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Philippians 1:12, Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,
GOD’S PROVIDENCE: PRESERVATION, CONCURRENCE, GOVERNMENT.
Before we get into this amazing passage I want to talk about God’s providence in our lives. Theologian Louis Berkhof defines divine providence as “that work of God in which He preserves all His creatures, is active in all that happens in the world, and directs all things to their appointed end.” God’s providence includes three elements: preservation, concurrence, and government.
#1 PRESERVATION. After God created all things, He continues to preserve everything. Hebrews 1:3 says Christ upholds all things by His power and Colossians 1:13 says in Christ all things hold together. God keeps the sun burning and He keeps the earth orbiting the sun at 67,000 mph and rotating on its axis at 1000 mph which maintains the gravitational pull of all objects and provides everything else we need.
#2 CONCURRENCE. This means God co-operates with all His creatures and causes them to act precisely as they do, both in the good and the evil. However, God is never responsible for man’s sin.
#3 GOVERNMENT. God is continually and sovereignly ruling all things. Nothing happens by chance; it is universal and includes the most insignificant things, including elections. Only by His providence does anyone win or lose an election. Psalm 75:7, “He puts down one and exalts another.” Got Questions notes: If God is not in control of all things, then God is not sovereign, and if God is not sovereign, then He is not God.
So, God’s providence is always at work in your life, in both the good things and the bad. You can be confident that God has a purpose for everything that happens in your life. That’s why I entitled this message “Seeing God in Your Circumstances.” When Abraham took Isaac to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him to God, God provided a ram in the thicket to take Isaac’s place. Abraham called that place “The Lord will provide,” Jehovah Jireh. He saw God in his circumstances. When Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, God was in it preparing the way for Joseph to bring his whole “kit and caboodle” to Egypt during a famine. When it was all said and done, Joseph said to his brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God mean it for good.” That’s divine providence; God providing for His people. God told Elijah to hide in the Kerith Ravine. Elijah obeyed and God directed ravens to bring food to him.
When Haman tricked the king into signing off on a genocide of all Esther’s people, God providentially brought Esther to the kingdom “for such a time as this.” Esther is given opportunity at a feast to inform the king about a plot to kill all her people. The king demanded, “Who did this?” With Haman sitting right in front of them, Esther replied, “A foe and an enemy is this wicked Haman!” That was the end of Haman. Though God isn’t mentioned in book of Esther, you see God’s invisible hand at every turn. In the New Testament, we see God providentially overruling the evil Jews and Christ was crucified in the place of sinners, thus fulfilling His providential plan. The believers in Acts 4:27-28 prayed.
“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.
In God’s providence an arrow shot at random found its way to a chink in King Ahab’s armor, an assassin’s bullet came within an inch of President Reagan’s heart, and another within an inch of President Trump’s brain. George Washington fought in the French and Indian War and sent this letter to his family: “But, by the all-powerful dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!”
Here’s one more story of God’s good providence in the smallest thing, a spider. I assume this story is true. In World War II a marine was hiding out in a cave from Japanese soldiers combing through the caves searching for American soldiers. Surely, they would find him in his cave. As he waited, he prayed, “Lord, if it is your will, please protect me. Whatever your will though, I love you and trust you. Amen.” Then he waited his sure death as the Japanese drew nearer. Suddenly he saw a spider begin to build a web across the opening to the cave. He thought, “I need a brick wall, and the Lord has sent me a spider’s web.” As they got closer the marine prepared to take his last stand. But as they came by his cave, they saw the spider’s web across the opening of the cave and assumed no one was in that cave. “Lord, forgive me,” prayed the young man, “I had forgotten that with you a spider’s web is stronger than a brick wall.”
Are you aware of the invisible hand of God’s good providence at work in your circumstances? It’s not luck. This is the answer to so much of our anxiety today. If you know and believe that God is using your circumstances for His glory and your good, you can cast your cares on Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
Paul clearly saw God in his circumstances here in Philippians 1:12. He is chained to a rotation of soldiers 24 hours a day. He had no privacy, his circumstances certainly weren’t comfortable, his future was uncertain, and perhaps worst of all, there were Christians leaders there in Rome who were jealous of him and trying to make things worse. John MacArthur wrote, “The pain runs deep when preachers of the Gospel slander, malign, misrepresent, criticize, accuse, oppose, or belittle your ministry.” That’s exactly what’s happening to Paul. And yet he saw God in his circumstances. Let’s see how.
