the center of our life, experience these difficulties? 00:31:59.380 --> 00:32:01.960 Listen, each and every one of us can be in one 00:32:01.960 --> 00:32:05.500 thing or the other, one trial or the other. Amen? 00:32:07.019 --> 00:32:09.359 Is it that you are in one right now or you will 00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:15.769 soon enter one? Hallelujah. It's constant. In 00:32:15.769 --> 00:32:19.430 fact, it was plain in scriptures, isn't it? It's 00:32:19.430 --> 00:32:25.190 plain in scriptures. It's plain in scriptures 00:32:25.190 --> 00:32:28.250 that we're going to face trials, we're going 00:32:28.250 --> 00:32:34.630 to face challenges. So, what dominates your prayer 00:32:34.630 --> 00:32:37.730 life? What do you pray for in the midst of the 00:32:37.730 --> 00:32:44.279 experiences you have? Do we pray? If we do pray, 00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:49.779 what is the focus of our prayers? Do we pray 00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:51.799 for the advancement of God's kingdom, to see 00:32:51.799 --> 00:32:55.059 the will of God, the kingdom of God expand, especially 00:32:55.059 --> 00:32:58.819 in the heart of men, where our focus is based 00:32:58.819 --> 00:33:06.440 on what? On our circumstance. So if we would 00:33:06.440 --> 00:33:14.220 walk toward it, right? You see? What informs 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:20.220 Paul's disposition is in where is in his identity. 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:28.140 Understanding where he is from. The second point, 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:31.279 kingdom perspective. Philippians from verse 12, 00:33:31.319 --> 00:33:34.660 you see, and even in the piece of trial, let's 00:33:34.660 --> 00:33:37.220 look at his perspective concerning trial. Philippians 00:33:37.220 --> 00:33:48.259 1, verse 12. It says, but I want you to know, 00:33:48.279 --> 00:33:51.140 brethren, that the things which happened to me 00:33:51.140 --> 00:33:53.960 have actually, look at his perspective concerning 00:33:53.960 --> 00:34:02.079 his trials, have actually happened to me, happened 00:34:02.079 --> 00:34:04.680 to me, have actually taught us for the forbearance 00:34:04.680 --> 00:34:08.599 of the gospel, so that it has become evident 00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:12.980 to all palace guards and to all the rest that 00:34:12.980 --> 00:34:18.829 my chains are what? and in Christ, and most of 00:34:18.829 --> 00:34:22.269 the brethren in the Lord, having become confident 00:34:22.269 --> 00:34:27.090 by my chains, I am much more bold to speak the 00:34:27.090 --> 00:34:37.989 word after. Some indeed preach Christ even from 00:34:37.989 --> 00:34:40.289 the envy and strife and some also from goodwill. 00:34:41.610 --> 00:34:43.670 The former preached Christ from selfish ambition, 00:34:43.869 --> 00:34:46.110 not sincerely supposed to add affliction to my 00:34:46.110 --> 00:34:51.090 days. By the latter, out of love, knowing that 00:34:51.090 --> 00:34:53.409 I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 00:34:53.570 --> 00:34:56.949 Verse 18. What then? Only that in every way, 00:34:57.130 --> 00:35:02.309 whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached. 00:35:03.150 --> 00:35:05.269 Meaning that his ambition is to see the expansion 00:35:05.269 --> 00:35:08.150 of the kingdom of God on earth. And in this, 00:35:08.230 --> 00:35:13.059 I what? That is what you. Rejoicing. That is 00:35:13.059 --> 00:35:16.500 what informs him. You see, you keep telling them 00:35:16.500 --> 00:35:20.840 rejoice. He says, in this I rejoice. And I will 00:35:20.840 --> 00:35:25.619 rejoice. In chapter 3 verse 1. You see him emphasizing. 