Paul seeks to encourage the Philippian believers who are looking around them and see a world that is driven by selfish needs, greed, power, and bent on self-destruction. How does a believer survive in such a world? We can ask ourselves that same question right now! Paul’s answer is one of perspective. He tells the Philippians to think about Jesus and His kingdom with the knowledge that His heavenly kingdom will someday be their home! They can take encouragement and strength from the fact that they belong to Jesus and His kingdom and that His heavenly home is not located in the earthly places where they currently reside. We too can take heart from Paul’s words as they equally apply to us!

Philippians 3:20-21 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Not only are we citizens of heaven but we can be assured that Jesus will return someday to transform us. We know this is possible because He has resurrection power and is able to bring all things under His control, i.e. He is the Sovereign Savior.

This message of Jesus’ return, His power to transform us and bring us to heaven is found other places in scripture, too. 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 speaks of Jesus’ return “It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. ⁵³ For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies.” 1 John 3:2 tells us that we will be like Jesus when He returns. “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” I love the picture Paul gives us in 2 Corinthians 5:1-2 about our heavenly bodies “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,”

The thoughts of Jesus’ return, a body that will not experience pain or despair, hardship or doubt brings hope to any who are suffering. Jesus will return and take us to heaven to live with Him. Whether we die first or meet Him in the air, we will go to heaven and be transformed by Him.  These are word filled with Hope.

JOY! Because we know: Jesus will return.

Jesus will transform us both inside and out.

Jesus has a home for us in heaven.

All Believers are citizens of heaven.

Let your Joy be complete in Jesus!

Linda