{"id":44968,"date":"2019-03-31T07:00:55","date_gmt":"2019-03-31T14:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/?p=44968"},"modified":"2023-08-10T05:57:22","modified_gmt":"2023-08-10T12:57:22","slug":"when-defeat-turns-into-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/when-defeat-turns-into-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"When Defeat Turns Into Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Want to shake up your daily Bible reading? In this post, we&#8217;ve included an excerpt from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?product_id=77412\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Story of God Bible Commentary<\/a> on Philippians 1:12-18. We love this series because of its commitment to revealing the narrative of Scripture. Then, it always shows how it applies to our lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\">We couldn&#8217;t include <em>all<\/em> the commentary on this passage, sadly. There was just too much! So if you get to the end of this post and want more, there will be a link for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-listen-to-the-story\"><strong>LISTEN TO THE STORY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-philippians-1-12-18\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Philippians+1%3A12-18&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Philippians 1:12-18<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">&#8220;Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. <sup>13<\/sup> As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. <sup>14<\/sup> And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><sup>15<\/sup> It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. <sup>16<\/sup> The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. <sup>17<\/sup> The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,&nbsp;not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.&nbsp;<sup>18<\/sup> But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, and I will continue to rejoice.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-quick-summary\"><strong>A Quick Summary<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul here informs the Philippians about his current situation in Rome, imprisoned but not silenced. Indeed, some believers are, ironically, made more confident to share the gospel because of Paul\u2019s chains. Sadly, others are using Paul\u2019s confinement to cast doubt on his ministry. Nevertheless, Paul declares that as long as the good news of Christ\u2019s redeeming love is proclaimed, he rejoices.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul explains here one of the ironies of the Christian life: what looks like utter defeat turns out to be victory \u2014 in God\u2019s hands. Common sense would dictate that Paul\u2019s influence is gone and his prospects washed up, for he has been languishing four years in prison (two years in Caesarea Maritima, two more in Rome). But \u201cin Christ\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Philippians+1%3A13&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1:13 (opens in a new tab)\">1:13<\/a>) the impossible becomes possible and the gospel message spreads even more widely than if spoken only by Paul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-explain-the-story\"><strong>EXPLAIN THE STORY<br><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-victory-in-christ-against-all-odds-1-12-14\"><strong>Victory in Christ, Against All Odds (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Philippians+1%3A12-14&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1:12-14 (opens in a new tab)\">1:12-14<\/a>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In these three verses, Paul speaks of his imprisonment, but he does not describe his own mood or physical condition. Instead, he notes the contrast between his personal, restricted circumstances, about which the Philippians are well aware, and the public expansion of the gospel, a phenomenon they are not anticipating. Paul also speaks of the gospel\u2019s \u201cprogress\u201d in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1:25 (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Philippians+1%3A25&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">1:25<\/a>, where the term refers to the advance of the gospel in the Philippians\u2019 own lives. Other than <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Timothy+4%3A15%2C&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1 Timothy 4:15, (opens in a new tab)\">1 Timothy 4:15,<\/a> these are the only two places where Paul uses this term. The cognate verb describes a smith\u2019s hammering of metal to lengthen it or the passing of time, as in the phrase \u201cthe night is advancing.\u201d The verb carries the idea of progress and advancement.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What sort of progress might Paul be intending here? Of course, the gospel message is complete in itself; God\u2019s salvation plan for the world through Christ has been foretold in the prophets and enacted in history a few short decades before Paul wrote this letter. The progress is not with the gospel itself, but with the telling of the gospel. From Paul\u2019s statement that the whole Praetorian guard (NIV \u201cpalace guard\u201d) is now aware of the gospel, we can safely assume that Paul has in mind the numerical increase of those who have heard the gospel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But since he also speaks of many believers emboldened to speak, we can also understand this progress to indicate that within the church itself, there is growth as many believers take steps of faith, trusting God as they tell his story of redemption. Advancement of the gospel for Paul, then, is both the increased number of people hearing that message and the increased number of believers sharing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-content-of-the-gospel\"><strong>Content of the Gospel<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It may be useful to pause and reflect here on the content of the gospel, which is spreading so surprisingly. Paul does not define the content here in bullet points, but a careful read of his letters suggests that a few central truths made up the message. First and foremost, the message is about Jesus Christ. He is the son of David and the Son of God (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Rom 1:3-4 (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Rom+1%3A3-4&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">Rom 1:3-4<\/a>). Christ died for humanity\u2019s redemption (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Eph 1:7 (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Eph+1%3A7&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">Eph 1:7<\/a>), and his death on the cross is shared by all believers (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Gal.