00:35:27.059 --> 00:35:32.179 Finally my brain rejoices in the Lord. Intermediate. 00:35:32.179 --> 00:35:35.159 Keep telling them to rejoice. And what informs 00:35:35.159 --> 00:35:38.340 his rejoicing is what? It is perception about 00:35:38.340 --> 00:35:43.429 the kingdom of God. It's full of joy because 00:35:43.429 --> 00:35:46.909 of what? Because of his identity. Because of 00:35:46.909 --> 00:35:51.409 his human, you know, experiencing the reign of 00:35:51.409 --> 00:35:57.090 Christ in his life. Just expect that as believers, 00:35:57.329 --> 00:36:00.630 our life should be full of rejoicing. See, rejoicing 00:36:00.630 --> 00:36:05.650 is something you do. Hallelujah. Always. Joy 00:36:05.650 --> 00:36:09.969 should be what? The status of the believer at 00:36:09.969 --> 00:36:14.230 all times. It's not a function of external experience. 00:36:14.269 --> 00:36:16.510 That is how we live worthy of the kingdom that 00:36:16.510 --> 00:36:21.349 we are in. Our kingdom is full of joy. Hallelujah. 00:36:22.929 --> 00:36:27.550 So our experiences do not influence our perception 00:36:27.550 --> 00:36:30.690 of our identity. Do not influence what? The way 00:36:30.690 --> 00:36:37.530 we live our lives. So we must have kingdom perspective 00:36:37.530 --> 00:36:42.329 prior. that Paul had the kingdom perspective 00:36:42.329 --> 00:36:46.170 for his imprisonment. He saw it as an opportunity 00:36:46.170 --> 00:36:49.030 for what? For the advancement of God's kingdom. 00:36:49.550 --> 00:36:52.489 He sees himself imprisoned as an opportunity 00:36:52.489 --> 00:36:56.710 to do what? To expand the kingdom of God. So 00:36:56.710 --> 00:37:00.070 we see him menstruating even to the jailers at 00:37:00.070 --> 00:37:09.079 all times whenever he's imprisoned. It's time 00:37:09.079 --> 00:37:12.340 you receive a prophecy that, you know, prison 00:37:12.340 --> 00:37:17.159 awaits him somewhere. And for our context, we 00:37:17.159 --> 00:37:19.000 have said, ah, the Lord has shown him something 00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:21.739 to avoid what will happen, but in his prayer, 00:37:21.760 --> 00:37:23.599 he saw the necessity for him to be in prison. 00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:33.900 So sometimes, you know, the trials, listen, as 00:37:33.900 --> 00:37:37.480 a believer, nothing happens to you. Anyhow without 00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:42.340 a purpose. Amen. Nothing happened to the believer 00:37:42.340 --> 00:37:47.360 without a purpose. Nothing happened to the believer 00:37:47.360 --> 00:37:53.619 without a purpose. The outcome of his imprisonment 00:37:53.619 --> 00:37:56.900 in verse 14. For this is boldness in order to 00:37:56.900 --> 00:38:04.059 preach the gospel. Verse 14. And most of the 00:38:04.059 --> 00:38:06.079 brethren in the Lord haven't become confident 00:38:06.079 --> 00:38:10.440 by my change. And most of all, Paul to speak 00:38:10.440 --> 00:38:12.820 without fear. When people look at your experience, 00:38:13.119 --> 00:38:17.280 what did they? What did they believe in? Because 00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:23.980 your story edifies people. Or your actions affect 00:38:23.980 --> 00:38:30.400 others. So regardless of others' intentions towards 00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:34.059 Paul, he had one perspective. The advancement 00:38:34.059 --> 00:38:40.940 of the kingdom of God was 1782. How do we view 00:38:40.940 --> 00:38:47.079 trials? How do you and I view trials? As I said 00:38:47.079 --> 00:38:51.400 earlier on, if you're not presently in one, then 00:38:51.400 --> 00:38:54.340 you're just coming out of one. Or you will soon 00:38:54.340 --> 00:38:58.059 be in one. Or does that change your perspective? 