United Christian Fellowship
“Building Forward by Faith” Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) Online Version

  • “Building Forward by Faith” Philippians 1:6

    Philippians 1:6 NKJV
    6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
    ““Father, bless the reading, the hearing, and the understanding of Your Word.

    Prayer

    Speak to us today, Lord, as only you can to remind us that what you started in each of us individually and the church collectively you will finish. In Jesus’ name… Amen.”

    4. Confession of Faith

    “I am not moved by what I see or by what I feel. I am moved by what I believe. I believe the Word of God! The victory is mine! I have it now! I can see it through the eyes of my faith! In Jesus’ Name!” Amen

    Introduction

    Family, I want to remind you today that we serve a God who always finishes what He starts. Philippians 1:6 says, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
    That means the God who woke you up this morning is the same God who has been guiding your steps since the day you said “Yes” to Him. He hasn’t forgotten you. He hasn’t abandoned you. And He will never leave His work unfinished.
    Yes, the times we live in are uncertain. The economy is shaky. Politics are divided. Society feels confused. But here’s the good news — our confidence is not in the government, not in the markets, not in what’s trending on social media. Our confidence is in the Lord who never changes, never fails, and never breaks a promise.
    Think about it: if He could keep Paul writing letters of hope from a prison cell, if He could sustain our ancestors who held onto faith through slavery and segregation, then surely He can keep you through inflation, division, and uncertainty today.
    So as we gather around the Word of God this morning, I want you to lift your head, square your shoulders, and open your heart — because God is still building. He’s building your faith, your family, your future, and this church. And what He started, He is faithful to finish!

    God’s Work in Us Is Unstoppable, Even in Uncertain Times

    Paul wrote Philippians while in prison, chained and limited by man’s system, but he spoke with confidence about God’s unlimited plan. Today, we live in a political climate filled with division, an economy that leaves many uncertain about the future, and social unrest that can shake our peace. Yet, just as Paul declared, God’s work is not dependent on government approval, stock market stability, or public opinion.
    God started His work in you before the economy turned, before the political battles raged, before the social chaos erupted. And He is not finished yet!

    Cultural Connection

    This truth echoes the testimony of our ancestors. During slavery, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights Movement, when everything in society told them they had no worth, they clung to the unshakable work of God. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” That hope was rooted in Philippians 1:6 — that God would complete what He started.
    The old gospel hymn, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” became more than a song — it was a declaration that God’s plan cannot be stopped by politics, prejudice, or poverty.

    Real-World Application

    When inflation makes it harder to fill your grocery cart, remember: God’s work in you isn’t tied to the Dow Jones — He is still Jehovah Jireh, your provider.
    When political leaders make decisions that don’t align with justice or righteousness, remember: the King of Kings still sits on the throne.
    When social media overwhelms you with negativity and division, remember:
    1 John 4:4 NLT
    4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
    God’s Spirit in you is greater than the spirit of the world (1 John 4:4).
    So hear is my challenge Are you allowing today’s news cycle to shake your confidence more than God’s Word is strengthening it?
    Are you building your hope on the promises of politicians, or on the promises of God?
    Are you living with the confidence that what God started in you, He will finish — no matter what’s happening around you?
    Isaiah 55:11 NKJV
    11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
    God’s Word is not like our words — full of promise but often empty of power. His Word is living and active
    Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
    12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
    When God declares something, it sets in motion a chain reaction that no economy, government, or enemy can stop. Paul could be confident in Philippians 1:6 because he knew God’s Word had already been spoken over the church.
    When you and I received the Word of God in our lives — whether at the altar, in our living room, or through the prayers of momma, , daddy, grandfather your grandmother’s prayers — that Word was not empty. It was loaded with divine assignment, and it cannot return void. Even if you’ve stumbled, even if society looks unstable, God’s Word will finish its assignment in you.
    Now for those who know, and experienced Think of how the church held fast to the promises of God during slavery. They had little else — no vote, no rights, no wealth. But they had the Word. Spirituals like “Go Down, Moses” were coded messages of faith and resistance, declaring that God’s Word — like it was for Israel in Egypt — would not return void.
    Romans 8:28 NKJV
    28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
    Paul is not saying all things are good. Unemployment, injustice, sickness, division — none of these are good. But Paul says all things work together for good when placed in the hands of God. God is the Master Weaver, taking the dark threads of our struggles and weaving them into the beautiful tapestry of His purpose.
    Sermon Connection: So while we may see chaos in politics, frustration in the economy, and tension in society, we can declare: “This too is working together for my good.” Philippians 1:6 + Romans 8:28 together tell us — if God started it, He’s not only going to finish it, He’s going to make everything in between serve His purpose for us.
    This was the faith of the mothers and fathers who pressed through the Civil Rights struggle. Dr. King believed that even the brutality they faced was not wasted. He preached: “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” That is Romans 8:28 in action — God working things for good, even when the world only saw evil.
    When politicians make promises that return void, remember God’s Word never returns void. (Isaiah 55:11)
    When the economy takes a downturn, trust that God is still turning all things for good. (Romans 8:28)
    When society feels fractured, know that God is still weaving His purpose through the mess.
    Do you believe God’s Word still carries power over your life today?
    Are you trusting the unseen hand of God to work even the negative things in your life for your ultimate good?
    Can you hold onto Philippians 1:6 and Romans 8:28 at the same time — trusting that God will finish what He started, and everything in between is part of His purpose?

