The most difficult thing is not preparing a sermon, that’s fairly easy; but in seeking “What is the message the Lord wants? What is He saying?” I came to this one thing that the Lord kept speaking, over and over again: that which will help you go on in to the difficult days ahead, to keep you pressing in for the Lord. I want you to understand your spirit; the deep attitudes of your spirit are very, very important.
This message is about contentment, the value of contentment. There are some people who whine and complain without realizing how they are nullifying faith and everything positive in their life. I have never seen a whiner and complainer who had much faith. They have crossed out all the positive graces in their life. When a person is miserable, unhappy, discontented, continually murmuring, and complaining, their is something wrong with that person, which circumstances or surroundings will never cure because it’s within them.
We will read the testimony of a man who was one of the most contented men in the New Testament, and yet Jesus said of him, by revelation to Ananias, “I will show him what great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” If ever a man had a difficult life it was the Apostle Paul. He was shipwrecked; beaten with rods and stripes; his own countrymen tried to assassinate him; in prison, fasting often; in tumults; the cares of the church within; everything hitting him—and yet in jail he wrote an epistle, which all who study say the key words are “joy” and “rejoicing.” What did he have to rejoice about? nothing in the external; but everything, when you get down to the spirit of the man.
Paul said, But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length ye have revived your thought for me; wherein ye did indeed take thought, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therein to be content (note the state of contentment). I know how to be abased, and I know also how to abound: in everything and in all things have I learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in want. I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me. Howbeit ye did well that ye had fellowship with my affliction. And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving but ye only: for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need. Not that I seek for the gift: but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account. But I have all things, and abound: I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus (the apostle named earlier in the second chapter) the thing that came from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. And my God shall supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:10–19.
What you see here in the book of Philippians is a complete message. Paul is trying to tell you to be content with what you have and be content with your circumstances. But everything else in the book is portraying something too. He’s saying, “Don’t be content with the measure that you have appropriated of Christ; you’re not to be content with that. You are not content with what you are, but you keep reaching in to what you can be in the Lord. You’re not content with what you are doing; but you are earnestly striving to do more and labor more abundantly in the Lord. Now, this is a dual picture: on the one hand content, and on the other hand of being discontented; being satisfied in the Lord and yet with a dissatisfaction that drives you on—a hunger and a yearning after God. And that is the true state of heart that should exist with each one of us.
Many times we are quite content; this makes for a dead Christian. We are content with what we have appropriated of the Lord; we are not hungry for anymore, and we are quite discontented with our surroundings and the circumstances, etc. The very area where we should have contentment, we have discontentment. Where we should be discontented, there we are contented.
Philippians 1:6, Being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ. That is why he was continually praying. You see, it’s one thing to be content, yet, with what that church had, and himself, Paul was always reaching into more.
So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and questionings: that ye may become blameless and harmless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye are seen as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; that I may have whereof to glory in the day of Christ. Philippians 2:12–16a.
You see two pictures there: no murmuring, no disputing, and at the same time working out their salvation with fear and trembling; because God was working in them to will and to do of His good pleasure. There is the balance: the thing of which you are discontented, striving for more; and that area in which you are contented—not letting your circumstances throw you off base.
The third chapter brings it even more decidedly. Verse 12, Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on (a driven man), if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded. Philippians 3:12–15a.
Press in—press in—press in—is the emphasis. You cannot be happy with what you have attained spiritually; there must be hunger in your heart. You will not attain more spiritually if there is discontentment in your spirit. You will not be fruitful for the Lord if there is discontentment in your spirit. Paul repeats that in I Timothy. There are altogether three passages in the New Testament on the subject of contentment which are outstanding: I Timothy 6:6–9 says, But godliness with contentment is great gain: for we brought nothing into the world, for neither can we carry anything out; but having food and covering we shall be therewith content. But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. This is a clear picture.
We have to have godliness with contentment, for that is great gain. To murmur, complain, and whine, and to have that deep basic discontentment is deadly. I see that sometimes in the people. I see how they carry that into their homes, into their family life, into business—that deep discontentment gnawing and working at their spirits all the time. It is a basic unhappiness of which they are the cause, for many Christians have had circumstances just as bad and were very happy, very much contented.
Discontentment is based upon the fact that Christ does not mean as much to you as He should. I have watched this in the ministries whom we constantly deal with and those who are unhappy about their surroundings and the circumstances under which they minister. Some of those things can’t be changed right away. If they are going to be dedicated to do the will of the Lord, and love the Lord enough, they will be quite happy to remain in that circumstance until something can be done about it. But if they suddenly find that they are so unhappy about living conditions that they can’t even minister, then they don’t love the Lord enough.
If the circumstances of your life aren’t the way you want them, instead of murmuring or complaining or going into a deep discouragement, remember to say, “Lord, I must love You first. If I delight myself in the Lord, He will give me the desires of my heart. If I seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, these other things will be added.”