+6%3A14&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Gal. 6:14 (opens in a new tab)\">Gal. 6:14<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christ has been raised, according to Scripture (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1 Cor 15:4 (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Cor+15%3A4&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">1 Cor 15:4<\/a>), and he will return, having destroyed every ruler, authority, and power, including death itself (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1 Cor 15:24-28 (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Cor+15%3A24-28&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\">1 Cor 15:24-28<\/a>). God\u2019s work in Christ is available to everyone \u2014 forgiveness of sins and new, abundant life in the Spirit. The believers\u2019 future is secure, because the hope is founded in Christ\u2019s resurrection, the firstfruits that indicate a complete harvest in the future (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=1+Cor+15%3A20&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1 Cor 15:20 (opens in a new tab)\">1 Cor 15:20<\/a>). Most all of these ideas will be mentioned in the rest of Philippians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-paul-s-chains-amidst-the-praetorian-guard-1-13\"><strong>Paul\u2019s Chains amidst the Praetorian Guard (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Philippians+1%3A13&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1:13 (opens in a new tab)\">1:13<\/a>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul informs the Philippians that his <strong>\u201cchains\u201d<\/strong> <em>(a euphemism for imprisonment and also a literal description of his living conditions)<\/em> are well-known among a group least likely to have any interest in the gospel, namely, the Praetorian guard. This elite force guarded the emperor; we might think of them as Secret Service and Navy Seals rolled into one. That such men would know a story about a crucified Jewish \u201cMessiah\u201d would seem an unlikely bit of conversation, but Paul states that \u201cthe whole palace guard\u201d knows of his situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What precisely is that situation?<\/strong> Most likely the Roman guards have come to appreciate that Paul\u2019s present situation is on account of his testimony. This conclusion need not imply that Paul was arrested because he was a Christ follower, but only that his current circumstances are comprehensible when seen as part of God\u2019s redemptive plan in <strong>Christ for the world.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine a Roman soldier\u2019s discussion with Paul and his subsequent astonishment when he hears Paul declare that his physical chains are not indicative of Caesar\u2019s hold on his life. Instead, those chains establish Christ\u2019s victory in spreading the gospel to all. Likely some guards shook their heads in disbelief, confident in the superior power of Caesar. Others laughed at Paul\u2019s \u201cfairy tale.\u201d But perhaps a few went away pondering, seeing something in Paul that they had not seen in a prisoner before. Paul would identify that \u201csomething\u201d as Christ.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-paul-s-chains-encourage-proclamation-1-14\"><strong>Paul\u2019s Chains Encourage Proclamation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Philippians+1%3A14&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1:14 (opens in a new tab)\">1:14<\/a>)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul\u2019s chains have also served to greatly encourage Roman believers to preach the gospel. These believers see Paul\u2019s witness, and in that testimony they see the power of Christ. That power has raised their confidence to speak the word. Paul rightly notes that these Roman believers are not speaking because of Paul himself, but because their trust and confidence are firmly \u201cin the Lord.\u201d Nothing makes Paul more pleased than that the gospel is being shared. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-he-reminds-his-readers-that-all-believers-are-equipped-to-talk-about-christ-s-work-the-gospel\">He reminds his readers that all believers are equipped to talk about Christ\u2019s work, the gospel.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One does not need a seminary degree to speak about the death and resurrection of Christ, that work of grace accomplished by Christ and given to all who believe in his name. To some, Paul\u2019s words are a comfort, for they worry that they will not explain the gospel well or will not have enough knowledge to answer questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take heart \u2014 Paul notes that trust in the Lord will allow anyone to speak the word. They are fearless, for they trust that the same power that animates Paul will watch over them. To others, however, Paul\u2019s words represent an unwelcome conviction that they are responsible to speak. It is not their pastor\u2019s job, or their Sunday school teacher\u2019s job, or some other paid professional\u2019s job to speak the word. It is a responsibility shared by all.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These believers are bold and \u201cwithout fear.