Paul saw his circumstances from a gospel perspective.
Philippians 1:12-13, Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,
Paul was concerned for the Philippians, who loved him so much. He doesn’t want them to be discouraged thinking, “Poor Paul. He must be miserable up there in that Roman prison. Has God made a mistake, allowing the enemies of God to take him out of the way in a dingy prison when he could have been out there preaching to the Gentiles?” Paul could have easily cried “Woe is me!” His letter to the Philippians could have gone on and on about how bad the prison food was, how the 18-inch chain rubbed on his wrist, how horrible it was to be chained to a Roman soldier so despised by the Jews, and murmur, murmur, whine, whine, whine.
But that’s not what Paul did. Look at Paul’s confidence in God’s providence. God brought him to this Roman prison for an even greater progress of the gospel. He’s there for the cause of Christ. He even called himself Christ’s prisoner. And amazingly, the news has spread to both the guards and to the Roman citizens and believers – everyone else (vs. 13). He saw God in his circumstances.
How did his imprisonment result in the greater progress of the gospel, that amazing message of Christ, the Son of God, His incarnation, perfect life, substitutional sacrifice in the place of sinners, His resurrection and ascension? First, Paul says the reason for his imprisonment has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard. Who were they? They were the emperor’s elite force, his secret service, his special troops. There were 10,000 to12,000 of them. And one of their tasks was to guard prisoners like Paul. So, one after another they came into Paul’s prison, chained themselves to him to avoid any escape, maybe a different soldier every four or six hours, and you can imagine the conversations Paul had with them. “So why are you here, Paul? I hear you were a leader of the Jews over there in Jerusalem. What are you doing here?” Rather than God sending Paul out to the Gentiles right now, God brought the mission field to Paul, chained to his wrist, each soldier a captive audience to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. In those dark hours Paul would tell soldier after soldier about his former life persecuting Christians, about his conversion, and then fill it all in with the gospel message. Each of those soldiers would take that message with them, talk about it to their families, friends, and who knows how many came to Christ, right under Nero’s nose! In Philippians 4:22 Paul says, “All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household!” His circumstances weren’t easy, but Paul had the right perspective. God’s invisible hand of providence was very evident to Paul.
You aren’t Paul, and you may not have such an amazing opportunity to preach the gospel to soldiers. But one thing is for sure – whatever your circumstances, wherever you find yourself, whatever you find yourself doing or experiencing, good or bad, you can know this fact: God is in your circumstances for His glory and your good. “All things work together for good to those who love God.” Someone said, “I’m convinced that the troubles, challenges, and problems we face are custom-designed to do one thing: to allow us to draw others to Jesus Christ and to encourage them in Jesus Christ.” Sometimes it’s hard or even impossible to see God’s purpose in your circumstances. “Why is this happening to me?” Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote, “God in His wisdom, has decided that we shall go through life uncertain about some things.” These circumstances are sent to humble us and remind us we are not in control. You may be in a really tough situation and see no reason for it, but you count on this – God is in your circumstances.
Paul was an ambassador in chains and saw the invisible hand of God at work. The New Living Translation of verse 13 says, “For everyone here, including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.” We’re all chained to something in our lives. You may be chained to a desk, to a line in that factory, to a hospital bed, to a home school curriculum, or an unending pile of laundry. You may be tempted to anxiety or discouragement, even fear because of your situation right now. Paul says your circumstances are in the hands of God. He knows where you are and He has a purpose for you in that place, mainly to represent Christ to the people around you.
Paul knew God would use his circumstances in the lives of others.
Philippians 1:14-17, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
Paul’s imprisonment had a double effect. For most of the believers there in Rome, his testimony had a positive effect. This is typical when God’s people suffer and face trouble in a biblical way. Tertullian said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Spurgeon said, “The church has never lost her numbers due to persecution.” When people see you handling your circumstances in a godly fashion, when you go through suffering trusting God and giving Him praise, other believers are encouraged and stirred to speak God’s truth with boldness and without fear. Paul says not only are they trusting God and giving God’s word with boldness, but they are talking about Christ with greater and greater love for Paul himself. They knew he was totally committed to the gospel and was being used by God in his chains. They loved him even more for this.
