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Philippians 4:13 is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible, but it’s not about sports or winning. Paul wrote it from house arrest, and he called it a secret. In this final episode of our Stress Less series, we unpack what that secret really is, how Martin Luther found the same strength to spark the Reformation, and how you can stay steady whether life is going great or falling apart. Next week we start Grace Race, a slow walk through the Gospel of John. Amen Podcast is hosted by Alex Wilson, a pastor in Hawaii, and his wife Lokelani. Every week we walk through Scripture together and ask one question to help you apply it to your life. Listen, join our email list, and support the show at amenpodcast.com Donate: amenpodcast.com/donate

Today we’re discussing what living an appropriate Christian life looks like and how we can be calmly happy in Christ without worry. There is an appropriate way to live as God's children. When we are not calm in our hearts, we are tempted to live according to what we think is right or what feels right. This leads to stress because inappropriate living brings consequences.  Follow Alex on IG: Follow Alex on IG: https://www.instagram.com/alexanderdionwilson/ Follow us on IG: Follow Alex on IG: https://www.instagram.com/amenpodcast/ amenpodcast.com/donate

A hurricane is heading toward Kauai, the wind is literally blowing through our garage as we record, and Paul's words have never felt more real: stand firm in the Lord. In this episode of Amen Podcast, we walk through Philippians 4:1-3 and talk about what it actually looks like to stand on business when the world is shaking beneath your feet. Paul writes to a church where two women are at odds, and he reminds them (and us) that people are never the real problem. It's spiritual. And the answer isn't trying harder. It's remembering that your name is written in the Book of Life, permanently. We also talk about a wild Matt Damon story, why you never have to say "do you know who I am?", what Revelation 3:5 really means about your name being blotted out, and how eternal security frees you from people pleasing. In After the Amen, Lokelani opens up about standing firm in prioritizing family, and we ask you: where do you need to persist? Keep Kauai in your prayers as Hurricane Nola approaches. We love you guys. Scriptures: Philippians 4:1-3, Philippians 3:14-15, Luke 10:20, Revelation 20:15, Matthew 10:32-33, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8, 1 John 2:19, John 10:28-29, John 8:12, 1 Timothy 4:8 Chapters00:00 Hurricane Nola is coming02:13 The Matt Damon story04:28 Philippians 4:1-306:12 What it means to stand firm09:10 It's not personal, it's spiritual10:40 Your name is written in the Book of Life13:17 Can your name be blotted out?16:30 Prayer17:03 After the Amen: where do you need to persist?22:27 Eternal security frees you from people pleasing26:31 You are the light of life29:30 Support Amen Podcast Donate: amenpodcast.com/donate

Walking with God when you feel nothing. There's a German word, Fernweh, that means far-sickness. Homesickness is longing for a place you came from. Fernweh is aching for a place you have never been. Every person alive has it. The question is what you do with it.In Philippians 3:15-21, Paul writes in tears about people who felt that longing and settled for earth instead of heaven. He also tells us how to keep walking: look up toward Christ, not down at your sin, and find real people who walk the pattern. Alex and Lokelani walk through what walking with God actually is, why so many people quit, and how to keep going. Then in After the Amen, they answer the question: who are you imitating? study guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1V3GVs8LULkDZXOi9BXlZIzrXlBEl4-fD/view?usp=share_linkDonate: https://amenpodcast.com/donateFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amenpodcast/Subscribe to Email List: https://amenpodcast.com/subscribeAmen Podcast: https://youtube.com/amenpodcastAmen Podcast (spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/55g6BqsNLWNPWz7TuQ1QBKAmen Podcast (apple): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amen-podcast/id1437840199

In this episode we look at one verse, Philippians 3:14, and ask what Paul was actually hunting down from a prison cell while still full of joy. The Greek word for "press on" means to hunt. Saul hunted Christians. Then Christ hunted him. Everything changed. Paul spent the rest of his life chasing the one thing that had already chased him down. You don't press on so God will accept you. You press on because He already has. Like a bride preparing for a wedding day to a groom she already belongs to. Like Mary at His feet. Like John leaning on His chest. The goal isn't heaven. The goal isn't the crown. The goal is Christ. Hunt down heaven with a full heart. After the Amen: How does Christ's pursuit of you make you stress less? Drop your answer in the comments. amenpodcast.com/donate

