Seven Steps to Spiritual Stability
Obedience
by
John MacArthur
All Rights Reserved
(A copy of this message on cassette tape may be obtained by calling
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Philippians 4:9
Tape GC 50-42
Outline
Introduction
A.The Stresses of Life
1.David's experience
2.A depressed pastor's experience
B.The Testimony of the Believer
Review
I. Cultivate Harmony Through Love (vv. 2-3)
II. Maintain a Spirit of Joy (v. 4)
III. Learn to Accept Less Than You Are Due (v. 5a)
IV. Rest on a Confident Faith in the Lord (vv. 5b-6a)
V. React to Problems with Thankful Prayer (vv. 6b-7)
VI. Focus on Godly Virtues (v. 8)
Lesson
VII. Obey God's Standard (v. 9)
A.The Practice of the Believer
1.What "practice" means
2.What the believer is to practice
a)Things learned
b)Things received
c)Things heard
d)Things seen
B.The Peace of God
Conclusion
Introduction
A.The Stresses of Life
1.David's experience
Out of his deep distress David prayed, "O Lord, rebuke me not in Thy wrath; and chasten me not in Thy burning anger. For Thine arrows have sunk deep into me, and Thy hand has pressed down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Thine indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities are gone over my head; as a heavy burden they weigh too much for me. My wounds grow foul and fester. Because of my folly, I am bent over and greatly bowed down; I go mourning all day long. For my loins are filled with burning; and there is no soundness in my flesh.
"I am benumbed and badly crushed; I groan because of the agitation of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before Thee; and my sighing is not hidden from Thee. My heart throbs, my strength fails me; and the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me. My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague; and my kinsmen stand afar off. Those who seek my life lay snares for me; and those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction, and they devise treachery all day long" (Ps. 38:1-12).
Because of his sin, David was experiencing the heavy weight of guilt and divine chastisement. His friends offered no help or encouragement, and his enemies wanted to kill him. Feeling utterly forsaken, he trusted the Lord to answer his prayer and not forsake him (vv. 15, 21).
2.A depressed pastor's experience
Such affliction was not unique to David. A pastor wrote this account of turmoil in his own life: "I had visited Ward 7E many times. Its institutional yellow walls and highly polished floors resembled most of the psychiatric wards and mental hospitals where I had gone to minister to members of my congregation.
"There's always a certain apprehension that lurks in the shadow of one's mind while walking down those sterile, silent corridors. Behind each door is a different story. I've listened to them all. The criminally insane, the suicidal, the depressed, the alcoholic, the hostile, the addict, and then on many occasions I've tried to talk to those who have forgotten how to respond.
"I've never felt comfortable with the mentally ill. This time, however, my discomfort had been replaced by fear. My apprehension had given way to feelings of impending doom. The very atmosphere was charged with foreboding glimpses of the unpredictable. I was traumatized with humiliation and embarrassment. I was struggling against a creeping hostility waiting to overpower me. This time I was being led down the silent halls of Ward 7E, not as a pastor but as a patient.
"For years I had struggled to understand the unpredictable mood swings that could carry me from peaks of elation to the deep valleys of despair. I could preach with fervor and power, I could share Christ with enthusiasm and success. I would counsel with meaningful insight and socialize with sheer delight.
"But without warning, any or all of these positive and delightful emotions would suddenly be forced to give way to feelings of gloom and periods of weakness. I would withdraw, and a form of paranoia would settle in. I would suddenly be overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy and inferiority. On occasion I toyed with thoughts of self-destruction" (Don Baker and Emery Nester, Depression [Portland: Multnomah, 1983], pp. 15-16).
B.The Testimony of the Believer
Were the experiences of David and the pastor isolated instances? Maybe there have been times when you also felt crushed, weak, and unable to stand. Perhaps you know what it's like to lose your spiritual balance. We face strong temptations and trials in this life. Nevertheless, it's important for us to be spiritually stable not only for our own well-being but also for our Christian testimony before the lost world.
