LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL!

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full”. (John 10:10)

Many so called ‘experts’ want to tell us how to live our lives: Dietician – Tells us the best food to eat and how much! Environmentalist – Tells us where to live and how to live. Economist – Tells us if we can afford to live!

The Bible has stood the test of time in showing us what is best for us. Paul in his letter to the Philippians shows us how we ought to live our lives.

Paul shows us: 1. LIFE’S PURPOSE 2. LIFE’S PATTERN 3. LIFE’S PRIZE 4. LIFE’S POWER

1. Life’s Purpose (1:20-26) Vs 21 – “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Paul was fully aware of life after death. He did not fear the future but he wanted every minute to count for God.

Choosing to stay he knew that there were a number of things involved in living for God: A) His living involved standing firm (Vs 27) B) His living involved stability (Vs 28) “Without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.” C) His living involved suffering (Vs 29 – “For it has been granted unto you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him.”)

2. Life’s Pattern (Chapter 2) Philippians 2:5 – “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Christ is our pattern for life! In Philippians 2:6-8 we see exactly what Christ did to unite sinful man to a holy God. (left heavens glory, took the form of a servant, humbled himself, died on a cursed cross)

3. Life’s Prize (Chapter 3) Philippians 3:14 – “I press toward the mark for the PRIZE of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” As Christians we are given so many things that we could regard as prizes…

We gain a NEW KNOWLEDGE: 3:7,8 – “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”

We gain a NEW RIGHTEOUSNESS 3:9 – “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.”

We gain a NEW POWER 3:10 – “I want to know Christ— yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”

We gain a NEW GOAL 3:11-14 “and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

We gain a NEW HOPE 3:20-21 – “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

4. Life’s Power (Chapter 4) Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

In Conclusion: In chapter 4:6 we see two of the important rules that we need to follow if we are going to live our Christian life to the full: 4:6 in KJV says “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

“Be careful for nothing…” The word “careful” here means “to be pulled in different directions”. Paul is not talking about concern here, but about panic! There is no need to panic about anything if you are a Christian!

“Be prayerful about everything” There are things that can be changed that needs PERSPIRATION and there are things that God can only change and that needs SUPPLICATION!

If we adhere to GOD’S PURPOSE, GOD’S PATTERN, GOD’S PRIZE and GOD’S POWER we will be able to live our lives according to Philippians 4:7…

“and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”