If you know me well then you know that I am wired to see life like a war; like life is constantly coming at me or like life is a mountain to be taken during wartime.

When I hear someone talking about charging hell with squirt guns or jumping into some fight to uphold truth and justice, to defend the innocent, or to advance freedom, you can bet that my head, heart and hands perk up.

There’s some weird hard wiring inside of me that loves the challenge of a good fight, a great debate, and the lure of winning. The hope of a victory at the finish line in the winner’s circle with my opponent or enemy lying in ruins is a strong motivator to keep going or to stand firm.

There’s no doubt that the day and age we are living through, especially 2020, with all of its visible and invisible enemies in the forms of Covid19, political upheaval, racial tensions, western ideologies, and spiritual warfare, have provided more than ample opportunity to live in the frustration and excitement of varying levels of warfare.

As a husband, father, friend, pastor and missionary, there is seemingly no end to the amount of battles, both good and bad, to get jumped into; from social media to preaching; from leadership development to discipleship; from the early morning family devotions to the end of the day as I lay my head down on my pillow; there is no end to the opportunities to stand firm in fight mode… especially when it appears that dark forces are taking their toll – waging war – against the church, the family and the cross of Christ.

I think the apostle Paul was a fighter; he was a pastor who loved his people deeply and I believe he could see the spiritual effects or the spiritual toll that some very dark forces had taken upon his beloved church in Philippi and because of that he is encouraging them to stand firm once again.2

Indeed, standing firm in the war is not a new concept or theme in Pauline theology. To the Ephesians the apostle Paul says “take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm… stand therefore” in truth, in righteousness, in the gospel of peace, in faith, in salvation, in the Word of God, in prayer, and in the presence of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 6:10 – 20).

Likewise, Paul instructs Timothy to “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:12). So, stand firm in the presence of Christ, who is the embodiment of the armor of God, and stand firm in our confession of the gospel.

Earlier in the letter to the Philippians, Paul says “let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ (as citizens of heaven), so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents” (Phil. 1:27). So, stand firm, together, in a way that adorns, puts clothing on, or embodies the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Look at what Paul says in our text for today…

PHILIPPIANS 3:17 – 4:1…

17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.

In the final verse of our text today the apostle Paul says, “my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved” (Phil. 4:1). So, the theme of standing firm in warfare is no new concept for the apostle Paul. But what does Paul have in mind when he instructs the Philippians to stand firm? What does it look like, what does it mean, to stand firm?

#1: STANDING FIRM IN IMITATION (V.17)

Anyone who calls others to imitate them better have their act together. Their character better match their words and their actions better speak louder than their words. No one can deny that one of the most visible figures of leadership in the known world today is the President of the United States of America. And no one with any credibility can deny that as a leader goes so goes his or her followers.

In other words, those who follow a leader inevitably take on the characteristics of that leader. Brash, arrogant, deceptive and abusive leaders produced followers of the same ilk. Humble, courageous, honest and selfless leaders produce followers with the same characteristics.

The concept of imitation is as old as the garden of Eden. As soon as Adam and Eve took their eyes of the God they were called to obey (and by implication imitate) they looked to someone else for leadership and by default began to imitate the enemy of God.

This is why the apostle Paul calls the Philippians to “join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Phil. 3:17). This call to stand firm in imitating Paul expands to the call to stand firm in imitating Timothy and Epaphroditus (2:4, 20 – 21).

Paul and Timothy and Epaphroditus are the subjects of the phrase “example you have in us” and this call is not one of pride-filled arrogance but is a call to imitation that is full of selfless humility.3 Who are you standing firm in imitating right now? Are they full of godly character or Satan’s character?

#2: STANDING FIRM IN WARNING (VV. 18 – 19)

Charles Spurgeon once said that “Backsliders begin with dusty Bibles and end with filthy garments”. What the good old “Spurgeonator” had to say about backsliding with dusty Bibles into filthy stinky grave clothes fits with the warning that the apostle gives to the Philippian church about leaders who are not full of godly character but instead are filled with the character of their father, Satan.

Paul describes these Satan-filled, ex-believing, one-time leaders in the Philippian church as people “whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Phil. 3:18 – 19). In short, these apostates were once believing brothers but now they were lethal enemies of the cross of Christ.4

The Philippian apostates had literally dug their own graves as they chewed on earthly impulses and personal pleasures; the pursuit of creature comforts had displaced the pursuit of Christ and the cross that disciples are called to carry.5

What and where we eat, how and where we live, and what we spend to satisfy our own pleasures, displaces the pursuit of the cross of Christ and the suffering it entails. By abandoning the pursuit of Christ and the cross, our minds get set on pre-Christian (anti-Christian) things rather than “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).6

The way we live, our walk, our appetites, the things in which we revel or take joy in, the set of our inner disposition, all tell the truth of our Christian or non-Christian character.7 We must stand firm in this warning not to emulate or imitate people who exhibit the character of Satan. Paul felt so strongly about this that he wept tears as he wrote these words.

We must stand warned as we realize that Paul’s one-time friends had become enemies of the cross of Christ; they were running towards destruction; they were ruled by the appetites of their bellies; they made shameful things into bragging rights and they lived for earthly pleasure and comfort. Who have you allowed to influence you in imitating their satanic character? What would it look like for you to stand firm in this warning moving forward?

#3: STANDING FIRM IN YOUR CITIZENSHIP (V. 20 – 21)

The Philippian believers would always be at a high risk for hitching their citizenship in heaven to their citizenship in Philippi which was known to be a “mini-Rome” colony much like a mini-American colony.8

Citizens of Philippi could enjoy some of the benefits of being a Roman province, namely the so-called freedom of religion and philosophy and speech, so long as you hailed Caesar as the savior and king of your life.