That’s the influence of one man suffering for Christ and seeing God at work in his circumstances. Think about how the martyrs of the church through the ages who endured suffering and even sang praises to God while being persecuted encouraged fellow believers who witnessed their courage to be bold themselves. Martin Luther took a bold step when he posted those ninety-five theses on October 31, 1517. He stirred the hearts of others. God was in it when he stood firm against the state and the false church, unleashing the fresh message of justification by faith alone through his preaching and writing, and brought strength and courage to Germany and beyond. When Luther stood boldly before the state and church at Worms in 1521, his courage encouraged other believers to take their stand as well. God will use your circumstances and how you handle them to encourage and bless the lives of fellow believers.
But sadly, there’s the other side. There were believers, probably preachers in Rome, who became jealous and envious of Paul. They were probably highly regarded, but now Paul was being acclaimed as a great soldier for Christ and they were being forgotten, so they stirred up trouble and strife against Paul. They were motivated by selfish ambition, even spreading slander about Paul while he was in prison.
Is this possible in the church of Jesus Christ? Yes. Jealousy and strife have ruined the hearts of more Christians than you can imagine. Paul rebuked the Corinthians for this very spirit. In 1 Corinthians 3:3 he wrote, “You are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?”
Listen, the moment you sense a jealous or spiteful or bitter spirit creeping into your heart, you need to spend some serious time with God confessing that sin. And if you are jealous of someone else who may be getting more kudos than you, you need to thank God for how He is using them. That’s what these guys should have done. Jerry Bridges describes jealousy as “intolerance of rivalry.” Remember King Saul? “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” These words drove Saul crazy, crazy enough to try to assassinate David. The Jews in Jesus day delivered Him over to the cross out of envy.
Paul being called a great soldier for Christ caused some of the church leaders in Rome to became jealous because they were not seeing God in their circumstances. They had totally lost sight of God. They were blinded by their own swollen pride and ego. They craved the applause and admiration of others and weren’t getting it. Clement, one early Christian leader, says things there in Rome got worse among the believers with open attacks and betrayal. Clement even says Paul’s execution was the result of jealousy and strife among Roman believers!
Someone wrote, “If Satan can’t corrupt your heart with a love of the world or money or sexual sin, he may try this tactic: envy and rivalry.” Proverbs 4:23 says, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” Jesus said, “Out of the heart come deeds of coveting, slander, and pride” (Mark 7:22). When God seems to be using someone else more than you, there’s only one godly response: be thankful.
Paul’s greatest joy was that the gospel was being proclaimed.
Philippians 1:18, What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,
In Galatians 1:8 Paul pronounced a curse on anyone who preached a false gospel, but here he is rejoicing that Christ is being proclaimed. Some had sinful motives, and some had pure, sincere motives. You’d think Paul would lower the boom on the ones trying stir up strife against him. No, Paul knew God was at work in his circumstances and that the main issue was that the true gospel of Jesus Christ was being preached. That’s what matters. People were hearing the gospel, and this was Paul’s reason for multiplied rejoicing.
Paul never forgot God is in charge, always ruling down to the details of his 18-inch chain. He sees God in his circumstances. He knew God uses the good, the bad, and the ugly, hypocrites pretending or believers with loving motives. In either case, the message of Christ is being proclaimed and in this he rejoices.
MacArthur wrote, “Paul’s maturity is evident in the present text as he makes it clear that difficult, unpleasant, painful, even life-threatening circumstances did not rob him of joy, but rather caused it to increase.” Does it bother you when you hear others praised, promoted, and recognized more than you? What about if they try to tear you down to build themselves up? Paul says, “As long as Christ is being proclaimed, I rejoice.” Hendricksen wrote that “Paul’s self-forgetfulness elicits our love for him all the more for having written this beautiful passage.”
Do you see God in your circumstances? I don’t know of a more helpful, encouraging truth than God’s providence in our lives. Jay Adams concluded his booklet, How to Handle Trouble, with these six points. Memorize and think about them in preparation for how to handle trouble, regardless of what that trouble looks like.
- Recognize God is in the problem.
- Remember God is up to something.
- Believe that He is up to something good.
- Discover where and how God is at work.
- Get involved in what He is doing.
- Expect good effects.
This is how Paul was able to rejoice in what God was doing in his circumstances. Let me remind you, none of us are here in this room by chance. You are here by God’s appointment. Maybe for you to hear the gospel like these guards heard it. Has the gospel made progress into your heart?