00:38:58.119 --> 00:39:02.150 Does that change your identity? How do you view 00:39:02.150 --> 00:39:08.530 trials? Has God forsaken you? Some of us in the 00:39:08.530 --> 00:39:10.469 midst of our trials, we are crying, Eli, Eli, 00:39:10.530 --> 00:39:15.610 the master, I tell you. Instead of seeing an 00:39:15.610 --> 00:39:17.989 opportunity for the advancement of God's kingdom. 00:39:23.130 --> 00:39:25.289 Instead of seeing it as an opportunity for all 00:39:25.289 --> 00:39:29.980 to be glorified. Trials can come in any form, 00:39:30.059 --> 00:39:35.519 in any shape. Now, we're not talking about the 00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:39.079 thing you've called yourself. It's a different 00:39:39.079 --> 00:39:42.659 thing. In fact, the one you have created will 00:39:42.659 --> 00:39:52.219 not give glory to God. But trials have a purpose 00:39:52.219 --> 00:39:55.000 in the life of the believer. And they can come 00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:59.750 in any form. In every shame, it could be even 00:39:59.750 --> 00:40:03.130 in lack. It could be in the hardship of any form. 00:40:03.210 --> 00:40:05.309 It could be in imprisonment. It could be in rejection. 00:40:07.550 --> 00:40:13.769 The believer is not immune from a trial. So Paul 00:40:13.769 --> 00:40:16.150 had this understanding that there's a coming 00:40:16.150 --> 00:40:21.449 of what is happening in his life. If manifesting 00:40:21.449 --> 00:40:24.130 the kingdom doesn't depend on perfect conditions, 00:40:26.190 --> 00:40:30.269 It does not have to be all right. Your life doesn't 00:40:30.269 --> 00:40:32.929 have to be all smooth and sweet before you now 00:40:32.929 --> 00:40:34.710 have all. Now it's time for us to do the work 00:40:34.710 --> 00:40:36.849 of ministry. It's time for us to preach the gospel. 00:40:39.610 --> 00:40:43.269 You don't need to have your school is paid. All 00:40:43.269 --> 00:40:45.789 you need to make before you have the opportunity 00:40:45.789 --> 00:40:52.590 to do it. Expand all people. Propagate the gospel. 00:40:56.269 --> 00:40:59.809 can happen in suffering. There's no perfect condition. 00:41:01.010 --> 00:41:03.389 It can happen in your workplace. There's no perfect 00:41:03.389 --> 00:41:06.670 condition. It happens in our homes, even in prisons, 00:41:06.929 --> 00:41:09.610 in our classrooms, wherever we find ourselves. 00:41:10.070 --> 00:41:14.110 It's an opportunity for the gospel, for the kingdom, 00:41:14.170 --> 00:41:17.590 gospel of the kingdom to be preached. And for 00:41:17.590 --> 00:41:20.050 you to live worthy of the kingdom, you must understand 00:41:20.050 --> 00:41:22.530 this reality. You must have this perspective 00:41:22.530 --> 00:41:28.199 to every experience that you pass through. Every 00:41:28.199 --> 00:41:33.880 trial that you pass through. Because your experience. 00:41:34.000 --> 00:41:36.900 Your prison experience. Can be a platform. By 00:41:36.900 --> 00:41:40.980 which God will be glorified. When you allowed 00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:43.300 it to be. A platform by which God will be glorified. 00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:52.239 And the God set up. For someone's salvation. 