Trusting in the Supply of the Holy Spirit

In our last article, we left Paul in prison awaiting the decision of the judge. Would he live, or would he die? But while waiting, Paul wasn’t discouraged. In fact, look at what he wrote in Philippians 1:19: “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” He would either be released from prison and continue preaching Christ, or he would be executed and ushered into eternal bliss in the presence of His Lord.

But what gave him this confidence? In the last article, we looked at the prayers of the saints on his behalf. He was confident that their prayers would be powerful and effective. But what about the next phrase, “the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ?” This, perhaps, gave Paul even more confidence.

That word, “supply,” means a full, bountiful, sufficient provision of what is needed. It was first applied to the lavish provisions a city would have on hand for a festival they were planning. But this here is applied to the Holy Spirit. We can trust that Christ’s Holy Spirit will be enough. It will be sufficient.

Do you have that kind of confidence in the Spirit of God? You ought to! Remember, as a believer the Spirit of God dwells within you. As 1st John 4:4 says: “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.”

If you have never encountered this verse, Ephesians 3:20, you need to do so now: “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

Doesn’t that give you confidence? Nothing you can imagine is too tough for God. You can never ask God to do something that is too hard for Him. The problem is never God’s ability, but our faith. We’re too afraid to ask God to do the difficult things. And we never imagine asking Him to do the impossible, so it never happens, to our shame. As it says in James 4:2, “You have not because you ask not.” How often do we not ask because we think it is too tough?

Then in the next verse, James 4:3, we read: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Ah, how true that is. What we ask for is usually to satisfy our desires, not God’s . We ask amiss by wanting only the things that make us feel good, or comfortable. Be honest. Isn’t that the way you usually pray? But Paul was praying for release, not to make life easier for him, but so that He could go on preaching the Gospel.

Do you see? Paul was confident of his release for two reasons. The first was that people were praying, and the second was that the God, who answers prayer, is all powerful. He assumed God would want to answer these prayers for his release because this wasn’t a selfish request. His personal security wasn’t the motivation. He prayed for release, not to make his life easier, but so that he could continue preaching the Gospel. His execution would certainly end that.

Then, in the next verse, we see other reasons why Paul desires to be released. Philippians 1:20 continues the thought: “According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Paul didn’t want the official verdict to be, “Criminal, evil doer, rebel!” He didn’t want the shame of being officially declared a trouble maker or a rabble rouser. He longed for vindication because, more than anything, he longed for God to be glorified. And not just in heaven, but here and now through his own body which he had presented to Christ as His holy sacrifice.

We need to desire that same thing, that our lives will glorify God. If you don’t, Paul has this to say to you in Romans 12:1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

If you do that, you can rest content in whatever God does. And that’s precisely Paul’s attitude. He is content to trust God to deliver him “whether by life or by death,” he says at the end of verse 20.

Facing Death With Confidence

Paul is up to his neck in hot water. He was under arrest awaiting sentencing - chained night and day to a Roman guard. He is still awaiting the verdict, and the verdict could well be death. Paul is facing the very real possibility of his execution at the hands of Rome, but that isn’t putting a damper on his joy. Not at all!

And Philippians 1:19-21 talks about that – about the very real and imminent possibility of his death. We can listen in on Paul’s thoughts on the whole affair because they are written down for us in the inspired text of this book. We can see his reasoning laid out before us. And the final conclusion he makes is this: whether he lives or dies, it doesn’t matter, because, as he says in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Every believer should be able to say that very same thing. As long as I live, I’m going to serve Christ. And when I die, Hallelujah, I’ll see my Beloved in heaven and that will be gain – so much better.

As we look inside Paul’s mind, the first thing we see him talking about is his expectations. He’s waiting for a verdict to be handed down. What does he expect the verdict to be? Vindication – that his name will be cleared of all these charges, and that he will be given his freedom again. Philippians 1:19 records that: “For I know that this (His trial and imprisonment) will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” He says, I’m confident I’m going to be delivered.

Commentators have pointed out that what Paul does in this verse is quote from Job 13:16 where Job tells one of his tormentor friends, “He (God) also shall be my salvation.” Job is talking about his confidence that God would deliver him from all his troubles, and Paul is too, for the same reasons.