Unbelievers find it difficult to understand how the Christian who believes in an all-sufficient God can live as though God were not just that. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, "Now we believe that God extends His Kingdom partly through His people, and we know that He has oftentimes done some of the most notable things in the history of the Church through the simple Christian living of some quite ordinary people. Nothing is more important, therefore, than that we should be delivered from a condition which gives other people, looking at us, the impression that to be a Christian means to be unhappy, to be sad, to be morbid, and that the Christian is one who 'scorns delights and lives laborious days'" (Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Its Cure [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990], p. 11).
The believer who is spiritually stable has a testimony that honors Christ. That's the kind of testimony the apostle Paul had. Bound in chains as a prisoner of the Roman Empire, he remained content and confident in the Lord (Phil. 4:11, 13). You can have that same stability by heeding the principles in verses 1-9.
Review
I. CULTIVATE HARMONY THROUGH LOVE (vv. 2-3)
II. MAINTAIN A SPIRIT OF JOY (v. 4)
III. LEARN TO ACCEPT LESS THAN YOU ARE DUE (v. 5a)
IV. REST ON A CONFIDENT FAITH IN THE LORD (vv. 5b-6a)
V. REACT TO PROBLEMS WITH THANKFUL PRAYER (vv. 6b-7)
VI. FOCUS ON GODLY VIRTUES (v. 8)
Lesson
VII. OBEY GOD'S STANDARD (v. 9)
"The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you."
A.The Practice of the Believer
1.What "practice" means
The Greek term translated "practice" (prass[ma]o) speaks of action that's repetitious or continuous. For example, we say that someone practices the violin or tennis. That's using the word in the sense of working on a skill to improve it. When we say a doctor or lawyer has a practice, we are referring to his normal routine of life. Similarly, the word here refers to one's pattern of life or conduct.
The godly conduct that produces spiritual stability depends on obeying the divine standard of God's Word. The Word is what cultivates godly attitudes, thoughts, and actions that will keep you from being overwhelmed by trials and temptations.
Arresting the Flesh
To understand the relationship between godly attitudes, thoughts, and actions, consider this analogy. If a policeman sees someone who's about to violate the law, he will arrest that person. Similarly, godly attitudes and thoughts produced by the Word act as policemen to arrest the flesh before it commits a crime against the standard of God's Word. But if they aren't on duty, they can't arrest the flesh, and the flesh is free to violate the law of God.
The analogy teaches that right attitudes and thoughts must precede right practices. Paul realized only spiritual weapons will help in our warfare against the flesh (2 Cor. 10:4). By using the right weapons, we can take "every thought captive to the obedience of Christ" (v. 5).
Pure behavior produces spiritual peace and stability, but sinful behavior produces instability. Isaiah 32:17 says it like this: "The work of righteousness will be peace, and the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever." That is true not only in the millennial kingdom, where Christ one day will rule the earth in righteousness, but also in the life of the believer. James the brother of Jesus said, "The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable.... And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:17-18).
Contentment, comfort, calm, quietness, and tranquility accompany godly conduct, which is based on God's Word. Doing good is not only the way to overcome evil (Rom. 12:21) but also the expected practice of every believer. As godly habits are cultivated by the power of God, bad habits will diminish and the believer's life becomes more and more stable.
2.What the believer is to practice
In Philippians 4:9 Paul says, "The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things." The Philippian believers had the Old Testament books to go to, but the entire New Testament hadn't been completed at the time Paul wrote this letter. Since they may have had access to only a minimal amount of written revelation in the New Testament, the believers looked to the apostles as their source of truth until all the New Testament books were brought together. So the standard of Christian belief and behavior was embodied in the teaching and example of the apostles.
That's why on the day of Pentecost three thousand believers "were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching" (Acts 2:42). That's also why Paul said to the Corinthian believers, "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1 Cor. 11:1) and why he told the Philippian believers to practice what they had learned, received, heard, and seen in his life (Phil. 4:9).
a)Things learned
The Greek term translated "learned" (mathan[ma]o) is a derivative of "disciple" and speaks of teaching and instructing. Paul was referring to what they learned from his personal instruction, which included preaching, teaching, and discipling (cf. Acts 20:20). He expounded Old Testament truths and the meaning of New Testament revelation, explaining how it applied to their lives.