00:41:52.559 --> 00:41:57.949 And we see. If Paul didn't go to prison. but 00:41:57.949 --> 00:41:59.389 can i show you that there are some people that 00:41:59.389 --> 00:42:01.190 will not have the opportunity to hear the gospel 00:42:01.190 --> 00:42:08.590 if you don't suffer that rejection there wouldn't 00:42:08.590 --> 00:42:11.650 be an opportunity for someone to see talking 00:42:11.650 --> 00:42:15.090 about to hear the hope that you have a crisis 00:42:31.820 --> 00:42:35.460 Now you are deported. It's an opportunity to 00:42:35.460 --> 00:42:37.900 do what? To share the gospel. They gave me a 00:42:37.900 --> 00:42:42.880 free ticket to go and preach the gospel. I was 00:42:42.880 --> 00:42:46.639 telling somebody, I said, see, they told us to 00:42:46.639 --> 00:42:48.760 come right after, that we have 10 days. They 00:42:48.760 --> 00:42:51.539 gave me a choice, a student. I either choose 00:42:51.539 --> 00:42:54.119 between paying his ticket or departing back to 00:42:54.119 --> 00:42:57.119 Nigeria in 10 days. I said, ah, ah, ah, to give 00:42:57.119 --> 00:43:00.199 you free food for 10 days, accommodation, free 00:43:00.199 --> 00:43:02.010 transport, right? I'm not going to give you the 00:43:02.010 --> 00:43:03.730 money to keep in your pocket and to buy the ticket. 00:43:07.389 --> 00:43:10.909 Sometimes our trials, our vehicles drive us towards 00:43:10.909 --> 00:43:13.389 the will and the purpose of God. So you must 00:43:13.389 --> 00:43:15.869 have a kingdom perspective to every experience 00:43:15.869 --> 00:43:19.269 that happens in your life. Paul was not sitting 00:43:19.269 --> 00:43:21.889 in that prison lamenting about his situation. 00:43:22.349 --> 00:43:25.809 Paul was not sitting in that prison calling on 00:43:25.809 --> 00:43:31.079 all heaven to deliver him from prison. He's a 00:43:31.079 --> 00:43:35.219 man full of understanding of where he is from. 00:43:35.920 --> 00:43:38.699 What is expected of the living, worthy of what? 00:43:38.760 --> 00:43:44.039 Of the kingdom. His eyes are fixated on what 00:43:44.039 --> 00:43:48.300 is appropriate and what is right. His pride is 00:43:48.300 --> 00:43:51.260 right in the midst of his tire. He counted what 00:43:51.260 --> 00:43:58.320 all joy. Will that be your experience? Will that 00:43:58.320 --> 00:44:01.059 be our experience? And in all situations. See. 00:44:01.139 --> 00:44:03.179 James chapter 1 verse 2. Let's look at James 00:44:03.179 --> 00:44:05.639 chapter 1 verse 2. As we close. Because of time. 00:44:06.420 --> 00:44:10.380 James chapter 1 verse 2. To forgive me. Amplified. 00:44:12.119 --> 00:44:17.260 Amplified. Translation. I said earlier on. Every 00:44:17.260 --> 00:44:19.420 trial has a purpose. In the life of the believer. 00:44:19.820 --> 00:44:24.599 Nothing does happen to you without. Without a 00:44:24.599 --> 00:44:30.090 purpose. It can serve a purpose. On the line 00:44:30.090 --> 00:44:32.809 of the word, it can. You can make it not serve 00:44:32.809 --> 00:44:35.869 a purpose, but it can serve a purpose. And that 00:44:35.869 --> 00:44:37.590 purpose could be a purpose that will glorify 00:44:37.590 --> 00:44:42.489 God. Just consider it nothing but what? But joy, 00:44:42.650 --> 00:44:48.889 my brothers and my sisters. Whenever means what? 00:44:50.429 --> 00:44:52.610 It means it's a constant factor. It will happen. 00:44:53.050 --> 00:44:56.230 Whether you like it or not, it will happen. Hallelujah. 00:44:56.710 --> 00:44:59.920 So when it happens, what do we do? We counted 00:44:59.920 --> 00:45:05.659 all the joy. Not because we won a lottery. Not 00:45:05.659 --> 00:45:07.820 because everything in your life is moving smoothly. 