Some of you are standing in the way. I remember one of our brothers, whom we sent out in the ministry, was continually complaining, “I have no financial security; I don’t even own a home. I ought to be planning for something for future years.” The more he complained about it, the more reverses he faced. I told him, “You’re standing in the way of your own prosperity. Just begin to rejoice in the Lord and stop whining. The year he stopped that and began to rejoice in the Lord, another brother who had been concerned about his finances came to him and began to bless him financially, and he gave him half interest in a business that has multiplied many times in value. I said to him, “You see, you put the Lord first.” All of us could have wanted him to have everything, but until he was ready to delight himself in the Lord and be content in his heart, God wasn’t going to give it to him.
When you fuss, complain, and murmur, you are standing in your own light. That discontentment is a thing of spirit that you should pray about. Ask God to take it out of your heart. You say you don’t understand? You don’t have to understand, you just have to be content. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Paul says, “I’ve learned to be content in whatever state I’m in. I’ve learned how to be abased and abound. I can do anything—I can do all things.” When he said, “I can do all things,” he meant “I can go out and perform miracles.” That is included.
You are selling that Scripture short to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We can go out and move mountains; that is only incidental. You have to mean more than that because he says, “Howbeit—I know how to abound in anything. I can be content any place.” He meant, “I can do it; if God puts me through it, whether I have nothing, or if I have everything; because I’ve learned to content myself in the Lord and these other things don’t mean anything, one way or the other. If the path the Lord leads me in is one of hardship, I can walk through it; if it is one of great abundance, it will not spoil me nor turn me from a walk with the Lord. I can take it all, anything that comes, because I have a contentment in my spirit. I don’t have to look outside of my life for my happiness or my fulfillment, I can look within to my dedication to the Lord.”
Paul emphasizes the importance of this in Hebrews 13:5, 6: Be ye free from the love of money; content with such things as ye have: for himself hath said, I will in no wise fail thee, neither will I in any wise forsake thee. So that with good courage we say, The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: what shall man do unto me? That is the attitude we take: to be deeply content within our own spirit.
If we work on this, we will add to the church a lot faster. When people come into the church, if they see a contented, happy people, it is the climate in which they can grow spiritually. If you want to hatch little chickens, keep the incubator warm. If you want to see people really met by God, don’t be fussing yourself and negatively crossing out every bit of faith and moving of the Spirit in the service. At least for your own heart you’ll be doing it and perhaps for others. If you have bitterness in your heart, that root of bitterness springing up can defile many (Hebrews 12:15). We don’t want that to happen; we want people to come. Even if we are going through a great testing, we can be trusting the Lord and exuding a certain contentment and joy that is in the Lord. Even though we are battling on and struggling with all of our might, that has nothing to do with it. That is another phase completely.
Discontentment is there with the measure we have appropriated of Christ. We know He has more for us and we are determined we will have it. We have a hunger that drives us to our knees. We intercede and cry out to God, but on the other hand there is contentment in our spirit. We are content with Christ, but we are not content with the measure that we have possessed of Him. There you have the balance. There you have what is important. God blesses the man or woman who is really a contented Christian.
Are you content? Are you truly content? Or would you be content if you could just have a new car, a new house, or some new clothes? Then you’d be contented? if things would change? a new job? new circumstances? a new history teacher? “I’d be content if things would change—I just chafe under these circumstances!” Every Christian has so much of that. Even our children are harassed by school, harassed by teachers sometimes because of problems where there are definitely clashes; and they probably bring a lot of it on themselves. But it builds up until there is really an animosity there. It works both ways, doesn’t it? And you have to learn to be content, to actually go through a day when you know you have a thorn in your side continually. Paul had that; he knew how to handle it. He had a messenger from Satan buffet him, a thorn in the flesh—he prayed three times for the Lord to remove it, and the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you.” “Fine, then I’ll gladly glory in my infirmities. When I’m weak then I’m strong.” He knew the Spirit of the Lord was resting upon him and so he changed his attitude concerning it.
You know, all you have to do is get a word from the Lord. If the Lord is putting you through it, then walk with grace through it. It doesn’t mean that you submit to the thing; but it means that your inner spirit is refusing to be discontented, murmuring and complaining, because that is next door to rebellion against the Lord. So you learn to trust the Lord and walk with Him. It doesn’t mean that you are not going to take your victory the moment you can get it—and God will give you that. Always strive, always reach in. God forgive every time we have crossed out our faith with negativeness. God forgive and deliver us from that evil. How many blessings would you have had if you hadn’t crossed them out with murmuring, complaining, disputings, etc.?
We read in Philippians 4:4–7, Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. Let your forbearance be known unto all men (contentment is there). The Lord is at hand. In nothing be anxious (note that); but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. Don’t be anxious; don’t fret and worry; don’t cross out your faith. Pray about it. Commit it to the Lord and He will bring a peace that passes all understanding to keep your mind and your heart.
Have you ever heard battle-axes get up and give a testimony? “I praise God for saving my soul to the uttermost and for the peace of God that passes all understanding. Amen.” You know they don’t have it. Those are just phrases. They are mouthing phrases that have become empty nothings to them. But a peace that passes all understanding is what we really want—to be content in the Lord. When a person is in that state they seem to grow rapidly. When they are in the state of discontent they stay on the outskirts, sort of frozen in their development. Get out of that deep freeze and get where you can thaw out. Draw in the love of God. The people who rejoice in the Lord receive so much from Him! Godliness with contentment is great gain!
