In this passage, Paul explains how he has experienced the full range of having nothing to having plenty. He identifies a secret, and shares it with his readers.

You can see this passage for yourself in Philippians 4:12-13:

Paul gives more details about the circumstances he shared in the previous couple of verses. He has learned two things. First, he knows what it feels like to be in need or to have plenty. And second, the secret of being content, no matter what the circumstances.

A brief survey of Paul’s life, found in 2 Corinthians 11, shows that Paul has experienced the full range of having nothing and having plenty. It is clear that he knows what he is talking about here.

One thing is well worth noting here: Paul’s sense of inner peace is very apparent. He almost seems as if none of this matters to him. And, in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t.

Paul has learned something that few ever learn. He calls it a secret, a mystery that he has gained the key to. He has learned to be content in every circumstance.

This is something that few ever learn, and fewer still master, such as Paul did. In our culture, we do not understand how to be content very well. We always want something more, something new, something different. And we still think we “need” more. This is a very real struggle. We have learned to be very materialistic and we are never satisfied with what we have. We think we need more.

As Paul moves into the final section of his letter to the Philippians, he brings up the topic of giving, and provides some excellent instruction for us to follow.

Read this passage for yourself in Philippians 4:10-11:

The Philippian believers had given Paul some much needed financial assistance, which was especially helpful during his time in the Roman prison. As Paul expresses his gratitude for this gift, he gives some beneficial principles concerning giving.

In these final paragraphs of the letter, Paul expresses two main thoughts. First, he appreciates their concern for him while he is in chains. Second, he is confident that God will give him the ability to be content, no matter what circumstances befall him.

Paul rejoices greatly, using again the word “rejoice,” for which this letter is so well known. This time, his joy stems from the fact that the Philippians have renewed their concern for him. The term “renewed” is used only here in the New Testament, and provides a gardening metaphor. This word describes a tree or a bush budding out in the spring, being renewed after a dormant period of winter. Such is the concern of the Philippians.

They had been concerned for Paul, but had no opportunity to show it until now. Just why they had no opportunity is not known. It could have been as simple as the fact that Paul was imprisoned hundreds of miles away, and they had no way of providing support, or even any encouragement. Perhaps they had nothing to give for a period of time, or no messenger to send it to Paul.

This passage is perhaps my favorite passage in all of Philippians. I memorized this very early in my spiritual life, and it has been a source of strength to me for years.

You can find this passage in Philippians 4:8-9:

Since this is such an encouraging passage to me, I have written about each of the characteristics that Paul mentions before, and examined them in greater depth. But today, they are worth looking at again as we examine this section of Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

It’s easy to get caught up in the list that Paul gives, and miss the final statement. Keeping our focus, as Paul encourages us to do, results in God’s peace. This isn’t the first time in chapter four that Paul brings up the topic of peace. He did so just a couple of verses earlier, in verses 6 and 7, as he was giving details about prayer.

Prayer causes the mind to focus. Paul’s words here are an encouragement to also focus the mind, giving us a parallel to the attitude of prayer already given. The key part of this is the continual nature of keeping our focus. Paul isn’t giving us these terms for us to attempt once in a while. No, this is a mindset to develop habitually, and to maintain at all times. It’s a lifestyle.

With that in mind, let’s look briefly at each descriptor in turn. I have included a link to my previous posts on each of these if you are interested in looking deeper at these terms.

Chapter four of Philippians is filed with encouraging passages, and this week’s passage is packed to the gills with wisdom and practical insights.

Take a look at it for yourself in Philippians 4:6-7:

This passage is a part of the section of Paul’s letter to Philippi that is probably the best known portion of the entire missive. Chapter four is filled with encouragement, and with practical instruction. We can glean a lot of incredible insights form this chapter, and these two verses are no exception.

What we can gain from these passages isn’t simple fluff and empty words, but neither is it deeply theological and hard to understand. Paul’s words here encourage us to turn to God and allow him to guide us as we strive to live for him.

Paul addresses three major concepts here that I can see: worry, prayer, and peace. Each of them is connected to the others, and there is even a progression of sorts to be seen, moving from one to another to the third.

As Paul exhorts the believers in Philippi, and specifically the two women named, to unity, he shares what is quite possibly the most recognized portion of this entire letter.

You can see this familiar passage in Philippians 4:4-5:

Paul returns to the theme of the entire letter here, and almost repeats his encouragement from 3:1: Rejoice!

This is no longer a specific entreaty to a couple of people, but a call to the entire church. And his command to rejoice is in the present tense; the church in Philippi is to be in a continual state of rejoicing.

This is not an empty phrase or a thoughtless comment on Paul’s part. In the world the Philippians lived in, sorrow and fear, especially for believers, was a constant threat. They lived in a very hostile world, as do believers today. The Philippian church is called to be in a state of joy, in spite of their circumstances.

And Paul has the authority to command such a thing. Remember where he was as he wrote these words. He was in a Roman prison, and had very little reason to be joyful himself. And yet he does.

For the first time, we get a glimpse of the individual people of the church in Philippi, and Paul mentions three of them by name.

You can read this week’s passage in Philippians 4:2-3:

Can you imagine the setting in Philippi? Paul’s letter has arrived. The church is gathered to hear it read aloud. And here, in the final portion of the letter, two women, presumably present, are called out by name!

This is the first time in this letter that Paul gets this personal, and does so in a manner that calls out these two women. Much can be gathered from these brief statements from Paul about them. We know that they were coworkers for the sake of the gospel, and apparently were a great help to Paul in his work.

Just who they were is a matter of conjecture, since we have little else to go on about these women. What we do know is that they were in disagreement about something. Just what that might have been is unknown. Paul calls them to a unity of mind, literally. His words to them instruct them to have the same mind, to be unified in their attitudes and work together. Paul expects them to set the good of the church above their own personal agendas and interests.