February 11, 2025 -- Philippians 1:29-30 -- Gifted by God to Suffer

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit’s power: Sh’ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Philippians 1:29-30 ESV
 
If you are memorizing along with me, then you might find your early verses are harder to recall as you press on to learn these latter verses. Repetition is the key. Those who challenged me to memorize make it a practice, once a week, to recite longer sections of Scripture which had most recently been memorized (so, in this case, you’d be reviewing Philippians 1:1-26). While new material is memorized it is recited many times a day (something you’d be familiar with as you are memorizing Philippians 1:27-30.) Once you have memorized all four chapters of Philippians, then once a month, recite it to keep it fresh and active in memory. That is a wonderful activity for the Sunday, so that you disengage from worldly pursuits on Sunday and dig deeper into your walk with God through your memory work.
 
The truth of this passage will be striking for many people. The word granted means that God has freely gifted or has so blessed His people. First of all that they should believe in Him because of Jesus is the Father’s gift. Jesus is, as He promised in John 14:6, the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the only way to the Father. In Him is life. No one else and nothing else in the universe can enable one who is dead in sin and unbelief to rise from those ashes and be made to live and be adopted as sons and daughters of God the Father. It has been granted that those who by the Holy Spirit are able to believe in Jesus will also distinguish that He alone is the embodiment of truth, and He reveals truth.
 
The Father has also granted, freely gifted and blessed His people, so that they can suffer for the sake of Jesus. There are three areas of conflict and in each of these believers will suffer. Believers fight their own fleshly lusts and urges. Now their hearts are dedicated to God, but their bodies and patterns of lust and sinful desires constantly draw them back to sin. Suffering involves going against your own sinful urges to stay true to Jesus. Suffering also means fighting against the patterns and pressures of the world. The Father has granted you the gift of the Holy Spirit so that you are not fighting in your own strength but battling against the hostile world through the powerful presence of the Spirit. The Word of God is a guide directing you in what is right and warning you away from what wrong. The Word of God wielded by the Holy Spirit will give you the ability to discern between what seems good, but is evil, from what is difficult and right to do. The Father has granted to you should suffer and fight against the ruler of the air, the devil. You used to walk in sinful ways. You willingly yielded your flesh to evil. That has changed. You know the day of Christ is nearing (Philippians 1:10) so you fight for excellent and purity with all the greater intensity. That is suffering.
 
Now as for the sake of Christ you have been granted to suffer, you have before you the glorious example of one who suffers as he fights the world, his own flesh and is engaged in spiritual battle. Paul’s example to the Philippians must have been so encouraging. Imprisoned for the sake of the gospel and his faith in Jesus, he still encouraged the Philippians and blessed them. Who has the Father put into your life, who fights the good fight of faith, enduring suffering so that in him, or in her, you see the strength of the Holy Spirit and the glorious blessing of God the Father? I wonder, who might be younger in the faith and looking to you as an example of one granted the strength necessary to endure suffering and receiving the glorious blessing of the Father so that you stand firm for Jesus even as you suffer?
 
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, in whom we live and move and have our being, You have created us for Yourself, so that we can find true rest only in You; grant to us purity of heart and strength of purpose, so that no selfish passion may hinder us from knowing Your will, and no weakness from doing it, that in Your light we may see light clearly, and in Your service find perfect freedom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
 
(Adapted “For the Life in Christ” Divine Service Book for the Armed Forces, 1950, page 25)
 
https://youtu.be/ffmYLSEXCQQ?si=MBHN8_0abiAYGEJ9 I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow
 

Copyright © 2025 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.