Caesar would give you prosperity, freedom and comfort as long as you espoused or held to or upheld his political power. Does this sound in any way familiar to you?

When the Philippians read the words of this letter, they would immediately know that it was a counter-cultural message because Paul is reminding them that their citizenship as “mini-Romans” was subject to their citizenship in heaven.

In other words, he’s not instructing them to stand firm in their “mini-Roman” citizenship; he’s reminding them to stand firm because their “citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Phil. 3:20 – 21).

The Philippians needed to resist the dark temptation of mixing their nationalism as “mini-Romans” with their eternal citizenship in heaven. They would resist this mixing of identities by standing firm as citizens who possess the powerful expectation of eternal transformation under the sovereign lordship Christ Jesus alone.9 What would it look like to unhitch your citizenship in heaven from your citizenship of this earthly kingdom? I believe it would look like true freedom.

#4: STANDING FIRM IN THE LORD (V. 4:1)

True freedom is found in the presence of the Lord. This truth is what enables the apostle Paul to sound the note of joy for the thirteenth time in this letter despite his earthly circumstances.10

You have to remember that Paul is shackled to a Roman guard for preaching the gospel, not because Rome had made it illegal to preach the gospel but because those who should have been his brothers in Christ had falsely accused him of all sorts of unfounded claims as they proved themselves to be enemies of the cross of Christ.

To Timothy, Paul described his imprisonment as the loneliest time of his life where his once-upon-a-time-brothers had completely abandoned him and done him great harm (2 Tim. 4:9 – 18). In that account to Timothy, Paul says that “no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me” (2 Tim. 4:16 – 17).

This is the perspective that was the center of Paul’s gravity; namely that he could stand firm in the presence of the Lord who stood with him when everyone else had abandoned him.

This same perspective, that we must stand firm in the presence of the Lord is what leads Paul to make the most personal statement from any apostle to his listeners when he says “my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved” (Phil. 4:1). Ultimately standing firm will utterly fail if not for the presence of the Lord.

Despite the loneliness of lockup, the betrayal of brothers who became enemies, the concern for the darkness that Paul saw creeping its destructive head into the church at Philippi, the apostle Paul stood firm in the joy of the Lord’s presence as he expressed his love and desire for the people of Philippi. Do you know what it feels like to stand firm in the presence of the Lord? Have you slowed down long enough to taste this sweetness lately?

CONCLUSION AND APPLICATION…

We asked, what does it look like to stand firm in pursuit of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus as we seek to live our lives in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ as citizens of heaven on earth?

The answer that God has given us today in his Word, is that we can stand firm in imitation, in warning, in citizenship and in the faithful presence of the Lord.

#1: STAND FIRM IN IMITATION: While you may have many, great and not-so-great, options for imitation in this life, you can trust that Jesus is the best imitation for your life. Anyone who does not exhibit the character of Christ should be rejected as your leader because as a leader goes so goes the follower. Remember Christ’s love for his enemies and remember that the extent of that love was proven in his selfless death as he was nailed to a bloody Roman cross.

#2: STAND FIRM IN WARNING: There are many who would like to vie for your support in this unprecedented season; many who would call you to follow them. I would only ask you to search their character and ensure that they do not possess the character of Satan who was an arrogant, deceiving, blaspheming, abusive, selfish, egotistical, pathetic excuse for a worship leader.

Do not magnify leaders who as enemies of the cross of Christ are running towards destruction because they are ruled by the appetites of their bellies as they make shameful things into bragging rights and they as live for earthly pleasure and comfort. Heed this warning and stand firm in it.

#3: STAND FIRM IN CITIZENSHIP: This earth is not your home. America will one day be a footnote in the history books of eternity passed in heaven. Don’t get too comfortable here on this earth. Don’t chase comfort here on this earth.

Let the discomfort of this year especially, remind you of the hope of heaven and the final transformation that is yet to come at Christ’s return. Don’t trade the hope of heaven for the hope of earthly things. Stand firm in your citizenship in heaven.

#4: STAND FIRM IN THE LORD: If you would kneel at the foot of the bloody cross in the doorway of the empty tomb in light of the promised return of Christ, I promise that you will not only fight the good fight of the faith, you’ll fight the right fight. You’ll be ready for real spiritual warfare. You’ll walk in the joy of the Lord despite your circumstances. And you’ll live your life in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ as a citizen of heaven here on this earth even if you have to say with the apostle Paul that “the Lord was the only one who stood with me” (2 Tim. 4:17).

Tasting the sweet victory that is bestowed upon a warrior as you cross the finish line into the winner’s circle can only happen as you surrender your life to the foot of a bloody cross, in the doorway of an empty tomb as you cling to the hope of heaven.

Victory, which is the sweet taste of true freedom is found in the hope of eternity and experienced in the sweet presence of the crucified, risen and returning Christ. In Christ alone, I pray you’ll take your stand. – Amen!

1 Unless otherwise specified, all Bible references in this paper are to the English Standard Version Bible, The New Classic Reference Edition (ESV) (Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, 2001).

2 R. Kent Hughes, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon: The Fellowship of the Gospel and the Supremacy of Christ (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, ESV Edition, 2013), 157.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid., 159.

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid., 159 – 160.

7 Ibid., 160.

8 Ibid., 161.

9 Ibid., 161 – 162.

10 Ibid., 163.