Philippians Summary

Prophet Nola Pelser

It's wonderful to be part of what God is doing. You are it. You are the vessels. There is no one besides you. God is not going to use angels – they have their job. You've got a job to do. You are being who God has made you to be, and just be that.

Read the book of Philippians.

Here follows a summary of the book:

• While living in this body, this will mean fruitful labour for you.
• Continue for the progress of others.
• Conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the Lord.
• Not only believe, but also suffer for Him.
• Be like-minded in spirit and purpose.
• Do nothing out of selfish ambition, or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than you.
• Looking not only to your own interest, but to the interest of others.
• Have the same attitude as Christ. Paul is encouraging us. Jesus made Himself nothing, taking the nature of a servant, and humbled Himself, and became obedient to death.
• Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.
• Do everything without complaining and murmuring.
• Become blameless and pure children of God.
• Hold out the Word of Life.
• Worship by the Spirit of God.
• Glory in Christ Jesus.
• Put no confidence in the flesh.

• Consider everything lost for the sake of Christ Jesus. Have you ever written down what you've counted as lost? Paul was an example in that he was a Pharisee, and knowing the law, he had the highest education with much knowledge in the scriptures in Judaism. He said: “I count it all lost.” Then he changed from being such a scholar in his nation, to become nothing. That's why he knows what he's talking about. He said: “I count it all lost, compared to the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus”. How full are we of Christ? How much is Christ Jesus before us? Sometimes we have ourselves before us, and no wonder there are no results, no fruits, and no power. “… consider everything lost compared to the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus for whose sake I have lost all things.”
• Know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. Becoming like Him in His death and to attain from the resurrection from the dead. It's in our hearts what we believe. If Christ didn't die and wasn't resurrected and if He is not alive, we all would've been useless. Christ is real. Jesus is alive and He has died to set people free, and we need to preach the message of the Kingdom. Preach Christ and Him as crucified because He has the power to change.
• Press on to take hold of what Christ has taken hold of for you. Christ has taken hold of certain things for you. Are you taking hold of it? Jesus has prepared something for you; He has given it to you. He's given you liberty; He's given you freedom, peace, joy, deliverance and power to overcome sin. There are teachings that demons teach in the earth, and many Christians are under that power. By the Spirit of the Lord, you can discern and know what the truth is; and then preach and live that.
• Forget what is behind and stretch yourself, straining toward what is ahead. Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus.
• Keep your eyes on heaven.
• Keep your mind on heavenly things for your citizenship is in heaven.
• Stand firm in the Lord.
• Do not be anxious about anything, but everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your request to God. When you start to worry, pray. Instead of worrying, pray. The peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. There's a guarding that takes place when you've given yourself to God like this. There's a power of guarding that guards your mind. We are living in an age where people are becoming so fearful. The young people are getting heart attacks. Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, think about such things.
• Practice what you've learnt, and the God of peace will be with you.

May you be encouraged by this, and may your living Christ affect other people. It's the Life of Christ. It's not with hypocrisy, but with sincerity.