Defiant Joy
Overview
In Philippians, Paul points us to a life grounded not in circumstance but sustained in the hope of Jesus. In a weary world, we’re invited into unity, courage, and a joy that defies despair.
The Secret
Phil. 4:10-23
At the close of Philippians, Paul shares the secret to true contentment—not self-sufficiency, but Christ-sufficiency. He invites us to trust God’s quiet providence, confront our longings, and live with gratitude and generosity rooted in the faithfulness of the living God.
Phil. 4:10-23 / Bennett Rutherford
The Fight for Peace
Phil. 4:1–9
Paul shows how the Gospel of Jesus brings real peace—even into the most anxious and conflicted parts of our lives. Through prayer, truth, and God’s presence in community, we’re formed into a people of peace.
Phil. 4:1–9 / Andy Metzger
Learning to Forget
Phil. 3:12–4:1
We all carry something in our relationship to time. Regret, confusion, and fear can shape how we see where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re headed. But in Philippians 3, Paul invites us to press on—not by rewriting our past or perfecting our future, but by fixing our eyes on Christ. In him, we find healing for what’s behind, purpose for what’s now, and confidence for what’s ahead.
Phil. 3:12–4:1 / Drew Anderholm
Gaining by Losing
Phil. 3:1–11
We all long for assurance—for security, worth, and control. We feel the pull to earn it through success, trying to move beyond any pain or loss. Culture even celebrates this. But in Philippians 3, Paul points us to a better way: to lose our self-made worth and gain Christ. Through the cross, we are reconciled to God, and in him, we receive the only assurance that endures.
Phil. 3:1–11 / Drew Anderholm
Refusing Cynicism
Phil. 2:12–18
Paul reminds us that obedience isn’t about striving harder, but about responding to the God already at work in us. As we grow in hunger for him, we take on the yoke of Jesus—becoming a people marked by obedience, innocence, and joy in a world bent toward cynicism.
Phil. 2:12–18 / Vernon Naron
The Downward Path of Jesus
Phil. 2:1-11
Jesus chose the downward way. Paul calls this the path to joy, where humility and unity in the way of Christ—not ambition—become the starting point of every good thing in life.
Phil. 2:1-11 / Andy Metzger
Facing the Worst, Together
Phil. 1:27-30
Suffering is part of life, but Paul invites us to see it not as defeat, but as a place of surrender—to God. When we stop avoiding pain and learn to walk worthy of the gospel, hardship becomes holy ground. Joy becomes our covering, and perseverance our path to maturity.
Phil. 1:27-30. / Shannon Kirkpatrick
Persevering in the Unexpected
Phil 1:12–26
Paul is in chains, and the fear that comes with it is real. However, he doesn't see his suffering as defeat, but as holy ground—and he genuinely experiences it that way, as the gospel takes root and courage in him and the church catches fire. For him, to live is Christ.
Phil 1:12–26 / Andy Metzger
The Book of Phillipians
Phil. 1:1-11
Paul is in prison, unable to do the very thing he was called to—yet his thoughts are soaked in joy. Writing to the church in Philippi, he shows that joy begins not in circumstances but in the mind—with gratitude—deepening in the heart and maturing through prayer as we see that the God who began a good work will carry it through.
Phil. 1:1-11 / Andy Metzger