Philippians 1: Standing Firm To the End

Philippians 1: 18 Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Now we see the great design of Paul’s life and that is to exalt Christ.

Paul again mentions his rejoicing state of mind. Yet, here he is rejoicing in his two sources of power:

A. Prayer and the Spirit of Jesus
Paul describes his desire for the prayers of the saints, demonstrating his humility and his dependence on them.

Again Paul shows his need for the spirit of Jesus to help him.

Paul says that he is confident that through these two agencies that God will deliver him. The deliverance refers to God’s confidence that through these two agencies he will be released. He will elaborate on this more in a few verses.

It is remarkable that through Paul’s closeness with God, that it would be revealed to Him that he in fact would be released. Paul does not brag about this. We remember other times when Paul had been given a revelation--such as when he was on the ship and the Lord warned that though they would be shipwrecked, that none would be killed.

Do you believe in the power of prayer and in the power of Christ to really pray?

B. It’s all about glorifying Jesus.
Phil 1:20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

Paul’s ultimate aim or goal is neither life nor death. On the contrary, life or death are both inconsequential to him. The ultimate goal is that Christ is exalted in his body through either. This was his expectation. Either way it was all about Jesus. His only concern is that he would not let Jesus down by lacking in courage in the proclamation of the gospel. That he would be worthy of the calling he had received.

Is your main concern faithfulness to the gospel?

Paul said that to live was all about serving and glorifying Jesus--and to die it was better, because he would be in Christ’s presence, away from pain and every infirmity, and he would be better off.

Any hope of annihilationism is annihilated here. There is not a cessation of consciousness upon death but you will either be in Gods’ presence or not. If the decision was up to Paul, which would he choose? Incredibly even Paul's choice of life or death is made based on other people’s needs and not his own. Because he sees the need of the Philippians, he knows that God is going to keep him around for a while to be a blessing to them.

Paul evidently has a confident expectation about the future.

Do you have a confident expectation about the future? Even if face with possible death would you be thinking of the impact of that death for the sake of the gospel?