For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.
Philippians 1:29
Paul writes to the church of Philippi encouraging them in their time of despair and need! The church is going and has gone through some rough spots and many have turned to idol worship… Paul reminds them today that Christ’s death is a privilege for us to partake of, to suffer for His name sake is also to be considered an honor… The church was under heavy persecutions; many had become weary and began to lose hope in the future and precious promises of God… Paul is reminding them that the same Christ that gave Himself up for you is the same Christ that will lead you through times of despair! Paul wants us to understand today that we will indeed be tested, we will indeed have weary days, we will indeed feel the pains of life, but we must overcome, we must hold to His unchanging hand, we must remember that Christ suffered and said that we would suffer for his name! We can take joy in our suffering because we are carrying out the will and word of God, we can smile in adversity because we know that Christ died and now lives for all eternity! We believe in Christ and will even stand for Him even in times of inconvenience. No matter what you are facing or dealing with, you must stand for Christ and be willing to suffer for His name sake. This is how we are able to receive and achieve all that God has in store for us… This is why Paul told the Church of Philippi, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
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