Philippians 4:1
“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.”
God gives this charge to all believers, to stand firm. One may ask what that means? This is necessary because life involves spiritual battles. I Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” That’s us. We have an enemy who would like to destroy us.
How does the devil do this? 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage battle according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying arguments and all arrogance raised against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.” The battlefield is the mind.
We aren’t to allow all thoughts to run free. Some are evil we are to be rid of them. Some are darting thoughts that just enter in. Others are philosophies we cling to. They are to be rejected.
Do we just stop thinking them? Yes. Sometimes that is more difficult. There is gravity and an attraction to them. Pastor Rich Warren says we are to change the channel. Actions can remove them. Busying ourselves. Working out helps. Replacing them with scripture or the truth. Calling a friend and talking also helps. We are to pray and ask God for His help. He will assist us.
Thinking properly is part of standing firm. Ridding ourselves of wrong thoughts and substituting them with right thoughts. Standing firm means we remain in the truth. Culture will try to move us. They use shame and bad arguments to get us to move. We are to know and believe the bible. That’s where we stand.
The Corinthian passage says that we tear down arrogance. It goes against God. It’s the sin that ruined Lucifer. We aren’t to allow it in us. Arrogance lifts us up. It’s me first. That the opposite of God’s ways and the gospel.
The bible speaks of taking the lower seat (Luke 14:10) and putting others first. Our culture demands our rights and tells us to fight for them. God tells us to love others. That doesn’t mean we allow them to abuse us. If that’s the case we gently and respectfully speak to them. Our busy days often put us in competition with others as we attempt to perform our tasks. During that process, allow them to go first, hold the door and so on. That is extinguishing arrogance. Putting others first.
God wants us to love others. Doing so requires we aren’t arrogant. Love and arrogance are opposites. One is others focused and the next is self focussed. The bible wants us to love others. Toss off our cultures advice to put self first. This is standing firm in the truth. Clinging to and living God’s way.
Thank You, Lord, for giving us the strength to stand firm in Your ways. Thank You for the bible and it tells us what to think and the life we are to live.