00:45:09.300 --> 00:45:13.719 We counted all joy, brothers and sisters, whenever 00:45:13.719 --> 00:45:19.619 I wish I can have the MPs in president of the 00:45:19.619 --> 00:45:29.610 world, right? When you encounter trials, of any 00:45:29.610 --> 00:45:33.590 thought of falling into various temptations. 00:45:34.550 --> 00:45:38.550 May I show and understand that the trial and 00:45:38.550 --> 00:45:42.449 the proving of your faith. So the target of the 00:45:42.449 --> 00:45:46.670 trial is what? It's to test your faith. Now, 00:45:46.730 --> 00:45:49.309 we've said this over and over and over again 00:45:49.309 --> 00:45:53.449 that God does not try people. Amen. God is not 00:45:53.449 --> 00:45:58.949 the author of trials. Because God does not tempt 00:45:58.949 --> 00:46:01.789 and he himself is not tempted and he cannot tempt. 00:46:03.550 --> 00:46:06.369 Amen? So we're not a source of trial, right? 00:46:07.530 --> 00:46:10.269 Nevertheless, we are shown and understood that 00:46:10.269 --> 00:46:13.010 the trial and the proving of your faith brings 00:46:13.010 --> 00:46:15.869 outward endurance and steadfastness and patience. 00:46:17.010 --> 00:46:19.789 Let endurance and steadfastness and patience 00:46:19.789 --> 00:46:23.889 have full play and do a thorough work so that 00:46:23.889 --> 00:46:30.800 you may be perfectly How fully developed. Lacking 00:46:30.800 --> 00:46:40.239 in love. Paul himself counted it all joy. In 00:46:40.239 --> 00:46:43.519 the midst of his experience. He counted it all 00:46:43.519 --> 00:46:48.519 joy. In the midst of his difficulty. You know. 00:46:49.380 --> 00:46:53.179 We see joy exuded from his letter. When you look 00:46:53.179 --> 00:46:55.039 through the book you see. You know where his 00:46:55.039 --> 00:46:58.730 heart lies. He shall see the people of God do 00:46:58.730 --> 00:47:05.090 well. His prayer is full of goodwill for the 00:47:05.090 --> 00:47:07.550 people to cross spiritually. That the Lord will 00:47:07.550 --> 00:47:14.789 abound more and more. Later on, we'll see that 00:47:14.789 --> 00:47:18.510 he has one focus. That focus is what? He said, 00:47:18.530 --> 00:47:22.690 for me to live this world is Christ. And to die 00:47:22.690 --> 00:47:25.530 is what? Some of us, what we're living for is 00:47:25.530 --> 00:47:30.619 not Christ. Christ is secondary. We're living 00:47:30.619 --> 00:47:33.699 for the next check. We're living for the next 00:47:33.699 --> 00:47:37.980 grade. We're living for the next job. We're living 00:47:37.980 --> 00:47:41.519 for the next visa. We're living for the next 00:47:41.519 --> 00:47:45.119 and the next and the next. And God becomes what? 00:47:45.199 --> 00:47:49.480 God becomes secondary. As a believer who is a 00:47:49.480 --> 00:47:53.219 member of the kingdom, let the kingdom of God 00:47:53.219 --> 00:47:56.900 dominate our mind and our thinking. And we're 00:47:56.900 --> 00:47:59.019 going to see how later on as we go on in this 00:47:59.019 --> 00:48:05.460 story. How we can arrive at a point where we 00:48:05.460 --> 00:48:09.420 are kingdom minded. Regardless of all situations 00:48:09.420 --> 00:48:12.760 and all experiences we face, we are kingdom minded. 00:48:17.360 --> 00:48:22.039 And of course, cause them to live worthy the 00:48:22.039 --> 00:48:27.219 kingdom lifestyle. Verse 27 to 30. admonishing 00:48:27.219 --> 00:48:30.539 them to do what to exude the life of the kingdom 00:48:30.539 --> 00:48:34.400 their conduct the way they conduct themselves 00:48:34.400 --> 00:48:37.579 they don't conduct themselves worthy of the gospel 00:48:37.579 --> 00:48:39.820 the gospel of the kingdom with which they have 00:48:39.820 --> 00:48:42.619 received which means that the gospel or the kingdom 00:48:42.619 --> 00:48:46.199 has a lifestyle that needs to be