Stone Wall

In the famous Civil War battle at Bull Run the Confederate army found themselves in full retreat. The retreat ended, however, when the general of the Virginia army, Thomas Jackson, suddenly stopped in his tracks in full range of canon and gunfire. Standing firm instead of retreating, Jackson yelled for his men to do the same. General Barnard Bee ordered his South Carolina army to follow Jackson’s lead, yelling, “Form! Form! There stands Jackson like a stone wall. Rally ‘round the Virginians!” This event gave Jackson his famous nickname Stonewall. 

General Bee would not survive that battle, but the South rallied to win at Bull Run. Two years later Jackson would die from friendly fire, and the Confederates obviously lost the Civil War, but Jackson’s act of bravery in the face of fire became one of the highlights of an otherwise awful time in history. Instead of retreating away from the pursuing Union army, Jackson ordered his men to stand firm and hold the line. 

In Philippians 4 Paul gave a similar command. He told the church to, “Stand firm thus in the Lord, my brothers (v.1).” We are in a spiritual war, and our adversary the devil is looking for people to devour. He wants to divide churches by creating a wedge, just as he did with the two ladies Paul mentioned in the next verse. Satan also wants to neutralize Christians by getting them to stop focusing on God and focus on their problems. 

That is why Paul told them not to be anxious about one single thing (v.6), but to be thankful and make everything a matter of prayer. When we focus on the things in life that aren’t going our way, we will get ourselves down in the dumps; we get angry with God, we stop praying and reading the Word, and then stop fulfilling the Great Commission. This is exactly what Satan wants us to do. Paul said the opposite of anxiety is thanksgiving. We have to choose to be thankful. We have to determine to look on the bright side and appreciate the millions of blessings God gives us. 

When we choose thanksgiving over anxiety God will guard our hearts. Last week I wrote about how Philippi was a Roman colony and that Paul used that analogy to make his point (about their citizenship being in heaven). He does the same thing here. Rome sent soldiers to patrol the streets of Philippi to protect their interests there. In v.7 Paul wrote, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” It was as if Paul was saying, “Look out the window. You see those soldiers guarding you? That is what God does for your heart when you choose thanksgiving over anxiety.”

We have the ability to stand firm like a stone wall even though Satan is opposing us. We get our strength from Christ Jesus, who guards our hearts, giving us peace. We have much to be thankful for!