    Faith in God Keeps Us Steadfast in a Shifting World

    The political climate may shift every election. The stock market rises and falls daily. Social values are constantly changing — what is celebrated today may be condemned tomorrow. But in a world of shifting sand, Christ is the solid rock on which we stand.
    Philippians 1:6 reminds us that God is not shaken by the instability of the times. If we root ourselves in Him, our lives will stand strong no matter how fierce the storm.
    We have lived this truth for generations. When laws said they we were not human, faith declared we were made in God’s image. When society tried to silence their voices, we lifted up songs like “We Shall Overcome” — not as a political slogan, but as a declaration of faith.
    Harriet Tubman, relied on God’s unchanging hand to guide her through the Underground Railroad. She said, “I always told God, I’m going to hold steady on You, and You’ve got to see me through.” That’s Philippians 1:6 in action — holding steady because God always completes what He begins.
    Even in the Civil Rights era, when Dr. King stood at the Lincoln Memorial, he didn’t just share a political vision — he proclaimed a biblical hope. He reminded this country that the foundation of true justice is not man-made promises but God’s eternal Word.

    So what's the Application Pastor

    When political arguments flood your timeline, don’t build your peace on party lines — build it on the Rock of Christ.
    When the economy makes you anxious about retirement or bills, remember: Jesus never changes, and His provision never fails.
    Isaiah 40:8 NKJV
    8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
    When society pressures you to compromise your biblical values, remember that culture changes, but the Word of God stands forever .
    Hebrews 13:8 (NKJV) 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
    This verse anchors us in the unchanging nature of Jesus. Everything else in life shifts — governments change hands, economic systems rise and fall, and even relationships may come and go. But Jesus is consistent across all time. Yesterday He was Savior. Today He is Savior. Tomorrow He will still be Savior.
    This is why Philippians 1:6 is true — because the One who started the work in us never changes His mind or His character. He doesn’t abandon projects halfway through. His consistency is our confidence.
    During Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights era, and even today’s challenges, the church has always declared: “Jesus never fails.” In times when our families were uprooted, segregated, and denied basic rights, they held onto a Jesus Christ who was unchanging when everything else was unstable.
    Are you building your life on temporary foundations — politics, possessions, or popularity — instead of the eternal rock of Christ?
    Are you steady in your faith, or does your confidence collapse every time the world shakes?
    What steps can you take this week to make Jesus your foundation in practice — in your decisions, your finances, your conversations, and your hope?
    Psalm 46:1–2 NKJV
    1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
    This psalm was written in a time of national instability. The imagery of mountains falling into the sea describes a total collapse of security — the very ground beneath one’s feet giving way. Yet the psalmist declares God is our refuge (place of safety) and strength (power within us).
    When political parties fail us, when job security is shaken, when the culture feels like it’s collapsing — God is still present. He doesn’t promise the absence of trouble, but He promises His presence in trouble.
    This verse fueled the church through centuries of instability. In slavery, the plantation could collapse a family structure in a moment — but I remember the deacons singing
    “I Will Trust in the Lord Until I Die.”

