WELCOME
to a self-study on Paul’s letter of joy to the church at Philippi!
This study is based on the King James Version and is designed
for you to reap the practical benefits of your walk with Jesus.
P aul
H ad
I nfinite
L ove,
I ncredible
P owerful
P raise
I n
A ll
N egative
S ituations
Since Paul’s first contact with the people of Philippi is recorded in Acts 16,
let’s begin our study with a few questions concerning that era in Paul’s ministry.
1. In Acts 16:12-15, who is named as Paul’s first convert in Philippi?
2. What was this person’s trade or profession?
3. Who was baptized on this occasion?
4. In Acts 16:16-19, when the slave girl got saved in Philippi,
what did her owners realize? (v. 19)
5. In Acts 16:19-25, who was in prison with Paul?
6. After the earthquake, what was the attitude of the jailer and what did he do in vs. 27-34?
7. How did Paul and his friends react when they were offered their freedom? Acts 16:36-39
READ PHILIPPIANS 1:1-16 and answer the following:
8. What impressed you the most about this passage?
9. What situations in life bring you the most real joy?
10. What brought joy to Paul in 1:4-6?
11. Why do you think the concept of worry is missing from this passage?
12. What event has given you the most joy within the past year?
13. When you are “feeling down,” what thoughts help you to get “on top” again?
14. What are the things that rob you of your joy?
15. In your family, in your home, what things bring joy to your people?
16. What did Paul thank God for in 1:3?
17. In 1:9-11, what does Paul ask God for?
18. How does Paul’s prayer for his friends compare with your prayers for your friends?
19.What does Paul’s prayer in 1:3-11 teach us about praying for others?
20. Look up the word ” fellowship” in three different word study books and give
a clear definition.
21. List some reasons why Christians need fellowship daily
and list some benefits of Christian fellowship.
22. What does fellowship mean to you personally?
Give an example of a good time of fellowship you’ve had recently.
23. According to 1:17, what was Paul ready to do? What was he “set” for?
24. Paul expresses genuine affection for the Philippians.
Why do many people have difficulty expressing affection for others?
25. List some things that help Christians feel closer to one another.
26. In what special ways do others in your ethnicity express
appreciation and love toward one another?
27. List some practical ways in which you can express genuine affection to others.
28. According to I Peter 3:14 and Philippians 1:29, what must we be ready to do for Christ?
29. What things in life most affect your mood?
30. In what ways do some Christians allow others to control them by their negative attitudes?
31. Do you let others control your moods? If so, how?
32. In 1:3-11, Paul speaks of his friends in the ministry.
Who have you recently assisted in ministry?
Describe how this may have affected your attitude toward them?
33. Describe Paul’s attitude toward those who preach for selfish motives, according to 1:15-18.
34. What can we learn from this passage concerning negative attitudes toward
others who may have selfish motives in ministry?
35. Why don’t more people have Paul’s attitude toward their circumstances?
Read 1:21. What is so unusual about Paul’s outlook?
36. Paul is in jail as he wrote Philippians.
What circumstances in jail usually work to depress a prisoner?
37. In 1:12, Paul gives is outlook on life from his jail cell. What is his attitude toward his situation?
38. What do you think your attitude would be in the same situation?
39. No doubt Paul had his challenges while in jail.
List some wrong ways that people today try to deal with hard circumstances.
40. How can Paul’s attitude help me to deal with my problems in life?
41. Determine, from reading 1:13-14, what good things are happening
as a result of Paul’s imprisonment.
42. From 1:28, state the source of Paul’s feelings of joy.
43. From 1:23-24, we see Paul’s attitude toward living and dying.
How does Paul’s view differ from that of most people?
44. In 1:21, Paul writes “For me to live is Christ.”
In your old life, how might you have filled in the blank?
“For me, to live is_____________________.”
45. How do you think Paul’s attitude toward living and dying affected
his attitude while he was in prison?
46. According to Romans 14:17 and I Thessalonians 1:6, what is the key to true joy?
47. In II Timothy 4:7, what did Paul keep and complete?