Controlled Circumstances
Controlled Circumstances
Philippians 1:12-14 - “Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the praetorian guard and to everyone else; and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.”
Circumstances in the life of the growing Christian don't just happen. They’re controlled! From the human perspective, our circumstances may be pleasant or tragic; they may be just or unfair; they may change overnight or stay the same for years, but they are controlled: what, when, where, and why. From our point of view, our circumstances may sometimes seem to be completely out of control. From God's point of view, our circumstances are never out of control. Romans 8:28 says that for those who love Him, God is working all things together for our good. This means that God is in control of all circumstances in our lives.
"Wait a minute," you may say. "If God is in control, then what about circumstances that involve injustice or cruelty or suffering - and other forms of evil? What kind of "control" is that? And what about when I sin? If God is in control of circumstances, did He program me into sin?"
No! The Bible teaches that when we sin it is our own fault. We cannot pin the blame on God (James 1:13-15). But even when we sin, God has not lost control. He may even use the circumstances in which we failed to teach us, and to draw us back to Him.
Furthermore, the Bible never teaches that all the circumstances in the Christian life are good. Romans 8:28 does not say that all things are good! It says God is working all things together for good in the Christian’s life. Many circumstances are anything but good. Your circumstances right now may be very bad. In fact, the Bible teaches us that circumstances touching a Christian can be quite evil - and may even manipulated by Satan himself!
Job
Notice two points about circumstances from the book of Job.
1. Although God permitted "evil circumstances" to strike Job, God was not the source of evil. See James 1:16-17 in this connection. Notice that only good things come from God - and that we are deceived if we don't believe this.
2. God never "lost control" of Job's circumstances. Rather, God used them (evil and all) for His own sovereign purposes. He "worked them together for good" in Job's life. Read the rest of Job, and see how God used these circumstances as a test of Job's faith. And see the final result in the last chapter of Job!
So God is in control of all our circumstances. Although we are able to commit sin, and in spite of Satan's evil schemes, God is still in control. Satan’s power is limited. It's like he operates temporarily on a leash, until final judgment. Things are never out of control!
Jesus
If ever there was a time when circumstances seemed out of control, it was during the final week of our Lord’s life. Consider the unfair trial of the one Man who was completely innocent. Think of the physical abuse of the One who had harmed no one. Remember the cruel and untimely death of the One who was so involved in helping mankind. Out of control? No! In control - from start to finish! Of all the Old Testament prophecies about our Lord’s final week, not a single prediction was missed or incomplete!
Out of these "tragic" circumstances God gave us the greatest demonstration of His love - and secured our eternal salvation! Now if God so over-ruled and controlled these seemingly chaotic circumstances, we can be sure that circumstances in our lives are not out of His control. We can know that God is “working all things together” for our good.
Paul
Philippians 1:12-17 is a striking example of how God caused some "unfortunate" circumstances in the life of the apostle Paul to work together for good. When Paul wrote Philippians, he was awaiting his trial before Caesar in Rome. The possibility of death by the Roman sword was a reality he faced every day. Pretty tough circumstances! Paul had already "wasted" two years in prison in Caesarea, while the establishment played politics with his case. It seemed that his circumstances were out of control. Finally, Paul appealed to Caesar, and was brought to Rome to wait for his case to come up before the highest court in the Empire.
While Paul waited, he was held under house arrest (Acts 28:30-31). He wasn’t in a dungeon, but he was held under arrest in his own rented house. But it was still imprisonment, because a Roman soldier was always there on guard (Philippians 1:13). In fact, Paul and the guard were chained together at all times. Because the escape of a Roman prisoner would cost the life of the Roman guard, the chain was always there! The chain was several feet long, and allowed the prisoner a little movement, but think of the inconvenience and annoyance of such circumstances. Every word Paul spoke was monitored. Every curse and obscenity the soldiers spoke was heard by Paul. He couldn’t walk away. He had no privacy for his personal needs. The chain was always there.
How could God allow such circumstances? For the guards, it was only so many hours of duty, and then they were free - but for Paul, it was the same hard circumstance day after day. What possible good could come out of this situation? Was God still in control?
And there was another circumstance in Paul's life that was hard to handle - maybe the hardest of all. Philippians 1:15-17 reveals that some Christians who sometimes disagreed with Paul were taking advantage of the situation. They were jealous of the apostle, so they were criticizing Paul and attempting to gain a prominent position for themselves in the Christian fellowship.
If ever there was a Christian who had a legitimate right to complain about his circumstances, it was Paul! Cut off from a very successful and fruitful ministry, not permitted to leave his house, constantly watched - and criticized by the brothers and sisters he was trying to serve!
Can you identify with Paul? Yet Paul never complained about his circumstances. In fact, he was able to rise above them - and actually rejoice in them (Philippians 1:8 & 3:17)! Why? Because he knew that God was working these circumstances together for good!
Good results from bad circumstances
In Philippians 1:12-14 Paul elaborated on some of the good results from his "bad circumstances.”
1. Greater progress of the gospel (v12). The imperial guards heard about Jesus Christ (v13)! Was it possible to be chained to the apostle Paul and not hear the good news about Jesus? You can imagine how word of their unique prisoner and his cause quickly circulated within the ranks of the soldiers - and filtered out to everyone else (v13). In addition, it seems that anyone who was interested or curious was allowed to come and visit Paul. (See Acts 28:30-31.) Soon the good news was heard and believed by servants (and maybe even officials) in Caesar's household (Philippians 4:22).
God used Paul's tough circumstances to penetrate barriers that had seemed impossible. The gospel was spreading to the heart of the Roman Empire - because Paul's rights and freedom had been taken away! God was in control of these contrary circumstances.
Is it possible that God has permitted you to be placed in a class or a job or a dorm or a neighborhood or a relationship or a hospital bed - a circumstance that’s not exactly to your liking? Maybe God has chosen this way to reach someone special with the love and good news of Jesus Christ. You've been chosen, because no one else could handle the particular situation!
2. Greater courage for Christians to spread the Word (v14). It took a lot of courage to preach Jesus Christ in pagan Rome. It was much easier to be a secret Christian than to risk your life for saying what you believed. But the Christians in Rome were actually encouraged by Paul's circumstances. If Paul could take so much abuse for the cause of Christ, they could certainly take a little heat!
Even the Christians who were jealous of Paul were at least bold enough to proclaim Christ, even though with bad motives. And for this Paul rejoiced (v18)! God was working circumstances together for good in an amazing way! Because Paul's freedom was restricted and his rights taken away, Christians were encouraged to carry on the work boldly.
Is it possible that God has allowed some of your freedom to be restricted - or some of your rights to be yanked away? By the way you handle these limitations, other growing Christians may be encouraged to carry on the work of the Lord. God has chosen you to be the example - so He can multiply the good results!
3. Greater good for us! During this imprisonment Paul had more time to write, and four books of the Bible were written: Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon.
So God caused all kinds of good things to come out of Paul's unfavorable circumstances. And our God is working all our circumstances together to fulfill His good plans and purposes. Don't be discouraged! The Lord is in complete control!
- Dave Reid