| The Epistle Of Joy – Part 7

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 7 –  Did you know that it is possible to preach the gospel out of envy and strife.  Paul experienced this when he was in prison.  People who preach from these motivations can think they are succeeding in their call because God will respond to the faith of the people even if the minister’s heart is not right, eventually, the lack of character in the minister will cause a collapse in their call.

Others preach Christ out of goodwill, they are preaching out of love for the people and the truth.  They are preaching from the motivation of God’s heart.  They are ministering with an understanding of other minister’s calls and the advancement of a kingdom, not a personal ministry.  People like this understand the heart of God, they love God first.  People like this will also see the success of the ministry that God has placed within them.