\u201d Paul implies that any \u201csane\u201d person would be frightened to speak. I am not bold when I speak about Christ to a group gathered in a public park, or from a pulpit here in the United States; I enjoy freedom of speech protection. But these Roman believers are speaking the word under a dark cloud of suspicion that perhaps their conduct will run afoul of Nero, and they will end up as Paul, or worse. Paul likely praises the Roman believers to the Philippians not only because they should be honored for their courage, but because the Philippians can follow their example as they face struggles in Philippi (as Paul enjoins them in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=Philippians+1%3A27-30&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"1:27-30 (opens in a new tab)\">1:27-30<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-live-the-story\"><strong>LIVE THE STORY<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul begins by stating that he wants the Philippians to know his situation. Surprisingly, he does not give much information about what has happened to him; instead, he minimizes his personal circumstances as he redirects attention to what really interests him, namely, the gospel\u2019s progress. Several lessons can be drawn from this posture. First, Paul is modeling the attitude he\u2019d like to see in the Philippians, which is the posture of smallness. Second, Paul sees everything in relation to the work of the kingdom. Third, while Paul is not unwilling to tell of his dire circumstances (cf. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/bible\/?query=2+Cor.+1%3A8-11&amp;version=NIV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"2 Cor. 1:8-11 (opens in a new tab)\">2 Cor. 1:8-11<\/a>), his restraint here demonstrates his underlying emphasis on his present joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-posture-of-smallness\"><strong>A Posture of \u201cSmallness\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine with me Paul writing this letter; would we paint him in the center of the canvas? Would we have the candlelight shining on his face, casting deep shadows into the corners of the tiny room? Or would the Roman guard stand aggressively over him in an intimidating fashion? None of these details that would interest a modern reader (or painter) seem of any consequence to Paul. If he painted the picture, perhaps we\u2019d see the Roman soldier in the spotlight, eagerly leaning toward Paul trying to catch his every word. Maybe the fourth wall of the room opens onto a teeming marketplace, showing clusters of people listening attentively to a speaker in their midst. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-now-what-if-i-put-myself-in-that-picture\">Now what if I put myself in that picture?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I lived in Kenya with my husband and two grade-school-aged children, I\u2019d send news of our situation home to our supporters. I confess that these letters were usually filled with the struggles we faced, from natural calamities such as grasshopper infestations or mudslides, to physical concerns and illnesses, to business struggles as we managed a ministry. What I did not do, to my shame, is explain how those seeming limitations actually served to establish the \u201cin Christ-ness\u201d of our ministry. Instead, I was too much at the center of my circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By this I mean that while I prayed to God to bring all things to his good conclusion, I did not narrate my daily experiences in that reality. When I prayed, I thought like that, but when I talked with others, especially those back home, my story line was about me, not about God\u2019s work going on around me. Paul here shows a way forward from this self-absorption. He \u201cresizes\u201d the characters of the story, making himself small and Christ\u2019s gospel big and tall, worthy of full attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-story-of-god-commentary-series\"><strong>THE STORY OF GOD COMMENTARY SERIES<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.olivetree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/StoryOfGodBookSetSocial-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-53932\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/StoryOfGodBookSetSocial-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/StoryOfGodBookSetSocial-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/StoryOfGodBookSetSocial-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/StoryOfGodBookSetSocial-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A new commentary for today&#8217;s world,&nbsp;<em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?product_id=77412\">The Story of God Bible Commentary<\/a><\/em>&nbsp;explains and illuminates each passage of Scripture in light of the Bible\u2019s grand story. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?productid=77412\">SGBC<\/a> offers a clear and compelling exposition of biblical texts, guiding everyday readers in how to creatively and faithfully live out the Bible in their own contexts. Its story-centric approach is ideal for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and laypeople alike.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/store\/product.php?product_id=77412\" style=\"background-color:#77aa3c\">GET IT TODAY<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to shake up your daily Bible reading? In this post, we&#8217;ve included an excerpt from the Story of God Bible Commentary on Philippians 1:12-18. We love this series because of its commitment to revealing the narrative of Scripture. Then, it always shows how it applies to our lives. We couldn&#8217;t include all the commentary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":50677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5338],"tags":[6021],"class_list":{"0":"post-44968","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-testament-articles","8":"tag-story-of-god-bible-commentary"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>When Defeat Turns Into Victory - Olive Tree Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to shake up your daily Bible reading? 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