What do you need to forget? In Philippians 3:13, Paul writes from house arrest and says he is “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.” But no healthy human can actually erase their past. So what does the Bible mean by forget? In this episode of the Stress Less series, Alex and Lokelani walk through Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers in Genesis 45, the cost of discipleship in Luke 9:62, Paul’s testimony in 1 Timothy 1:12-17, and God’s promise in Hebrews 10:17 to remember our sins no more. Biblical forgetting doesn’t mean amnesia. It means your past no longer rules you, and your sin no longer determines your standing with God. Plus 8 applications for walking free of what’s behind you, and an honest After the Amen conversation about shame, fear in relationships, and what four years of pastoring a house church has actually cost. Amen Podcast is a listener supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Every episode is made possible by donors like you. DONATE: https://amenpodcast.com/donate LISTEN TO AMEN PODCAST Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amen-podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/amenpodcast WATCH ON YOUTUBE Amen Podcast: https://youtube.com/@amenpodcast House Church: https://youtube.com/@housechurch808 HOUSE CHURCH PODCAST Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/house-church Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/housechurch https://housechurchkauai.com

What is your one thing? In this episode of the Stress Less series, Alex preaches Philippians 3:13 and Lokelani joins for the Q&A after the amen. Paul wasn’t scattered. He was a runner with his eyes on one finish line. Most of our stress doesn’t come from having too little. It comes from carrying things God never asked us to carry. We look at where “one thing” shows up in Scripture (Luke 10:42, Mark 10:21, John 9:25, Psalm 27:4), what Jesus’ one thing was, and how to find yours. FREE STUDY GUIDE: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jpDsiLG0XZi9jchdd1RoIt_FEtYM-lB6/view?usp=sharing Support the ministry: https://amenpodcast.com/donate Amen Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amen-podcast/id1437840199 Amen Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/55g6BqsNLWNPWz7TuQ1QBK?si=uj86K1L8TiOJjmmFiZ7Mdw Amen YouTube: https://youtube.com/@amenpodcast?si=uVsPlTyabiGI6TG4 House Church 808 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@housechurch808?si=54HXOpoLpDQHZW5m House Church Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/house-church-with-alex-wilson/id1871396334 House Church Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0RejGA2t3jPTJyUabUBnH8?si=BHTBhCDLQeWI2tTtFi2OTw housechurchkauai.com Go out and be the church.

Paul had something better than Mamba mentality. In Philippians 3:12 he says he has not obtained it and he is not already perfect, but he presses on to make it his own, because Christ Jesus made him His own. Warren Wiersbe called this holy dissatisfaction. We are content in Christ, but never content with where we are in our walk with Him. Alex breaks down why we need it, why comparison quietly kills it, and how remembering where you were when Christ found you keeps you in the race. After the Amen question: Are you dependent on Christ, or have you grown complacent? Study guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I-2afmFofQc4JK2fyDxRw7H5vVND1At9vPwUYFK-X3Y/edit?tab=t.0 Donate: https://amenpodcast.com/donate Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amenpodcast/ Subscribe to Email List: https://amenpodcast.com/subscribe Amen Podcast: https://youtube.com/amenpodcast Amen Podcast (spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/55g6BqsNLWNPWz7TuQ1QBK Amen Podcast (apple): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/amen-podcast/id1437840199

counting all as loss, that we may gain Christ! Philippians 3:8-11. amenpodcast.com/donate

SPOTIFY DESCRIPTION Comparison is not just a bad habit. It is a confidence problem. In Philippians 3:4-7, Paul lists seven things that made him look impressive and then moves every one of them into the loss column. We talk about why we compare, what it costs us, and the only comparison that gives you real confidence. Free study guide for this episode: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ItSPfIlbyjDn8zYFAwAmnGoeeTUBXMyZ/view?usp=drivesdk This podcast is listener supported. If it has helped you, consider giving at amenpodcast.com/donate, Venmo @amenpodcast, or Cash App $amenalex. Go out and be the church.