allowed to function 00:48:46.199 --> 00:48:50.500 because where they are living they are living 00:48:50.500 --> 00:48:52.619 in a gentle environment a place where there are 00:48:52.619 --> 00:48:58.809 unbelievers around them So their conduct must 00:48:58.809 --> 00:49:00.889 be worthy of the gospel of Christ which they 00:49:00.889 --> 00:49:06.550 perceive. Where we are living, we live in an 00:49:06.550 --> 00:49:10.110 environment of ungodliness. Let there be a distinction 00:49:10.110 --> 00:49:14.650 between us and what are the people that are around 00:49:14.650 --> 00:49:17.889 us. They will see something unique about us. 00:49:20.150 --> 00:49:22.250 And of course, they will see Christ who I am 00:49:22.250 --> 00:49:26.510 not. Why don't you just pray for yourself? And 00:49:26.510 --> 00:49:29.449 say, Lord, help me to have this kind of character. 00:49:30.070 --> 00:49:33.269 That in the midst of all my experiences, that 00:49:33.269 --> 00:49:35.329 I will not lose focus. Because you see, the goal 00:49:35.329 --> 00:49:37.849 that the devil wants to achieve is to distract 00:49:37.849 --> 00:49:42.190 you from what is measured in your life. That 00:49:42.190 --> 00:49:44.750 is the goal of Satan. But God is able to translate 00:49:44.750 --> 00:49:47.610 that into a vehicle that will build your faith. 00:49:49.150 --> 00:49:51.190 And not only build your faith, but you will build 00:49:51.190 --> 00:49:54.349 others. With a comfort with which you are comforted. 00:49:54.670 --> 00:49:56.869 You'll be a source of comfort to others. You'll 00:49:56.869 --> 00:50:00.969 be a source of encouragement to others. As you 00:50:00.969 --> 00:50:02.610 walk through the things that you are walking 00:50:02.610 --> 00:50:05.570 through, it's a journey, it's a process. But 00:50:05.570 --> 00:50:07.789 God will bring you out. In fact, when people 00:50:07.789 --> 00:50:10.969 look at your experience, they will see God glorify 00:50:10.969 --> 00:50:15.969 all around you. I want you to pray for yourself 00:50:15.969 --> 00:50:23.110 and say, Lord, let this be my testimony. Let 00:50:23.110 --> 00:50:29.570 this be my testimony. But no matter the trial, 00:50:29.889 --> 00:50:33.650 I don't rely on my strength. Later on we will 00:50:33.650 --> 00:50:37.550 see Paul talks about the grace of God. Paul talks 00:50:37.550 --> 00:50:44.090 about the ability of God. Paul was not focusing 00:50:44.090 --> 00:50:49.690 on his works to save you, to keep you, but he 00:50:49.690 --> 00:50:53.000 was emphasizing the grace of God. Only the grace 00:50:53.000 --> 00:50:57.260 of God can keep you, not your tactics, but your 00:50:57.260 --> 00:51:03.579 skills to keep yourself. Listen, this admonition 00:51:03.579 --> 00:51:10.440 is to every believer. None of us is immune to 00:51:10.440 --> 00:51:17.639 trials. None of us is immune to temptation. But 00:51:17.639 --> 00:51:20.440 even when it comes, we are ready. And the readiness, 00:51:21.039 --> 00:51:23.380 Is to have an understanding of where we are from. 00:51:23.460 --> 00:51:28.500 We are heavenly. And we are full of joy. And 00:51:28.500 --> 00:51:31.840 we triumph amidst triumph. We triumph amidst 00:51:31.840 --> 00:51:35.780 persecution. We triumph amidst any form of triumph 00:51:35.780 --> 00:51:41.340 on the enemy. We rise above our circumstances. 