Philippians 1:12–18 (NKJV)
12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,
13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ;
14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill:
16 The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains;
17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.
As Christians, we preach Christ! Everywhere we go we preach Christ. Some are preaching Christ from selfish ambition calling attention to themselves. Some preach Christ out of love for Him and others. Paul rejoiced in Christ being preached no matter the motive.
Do we truly preach Christ? Preaching does not come just from the pulpit. How we handle life is one way of preaching Christ. Do we allow circumstances to dictate how we live our lives? The circumstances of life are not always positive or good. We encounter difficult times. Can we live above the difficult circumstances? Do we allow the negative circumstances to beat us down? A mature growing follower of Jesus lives above the circumstances of life. Good or bad The believer in Christ keeps his eyes on Him. Circumstances change, but Jesus never changes. Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
Paul did not do five things in his witness of God working in His life.
· He did not grumble and complain.
· He did not question God and wonder why.
· He did not whine and murmur.
· He did not fall to pieces
· He did not curse God NOR give up his faith.
Paul lived through the dark times of life and spread the gospel of Jesus. No matter what Paul preached Christ! Many today see themselves as victims and cry. Paul saw himself as a conqueror for Jesus Christ. In Ephesians 6:20, Paul calls himself an “ambassador in bonds.” We must ask, “How do we see ourselves?” Are we victims or are we conquering ambassadors for Christ? Are we preaching Christ in all circumstances of life?