Alex separated his AC joint racing the guys after church, and suddenly everything he took for granted with two working arms was gone. That’s the whole point of Philippians 3:1-3. Paul is writing to a church being pressured by Judaizers, people telling Gentile believers they had to become Jewish before they could become Christian. Paul calls it what it is: dogs, evildoers, mutilators of the flesh. In this episode we walk through why confidence in the flesh grieves God and isn’t safe for you, five problems with trusting what you can do, and three ways to actually rely on God instead. Plus the line that ties it all together: joy comes from reliance, not restraint. Alex and Lokelani also talk about how false teachers keep people locked in, why the “better version of yourself” message is not the gospel, and the very easy test for whether a Christian influencer is putting their confidence in the flesh or in Christ. Part of the Stress Less series through Philippians. CHAPTERS0:00 I broke my shoulder racing after church2:20 Who the Judaizers were (Acts 10, 11, 15)5:30 Reading Philippians 3:1-36:15 It grieves God13:00 It isn’t safe for you13:35 Dogs, evildoers, and those who mutilate the flesh17:00 Five problems with confidence in the flesh25:40 How to actually rely on God27:50 Joy comes from reliance, not restraint31:00 The physical can never reach the spiritual35:15 So what gives you confidence?37:40 After the Amen44:45 How false teachers keep people hooked48:50 The iPad I destroyed for no reason53:45 How to spot confidence in the flesh online amenpodcast.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amenpodcast.substack.com

Most of our stress comes from people online telling us what to be, what to wear, what to buy, and where to go. Jesus frees us from all of that. In this episode of the Stress Less series through Philippians, Alex and Lokelani look at Epaphroditus, a man named after a pagan god who became one of Paul’s most trusted brothers in the ministry. Paul gives him five titles: brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, messenger, and minister. If the people influencing you don’t fit that list, they shouldn’t be influencing you. In this episode: * The 5 titles every godly influence in your life should have * Why you should look for influences in places of suffering, not prosperity * Why a screen pastor can never replace a physical one * No, there is no “spirit of tardiness” * How to be de-influenced: honor godly people, look at their life, think for yourself, and watch out for the vain After the Amen question: How do you need Christ to influence you? Answer in the comments. Support the podcast: amenpodcast.com/donate Listen to the Amen Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify YouTube House Church podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify housechurchkauai.com #Philippians #BibleStudy #ChristianPodcast #StressLess #AmenPodcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amenpodcast.substack.com

In Philippians 2:19-24, Paul couldn’t find anyone like Timothy to send to the Philippians. Why? Because Timothy stopped seeking his own interests and started seeking Christ’s kingdom instead. In this message, we break down what made Timothy different and how you can become the kind of person God can use in your relationships, church, and calling. We also unpack: - Why you don’t jump into leadership too soon - The cost of following Christ (and losing friends because of it) - How to trust God when you don’t have the full picture - Why who you marry can disqualify you from ministry Sermon from Amen Podcast’s “Stress Less” Philippians series. TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Opening story 2:10 Why Paul needed Timothy 5:20 The problem: seeking your own interests 7:10 The solution: be trained, be like a son 10:35 Trust God without the full picture 14:50 After the Amen discussion 20:20 Why people leave when you follow Christ 25:00 Who you marry matters SUPPORT AMEN PODCAST: Donate: amenpodcast.com/donate This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amenpodcast.substack.com

Being a child of God is a privilege — and a responsibility. In Philippians 2:14-15, Paul says we're called to live without complaining, without arguing, without that dark inner dialogue — so we shine like stars in a crooked generation. In this episode, we talk about what it means to hold out the gospel unashamed, give everything like Jesus did, and stop holding back. Donate: amenpodcast.com/donate This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amenpodcast.substack.com

You can't earn your salvation. So why does so much of Christian culture make you feel like you have to?In this episode of the Stress Less series, we look at Philippians 2:12-13, one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling" has been used to load young Christians with anxiety and the constant question, "Is God disappointed in me today?" But Paul isn't telling you to earn anything. He's telling you to live out what God has already done.We talk about why a small view of Jesus produces a small reverence for Him, how the enemy's plan isn't to make you doubt Jesus exists but to make you think He's small, and how a big view of God leads to the freedom of a stress less life. Plus, why "it is God who works in you" is the cure for comparison, grind culture, and chasing social currency.After the Amen question: Where do you see God at work within you? Watch the full Philippians "Stress Less" series here on our channel Support: amenpodcast.com/donateStudy Guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nF99NLglCf7vD2Em9WadvCLmWOzDzfV-/view?usp=sharing This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amenpodcast.substack.com