The time has come that ye shall walk through the valley, and thou shalt not fear for the Lord is with thee. You will be of good courage because the Lord hath brought thee forth for a day of trouble, that ye should show the joy of the Lord in the day of adversity, that ye should rejoice and triumph in the day when men shall bow their heads in a moment of defeat; yet the victory of the Lord shall be upon thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be round about thee. Thou art the people of the Lord, and yea, if ye shall walk through the valley of the shadow of death ye shall fear no evil for the presence of the Lord shall be abiding with His people. Yea, He shall encamp with thee; He shall tabernacle with thee; His glory shall rest upon thee. Thou shalt sing the songs of Zion because the Lord is with thee. Arise O children of the Lord and shout, for thy God reigneth. The presence of the Lord is within thy hearts for the Lord hath brought forth a day of release unto His people.
Shall it be in thy strength that thou shalt prevail? Nay, it shall be in the power of the Lord that thou shalt prevail. Shall it be because thou art cunning and wise and shrewd above all the sons of Belial and the children of Satan that come against thee? Or hast thou greater ingenuity within thy mind and heart than the witchcraft that shall come against thee? Nay, it is because the Lord hath caused thee to triumph, and the wisdom of the Lord shall be given unto thee. Yea, it is not in thy excellence, but what the Lord thy God shall become within thee. He shall become unto thee wisdom and righteousness. He shall become unto thee glory. He shall fill thee. He shall fill thee as vessels are filled, and thou shalt show forth the glory of the Lord. Yea, thou shalt show forth His triumph and His victory. Be not dismayed for the battle in this hour shall not be given to the multitudes. The victory shall not come unto the swift. The battle shall not go the way of the strong. But it is the Lord that shall cause the weak to triumph and confound the mighty. It is the Lord that shall cause His wisdom to rest upon the foolish and bring to naught the wisdom of the wise. It is the Lord that bringeth down the proud and the haughty, and He saith, “Behold, the meek shall inherit the earth, and the humble shall rejoice in the salvation of the Lord.” The day of the goodness of our God hath come.
Yea, there is a river that maketh glad the city of God. Behold, it floweth unto thine heart that thou shalt be refreshed, and thou shalt be renewed, and the gladness of the Lord shall be within thy heart. Thou shalt not look about thee to see the clouds that are foreboding, but thou shalt look to the Lord that causeth fountains to spring up in the earth, that causes the blessings of the Lord upon the dry ground, that saith unto thee: Arise and rejoice for the springs within thee shall spring forth, and thou shalt be as a fruitful vine. Thou shalt flourish. Thou shalt spread forth on the right hand and on the left, and the Lord shall make thee fruitful throughout all the earth. Thou shalt not be dismayed because of the darkness that cometh upon the hearts of men, but thou shalt rejoice that the Lord rises upon thee. Yea, as the sun goeth forth in its course so shall the Lord thy God come forth upon thee. The Son of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His beams. He’s bringing strength unto the people of the Lord that they may grow in righteousness before Him.
What shall please the Lord in this hour? In what manner shall the spirit of the Lord inspire thee to pray? What shall be the intercession of thy heart? Shall it not be mingled with things that shall come forth in the name of the Lord? Shall there not be the song of rejoicing in faith? Shall there not be that which looks up to the Lord and rejoices continually because His word hath come forth in this hour?
Behold, the Remnant hath received a promise from the Lord, and the day of visitation hath dawned. This shall be the kingdom of rejoicing in thy heart. But, what else shall the Lord require of thee? That there shall be within thine heart that which refuses utterly and completely the limitations that are upon you or the bondages of Satan. The ropes are of thine own doing and thine unbelief, for thou art conditioned from the day of scarcity thou sumbitted unto the little portion. Thou shalt rejoice in the Lord. Thou shalt cry out to God and it shall be a strong crying within thy heart until thou shalt lay aside thy bondages—lay aside thy restrictions and thy limitations. Thou shalt put aside the bonds and the restraints that fall upon thee, and thou shalt cry unto the Lord that thou shalt be a people liberated in the Spirit of the Lord, that ye may walk fully in the promises of the Lord. For it shall be a rejoicing within thine heart, but it shall also be the cry of the warrior that goeth forth to battle because he knows the adversary must be brought down and bruised under his feet. Thou art a people that will prevail in the name of the Lord.
Is it not time that the Lord would make thee the revolutionaries of the Kingdom? Thou shalt be as those that shall come against the old order of things. Thou shalt throw aside the comforts. Thou shalt count them as nothing. Thou shalt endure hardness as good soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. It shall be thy delight to turn away from the cult of the comfortable, from the unbelief of those that are at ease in Zion. Ye shall come forth and say, “Blessed be the name of the Lord. Hearts shall be stirred for I am in the army of the Lord. I shall endure hardness and adversity for this is my portion, to triumph over all the earth, to walk before the Lord victorious.”