    I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord, I will trust in the Lord till I die.

    2 I'm going to watch, fight, and pray, I'm going to watch, fight, and pray, I'm going to watch, fight, and pray till I die.

    3 I'm going to treat ev'rybody right, I'm going to treat ev'rybody right, I'm going to treat ev'rybody right till I die.

    4 I'm going to stay on my bended knees, I'm going to stay on my bended knees, I'm going to stay on my bended knees till I die.

    It did not make sense to me , but now I understand what They understood refuge was not a place, but a Person. Jesus Christ
    Matthew 7:24–25 NLT
    24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.
    Jesus contrasts two builders: one builds on shifting sand, the other on solid rock. Both face storms, but only one house stands. The storm represents trials, pressures, political upheavals, social unrest, and personal struggles. The difference is not the storm but the foundation.
    In today’s world, many are building on sand — careers, wealth, political affiliation, or social media approval. When the storm comes, their foundation gives way. But those who root themselves in Christ’s teachings — prayer, obedience, love, holiness — will remain standing.
    Think of how our parents, grand parents and great grand parents built their lives on faith when society offered them no foundation. The rock of Jesus Christ gave them dignity when laws denied them personhood. Songs like “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All Other Ground Is Sinking Sand” were not just lyrics — they were survival strategies.
    Ok let me close out with this

    God’s Completion Brings Us Hope and Responsibility

    Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV
    11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
    Today, many believers look at the political and economic climate and feel as if we’re living in a kind of “exile.” all on our own
    Inflation makes it harder to survive, division makes it harder to trust, and uncertainty makes it harder to hope. But Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us: God’s plan is bigger than our situation. His promise is not harm but hope, not despair but a future.
    Cultural Tie-In: This was the verse many of our parents and grandparents leaned on during segregation!
    How I have heard the term “God has a plan for you.” Even when doors were closed, they believed that God’s plan included education, freedom, and dignity. That same God is still declaring hope over us Today
    2 Corinthians 4:8–9 NKJV
    8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
    Paul paints a picture of resilience through the Spirit. The Christian life is not free from pressure — in fact, it attracts it. The language “pressed,” “perplexed,” “hunted,” and “knocked down” acknowledges real pain. But every negative is countered with a divine “but”: not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned, not destroyed.
    This is our testimony today. Yes, we are pressed by rising costs, perplexed by political chaos, and knocked down by life’s struggles. But Paul reminds us — pressure does not equal defeat. Perplexity does not mean hopelessness. Knocked down does not mean knocked out. Because God’s presence keeps us standing.
    This scripture echoes the faith of those who endured slavery, lynching, and systemic racism, yet held onto God’s presence. The blues, the spirituals, and gospel music itself are testimonies of 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 — pressed but not crushed, knocked down but not destroyed. Songs like “We’ve Come This Far by Faith” were born out of this resilient spirit.
    The same God who gave our ancestors hope in slavery, resilience in Jim Crow, and responsibility in the Civil Rights era — that same God is calling us today. He’s not finished with you. He’s not finished with United Christian Fellowship . He’s not finished with our community.
    Ya’ll we must continue to walk in hope. We must continue to be resilient and we must still . Live with responsibility. Because what God started, He will surely complete.
    God Bless You and God keep you is my prayer

      • Philippians 1:6MESSAGE

      • 1 John 4:4MESSAGE

      • Isaiah 55:11MESSAGE

      • Hebrews 4:12MESSAGE

      • Romans 8:28MESSAGE

      • Isaiah 40:8MESSAGE

      • Psalm 46:1–2MESSAGE

      • Matthew 7:24–25MESSAGE

      • Jeremiah 29:11MESSAGE

      • 2 Corinthians 4:8–9MESSAGE

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