That personal instruction was especially evident as Paul and Timothy ministered together. Timothy patterned his life after Paul's "teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, [and] perseverance" (2 Tim. 3:10). Paul was a living illustration that the apostles were not only to reveal the truth but also to live it (cf. Phil. 3:17).
b)Things received
This speaks of direct revelation from God. Scripture makes it clear that Paul received direct revelation from the Lord and then made it known to the believers.
1)1 Corinthians 11:2--"Hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you."
2)1 Corinthians 15:1-3--"I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand.... For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received."
3)Galatians 1:9--"As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed."
4)1 Thessalonians 4:1--"We request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more."
5)1 Timothy 6:20--"Guard what has been entrusted to you."
6)2 Timothy 2:2--"The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also." Those who received God's Word from Paul were to deliver that same Word to the next generation. And the revealed Word has continued from one generation of faithful believers to the next.
c)Things heard
This refers to what the Philippian believers heard about Paul from sources other than Paul himself (his personal instruction to them) or God (His direct revelation, which passed from Paul to the believers). Certainly the Philippian believers had heard about his character, lifestyle, and preaching from others and were aware of his impeccable reputation. So Paul wasn't afraid in telling them to practice what they had heard about his life.
d)Things seen
This refers to what the Philippian believers knew to be true about Paul from firsthand experience. Paul knew the apostles were to walk with Christ and be living models of New Testament Christianity before the early church.
Certainly Paul exemplified the spiritual fruit of peace, joy, humility, faith, and gratitude. And he dwelled on what was true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute. So he wasn't embarrassed to tell the believers to practice what they had seen in his life.
Today we have the completed New Testament as the divine pattern for our conduct. But that doesn't mean those who preach, teach, and represent the New Testament are permitted to live any way they want. Even though we're not apostles, our lives are to be worthy of imitation by other believers. We're to be like the man who built his house on the rock (Matt. 7:24). That is, we need not only to hear the Word but also to act on what we've heard. "Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves" (James 1:22).
B.The Peace of God
Philippians 4:9 concludes, "The God of peace shall be with you." "The God of peace" speaks of the God whose character is peace. He is the origin and giver of peace. Paul ended on this note because he was addressing the issue of spiritual stability in the midst of trials. When we have godly attitudes, thoughts, and actions, the peace of God and the God of peace will guard us. His peace provides comfort, tranquility, quietness, and confidence.
Paul often referred to the Lord as the God of peace. In Romans he said, "Now the God of peace be with you all.... The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet" (15:33; 16:20). In 2 Corinthians he wrote, "The God of love and peace shall be with you" (13:11). And to the Thessalonian believers he said, "May the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely.... Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance" (1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Thess. 3:16).
Conclusion
Godly attitudes, thoughts, and actions require spiritual discipline. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, "I defy you to read the life of any saint that has ever adorned the life of the Church without seeing at once that the greatest characteristic in the life of that saint was discipline and order. Invariably it is the universal characteristic of all the outstanding men and women of God. Read about Henry Martyn, David Brainerd, Jonathan Edwards, the brothers Wesley, and Whitfield--read their journals. It does not matter what branch of the Church they belonged to, they have all disciplined their lives and have insisted upon the need for this; and obviously it is something that is thoroughly scriptural and absolutely essential" (Spiritual Depression, p. 210). Through spiritual discipline you will find strength and contentment for every situation in life.
Focusing on the Facts
1. When he felt utterly forsaken, David the Lord (see pp. 2).
2. Why is it important to be spiritually stable (see p. 3)?
3. What does "practice" in Philippians 4:9 mean (see p. 5)?
4. What does godly conduct depend on (see p. 5)?
5. How can believers keep the flesh from violating the law of God (see p. 5)?
6. Believers are to take "every thought captive to the of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5; see p. 5).
7. produces spiritual peace and stability (see p. 5).
8. Why did the believers look upon the apostles as models of Christian belief and behavior (see p. 6)?
9. How was direct revelation made known to the Philippian believers (see pp. 7-8)?
10. What did the Philippian believers hear about Paul (see p. 8)?
11. What is the divine pattern for Christian conduct today (see p. 8)?
12. How can your life be worthy of imitation by other believers (see pp.8-9)?
13. Where must we go to find peace (see p. 9)?
14. Godly attitudes, thoughts, and actions require (see p. 9).
Pondering the Principles