| The Epistle Of Joy – Part 5

Philippians is known as the Epistle of Joy. Paul’s first encounter with the people of Philippi is found in Acts 16 where Paul received a vision of a gentleman from Macedonia asking him to come over there. Philippi was a chief city of Macedonia. It is referred to as a colony, a colony was a Roman city for their war veterans. The people of Philippi were not Jews but gentiles. The theme of Philippians is Joy in the midst of every situation. Paul suffered imprisonment, yet he had joy. This joy is above and beyond what the world can have or understand.

Part 5 – We continue in our series this evening in Philippians 1 teaching through verses 12 and 13.  

Furtherance – Prokope is a Greek military term for the soldiers who cut through the brush to pave the way for the advancing army behind them.

• This is a crucial truth for disciples of the Lord to understand and maintain, “how we walk through this life not only affects us personally but also has an impact on those around us and their faith.” There must be a contingency of believers who are willing to go out ahead into places of suffering for the purpose of the great commission because of the effect it has on those who will follow.  We have a responsibility to live the impossible life in Christ because it is possible, and it demonstrates faith to others.
• God used Paul’s imprisonment as a beacon of light in the middle of the Roman empire. The picture I get is one of those huge lights that car dealerships use to get people’s attention.