HOW TO STAND FAST

PHIL. 4:1-

STAND FAST = BE STATIONARY, PERSEVERE.

In this day and age with so many quitting and falling by the wayside, we need to stand fast. If we don’t, who will? There has to be some that will stand fast.

I.       REJOICE. PHIL. 4:1-4

            A.        Rejoice in Salvation.

Problems, trials, tribulations will come and will go, good times come and go, your feeling change, things and situations in life change, but salvation continues.

David had to ask for the Lord to restore his joy of salvation.

Psalms 13:5  But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

Psalms 21:1  The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!

Psalms 35:9  And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.

Isaiah 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Luke 1:47  And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

B.        Rejoice in singing. Eph. 5:19

James 5:13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

C.        Rejoice in Service. Psalm 100.2

D.        Rejoice in the Spirit. Gal. 5: 22

E.         Rejoice in Soul winning. Psalm 126.5,6

You’ll “stand fast and not give up if you will rejoice.

II.     PRAY. PHIL. 4:6, 7

            A.        Don’t worry, pray!

Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

“take no thought” = Greatly concerned, respecting something future or unknown; being in painful suspense; anxious = anxiety!

James 4.2

B.        Pray with thanksgiving.

C.        It will “keep your hearts.” Verse 7

The word “keep” means to protect, to guard, to watch out for.

III.    THINK RIGHT. PHIL. 4:8

            A.        You dwell on the negative, you will quit.

B.        You dwell on Christ and the things of God you will stay the course.

            Proverbs 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.

            Watch your thoughts; they become words.                                                    Watch your words; they become actions.                                                           Watch your actions; they become habits.                                                             Watch your habits; they become character.                                                        Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

            Let the mind of the Master be the master of your mind.

            Philippians 2:5   Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

IV.    BE CONTENT. PHIL. 4.11, 12

A.        One of the downfalls of Christians is that they are not content with what they have. So they have to work, work, work, to get, get, get.

            Sundays now become a work day or a day to rest because you worked so hard through the week.

            No time for church, no time for Bible reading and prayer, certainly no way to tithe, too many bills.

            You get further and further away.

            Not content with what you have. Not content with what God has given you. God knows what you need.

"Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor."  Benjamin Franklin.

Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. "Why aren't you out there fishing?" he asked.

"Because I've caught enough fish for today," said the fisherman.
"Why don't you catch more fish than you need?' the rich man asked.
"What would I do with them?"

"You could earn more money," came the impatient reply, "and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you'd have a fleet of boats and be rich like me."

The fisherman asked, "Then what would I do?"
"You could sit down and enjoy life," said the industrialist.
"What do you think I'm doing now?" the fisherman replied as he looked placidly out to sea.

Our Daily Bread, May 18, 1994.

You will go farther with little and content, rather than having much with little contentment.

1 Timothy 6:6-9  But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

V.      GIVE SACRIFICIALLY. PHIL. 4:13-20

A.        By us giving, God blesses us and gives back to us.

B.        It is blessing to give.

            Luke 6:38  Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

            2 Corinthians 9:6-8  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: