Paul’s Heart for Christ
Philippians 1:19-30
Paul was not a fanatic, but a wide-eyed fanatic!!
The Latin adjective fanaticus, a derivative of the noun fanum, meaning “temple,” originally meant
“of or relating to a temple.” It was later used to refer to pious individuals who were thought to have
been inspired by a god or goddess. In time, the sense “frantic, frenzied, mad” arose because it was
thought that persons behaving in such a manner were possessed by a deity. This was the first
meaning of the English word fanatic. This sense is now obsolete, but it led to the meaning
“excessively enthusiastic, especially about religious matters.” The word later became less specific,
meaning simply “excessively enthusiastic or unreasonable.” The noun fan, meaning “enthusiast,” is
probably a shortening of fanatic. “Unenlightened zeal” BUT his zeal was NOT unenlightened.
Paul’s Heart for Christ
 My Body Is His
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s
provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my
deliverance
Did he mean deliverance from jail?
20
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient
courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
He was not just sharing theory. He had lived it and they knew it!: See Acts 16
From there we travelled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia.
And we stayed there several days.
16
Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by
which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.
17
She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who
are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed
that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of
her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
19
When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and
dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities…22 The crowd joined in the attack against
Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had
been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them
carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the
stocks.
25
About midnight Paul and Silas were …
what would you have been doing?
praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

My Life & Time Is His
21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body,
this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am
torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
How did Paul feel about the prospect of dying? How about you? How could Paul be so sure?
24
but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that
I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so
that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of
me.
Who did Paul think was in control of the situation?(see v 22)
See Ps 31:15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from the hands of my
enemies, from those who pursue me.
What was Paul’s “reason for living”?
See 3 John 3,4 3 It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified
about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to
4
walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are
walking in the truth
Jesus first
Others second
Yourself last
Life Worthy of the Gospel
27
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then,
whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand
firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel (see v 25)
28
without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. Was Paul afraid?
This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by
God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also
to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now
hear that I still have.
See 2 Tim 3:12
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Since when is it a privilege to suffer!? See Acts 5:40,41
They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not
to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The apostles left the
Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering
disgrace for the Name.
See Luke 6:22,23
Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 23 “Rejoice in
that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is
how their ancestors treated the prophets.
Application
How big a FAN-atic are you?
Are you willing to suffer because you follow Jesus?
What is your key motivation for living? What drives you?