You see, Job knew that God was in control, and Job knew he wasn’t suffering his horrible maladies as a punishment because of any sin. Likewise, Paul knew the same thing. The word for “know” means to know with absolute assurance. Had God revealed this to him, like in a dream or a vision? Probably not. But Paul was totally confident in God’s sovereign control of the situation. And he was confident that God would carry him through this even if it meant rescuing him from execution.

But he wasn’t all that sure that he would escape death because in verse 20 he says, “Whether by life or by death.” God is going to get him through this one way or another, but maybe not alive. God may let Paul die. But if Paul dies, he will be in heaven with the Savior he loves. That’s a win.

The moral for us is this: We can have confidence in God, but not that He will always do things our way. He may not deliver us in the way we’d like, but He will always be there for us - getting us through in His way. Paul’s confidence is in the fact that God is in control. The decision isn’t in the hand of the Roman judge, the decision is in the hand of God.

But something else made him confident. Verse 19 says that the reason he knows “this will turn out for his deliverance” is “through your prayer.” The Philippians were praying. Amen! When you know people are praying for you, doesn’t that give you confidence? Nothing thrills my heart like knowing that someone is praying for me. James 5:16 says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Do you believe that verse? Do you really believe that fervent prayer is effective to avail much? You better, because this is God’s Word, and His word is truth. And His Word declares loud and clear: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Prayer works - prayer moves God to act - prayer is effective.

Paul firmly believed that. Repeatedly Paul asked people to pray for him. Ephesians 6:18-19 says:

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.”

1st Thessalonians 5:25 says, “Brethren, Pray for us.”

2nd Thessalonians 3:1-2 says,

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2 and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.”

And this one: 2nd Corinthians 1:8-10, a situation just like we are seeing in Philippians:

“For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, (WHY?) that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many."

Paul repeatedly asked people for prayer because he fully believed that prayer works. He believed that God answers prayer. And when people pray, everyone who prayed can get in on giving thanks to God for the answers. God answered, not just Paul’s prayer, but all their prayers, since they all prayed.

Prayer works. Believe that with your whole heart. Believe it so much it causes you to pray and pray fervently. See how much it accomplishes. I beseech you to pray fervently for me. I beg you to pray fervently for this church. Will you do that? Will you commit to it? If you do, God will work in response to your prayers, and we will see amazing things happen here.

To Live or Die? It Doesn't Matter.

This week, one of the dear men of our church lingers at the point of death. It has caused me to ponder what happens when a person dies. But it isn't enough to ponder the imponderable from our own human perspective, we need to find the truth. That truth only comes from the one who is the author of life, but also the one who conquered death - Jesus Christ. So to find the truth, we look into the Word.

An obvious question is, "Is death a tragedy for a believer? Is it a gain or a loss?" In the book of Philippians, Paul argued that question with himself. He was under arrest for preaching the Gospel, and he faced the possibility of death by execution. Would he prefer to live? Would dying not actually be better? He didn't know. If he lived, he could go on serving God and preaching the Gospel. But if he died, he would be in heaven with the Savior he loved. The answer he found is in Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." That's his final conclusion. As long as he lives, he will serve Christ. When he dies, Hallelujah! He will see Christ face to face in heaven forever. And that will be gain, he says. It will be so much better.

Remember Paul's situation? He is awaiting trial. He expects to be vindicated, but he isn't sure. Never-the-less, he trusts God. In Philippians 1:20, he says, "According to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death." Paul knew God would get him out of his situation. It might be by life. He might be released from arrest. But, it might be by death. He might be executed. Either way, he is out of his trouble. But death for a believer is the ultimate release - the ultimate healing - and that is what Paul concludes is better.

Certainly, with Paul, we too can have confidence in God. Not that we can count on Him always doing things the way we would want. We would never choose to be executed. But God will always be there for us - always go through troubles with us. He will get us through somehow. Paul's confidence is in the fact that God is in control. The decision isn't in the hand of the Roman judge, the decision is in the hand of our sovereign God.

So Paul concludes that to live is Christ, and to die is better. Living is all about Christ. Dying only gives us more Christ. Therefore, dying must be better. Dr. William L. Pettingill used to say that the word translated as gain in the Greek language always mean more of the same thing. So if to live is Christ, to die means more Christ if it is gain. To die means, as a believer, we will never live apart from hHim again. To live in His presence is the ultimate gain.