Philippians 4:6-9 (Part 3) – Four Qualities of True Christians

Text: Philippians 4:6-9

In this section of Philippians, Paul discusses four qualities of all Christians.  God expects to find these qualities in His children, and in response, He promises that all He is will be upon us.

First, Christians are always rejoicing in the Lord.  As Paul puts it in Verse 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”  In Christ, we have no reason to have a disposition other than that of rejoicing.  He has given us a purpose and has revealed Himself to us.  Is there anything in our lives where we find satisfaction other than Christ?  Is there anything we are rejoicing in more than in Him?

Second, a Christian is always in prayer.  Several things about prayer are mentioned in this passage:

1. Be anxious for nothing.  Don’t be full of worry, eaten up with anxiety.
2. Prayer means coming into the presence of God, communing with His, meditating, and thinking about Him.
3. Make supplications.  A “supplication” means you are coming to God based on no merit of your own, instead relying completely on His mercy.
4. Pray with thanksgiving.  There is always something to be thankful for.  In context, Paul seems to be saying to be thankful for the very thing that is bothering you.

Third, a Christian guards his mind.  He is thinking on the proper things, as listed in verse 8.  Note that the world around us rejects all these things.  The world wants to say there is no objective truth, no standards of rightness, or purity, or excellence.  But these things do exist.  They exist because of God, and they exist in Him.  We should guard our thoughts and improve our minds by “thinking God’s thoughts after Him”.

Fourth, “do these things”.  A Christian does not merely have knowledge of the truth.  His knowledge is worked out in reality.  We are called to conform our lives to what has been revealed in God’s authoritative Word.  God has promised His peace – His very presence – to be with us when we do.