00:51:46.079 --> 00:51:49.070 Oh, I want to hear somebody. saying I choose 00:51:49.070 --> 00:51:53.389 to rejoice in the midst of this challenge. Even 00:51:53.389 --> 00:51:55.190 though it seems as though there's no salvation, 00:51:55.469 --> 00:51:58.570 I choose to rejoice because I'm a saved man. 00:52:03.650 --> 00:52:05.909 Even though the joy, you know, even though it 00:52:05.909 --> 00:52:13.349 perishes, but I'm full of joy. Because I have 00:52:13.349 --> 00:52:16.809 a heavenly mentality. My perspective is kingdom 00:52:16.809 --> 00:52:21.530 perspective. My character is thankfulness. It's 00:52:21.530 --> 00:52:30.730 prayerfulness. My faith is not conditioned to 00:52:30.730 --> 00:52:34.730 my circumstances. My walk with God is not conditioned 00:52:34.730 --> 00:52:40.210 to my external experience. Even if I have fallen, 00:52:40.309 --> 00:52:43.190 I rise up by the grace of God. And I continue 00:52:43.190 --> 00:52:48.849 to walk between us with Jesus. The one who has 00:52:48.849 --> 00:52:52.070 called me. The one who has put me. The one who 00:52:52.070 --> 00:52:54.269 has transferred me from the kingdom of darkness 00:52:54.269 --> 00:53:02.789 into the kingdom of his answer in life. See yourself 00:53:02.789 --> 00:53:09.869 thriving above your challenges. See yourself 00:53:09.869 --> 00:53:12.469 victorious. The Bible says we are more than victorious. 00:53:12.829 --> 00:53:15.050 We are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. 00:53:21.260 --> 00:53:23.539 Paul would say, for me to live is Christ and 00:53:23.539 --> 00:53:26.420 to die is a gain. That this becomes my mantra 00:53:26.420 --> 00:53:30.219 for life. That my living is to glorify God. And 00:53:30.219 --> 00:53:37.880 even death is a gain. Whenever I found myself, 00:53:38.239 --> 00:53:42.239 whenever I found myself in all situations, in 00:53:42.239 --> 00:53:46.920 all conditions, that I'm kingdom minded. Living 00:53:46.920 --> 00:54:01.409 worthy of my identity as a kingdom citizen. Thank 00:54:01.409 --> 00:54:03.630 God for His grace being made manifest to you. 00:54:04.250 --> 00:54:06.750 I pray in this house that we have multiplication 00:54:06.750 --> 00:54:10.909 of grace. Grace upon grace leads unto us. In 00:54:10.909 --> 00:54:13.849 all our experiences, we receive grace that stands 00:54:13.849 --> 00:54:17.110 firm. In all our experiences, we receive the 00:54:17.110 --> 00:54:20.949 ability to stand firm and strong. That we abound 00:54:20.949 --> 00:54:24.889 in love. That we abound in love. In knowledge. 00:54:25.329 --> 00:54:29.429 In the name of Jesus. In all wisdom. In the name 00:54:29.429 --> 00:54:40.230 of Jesus. None of us will be defeated. In our 00:54:40.230 --> 00:54:43.250 trying moments, we stand strong and tall in Christ. 00:54:43.570 --> 00:54:46.389 And we manifest the kingdom regardless. We preach 00:54:46.389 --> 00:54:49.130 the gospel regardless. We manifest Christ regardless. 00:54:49.570 --> 00:54:52.750 Regardless of our luck. Regardless of our antecedents. 00:54:55.349 --> 00:55:06.750 Regardless of our history. Father, we thank you. 00:55:08.719 --> 00:55:10.860 Because what you've started in us, you're able 00:55:10.860 --> 00:55:13.840 to bring it to completion. Thank you, Lord, that 00:55:13.840 --> 00:55:17.539 only you can keep us and strengthen us. Be exalted, 00:55:17.579 --> 00:55:20.659 Lord, and be glorified. In Jesus' gracious name 00:55:20.659 --> 00:55:25.800 we pray. We appreciate you being here today. 00:55:26.199 --> 00:55:28.579 We hope you carry this word with you throughout 00:55:28.579 --> 00:55:31.460 your week. Don't forget to check the show notes 00:55:31.460 --> 00:55:34.219 for additional insights. Stay connected with 00:55:34.219 --> 00:55:36.940 us through our website or follow us on social 00:55:36.940 --> 00:55:40.579 media. If you were encouraged, share this message 00:55:40.579 --> 00:55:43.559 with someone you care about. Until next time, 00:55:43.639 --> 00:55:44.579 stay blessed.