“How can I not rejoice when I know the Spirit of God is leading me to understand the truth, when I know the Spirit of God is an anointing from God that teaches me all things so that I don’t need to listen to human teachers, because I have an anointing from God that teaches me all things,” 1 John 2. So you reach for the song book … but he continues on and on and on Join in their laughter when they’re happy, join in their weeping when they’re sad. It is to be abundant. Satan wants to steal your job; he wants to give you cancer.” And here they were always under the sovereignty of Satan, and busy, busy, busy, busy talking to the demons and talking to the devil to try to pronounce formulas on them to get them out of their lives. And that’s why he was in prison, because God was chastening him. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. But he said something like this: “He’d never seen such a sense of the depth of loss without tears.” And what he was saying was that the man had so totally committed that little one to God that it was that confidence that took away the sort of dominant abandonment feeling. Registered User A perpetual state of rejoicing is only possible if we have the supernatural joy of the Holy Spirit bubbling up from the inside. It’s short-lived, Job 20, verse 5, “The joy of the godless is momentary.” The joy of the godless is momentary; it comes, it goes, it’s that quick. And then you’ve got a problem of what you do with this thing that you once wanted so badly and now it’s a pain to you, because you want something else, or someone else. It is the will of God for us to rejoice always. We need to listen less to the our worries and fears, our desires, our disappointments, and all the reasons we have for quitting. Get the heavenly perspective on this. A trial, no matter how severe the trial, only proves the validity of real faith in God. q The Lord is at hand; 6 r do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Bad theology steals joy. And then next, I rejoice always as an act of reasonable response to divine providence, to divine providence. God is more powerful than demons. Paul gives us a military image of “the peace of God” standing guard over our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. An all-surpassing peace? I will say it again, rejoice!” He doesn’t say rejoice and celebrate on your birthday, or just on holidays, or just when something happy or fun happens… he tells us to rejoice and celebrate always. Our attitude and state-of-mind can rise above our situation. His reputation was being attacked and sullied by those who also named the name of Christ. No less than sixteen times in this epistle, Paul uses the word or a derivation of it! What we allow to occupy our mind shapes our attitude and our actions. Rejoice always, he says. Doesn’t yours? I can understand that, I can manage that information better than I can manage the information of providence, it’s just too staggering. And so it was that the early church believers greeted each other with, “Rejoice,” and then they often parted with “Grace and peace.”. The joy of the world is connected to the desire of the heart, the impulse of the heart. Rather, I can use the opportunity to get rid of even more ingratitude and demands in my flesh and be filled with that true, lasting joy that comes from doing God’s will and being transformed. Isn’t He suppose to answer all my prayers, and shouldn’t my life be sort of filled with a healthy dose of miracles? There are a number of passages that undergird that statement. But because God is a God of absolute sovereign providence I rejoice, because nothing is outside His plan. In other words, it’s directly connected to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. We are called to this incessant joy. Even when we suffer, Peter says in 1 Peter 4:13, we are to rejoice with joy, compounding the expression to remind us that this is not some minimal joy, this is not some marginal joy, but this is an incessant kind of joy that gathers up all of our being in its expression. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul referred to “rejoice”, “rejoiced” or “rejoicing” ten times. Now it should be obvious that the command to rejoice is not then dependent upon positive circumstances. It’s a joy that comes from God. And this really starts all the way back in the Sermon on the Mount early in the book of Matthew at the beginning of the New Testament. 16 Rejoice always, Illus: Up until this week the pain we had felt was the pain of isolation,… – ‘for although Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away and Thou dost comfort me. We are working through Paul’s letter to the Philippians on Sunday mornings in a series titled ‘Joy No Matter What.’ We are nearing the end of the letter, and would you believe that we would just happen to be at the one place in the letter where Paul talks about “thanksgiving”! (Phil. God’s will Do you want to know God’s will for you? I came to Jesus and, you know, isn’t Jesus the one that always helps you win the championship? The word for rejoice is a Greek verb chairontes in the imperative mood, which means it is a command. So, we might put it his way: To have a state-of-mind that rises above your situation, we need to (1) talk to God and (2) talk to ourselves. We’re not talking about that kind of joy, that’s the world’s joy. Even when he was sorrowing, sorrowing with the sorrows of others, sorrowing over the failure of believers in churches, sorrowing over the disaffection of those he loved, sorrowing over the pain of persecution, sorrowing more often than not over the maltreatment that the gospel preachers received, sorrowing over the dishonor that was literally placed upon Christ, and yet all of those kinds of emotional experiences never touched his joy. You’re going through a trial, you’re cursing God, you’re mad at God. Log In What thoughts occupy your mind? And joy is continually stressed throughout the New Testament, the Gospels. It’s the idea of occupying your mind with God-worthy thoughts and practicing in daily life the Christlike ways that have been modeled for us. The response should be one of joy! In a leadership book by Jon Gordon, he talks about a conversation he had with Dr. James Gills: Dr. James Gills is the only man in the world to have completed six Double Iron triathlons (two triathlons back to back in 36 hours). John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you, that your joy may be made full.” Jesus, saying to the disciples, the apostles, “You’re Mine, and with Me in the relationship that we have, you get My joy, My full joy,” from God through Christ. If you’re not rejoicing, there are maybe some reasons. In fact, when believers met each other they said, “Chairontes.” Sometimes that word is translated in the New Testament as a greeting, “All hail,” for example, when Jesus came out of the grave in His resurrection and said, “All hail,” to the disciples on resurrection morning, it was the word “rejoice, rejoice.”, What a wonderful way to greet one another that would be instead of the ambiguous and sort of pointless, “Hello,” whatever that might mean, or, “How are you?” which has always baffled me, because it just doesn’t say anything. Philippians 4:4–9 ESV 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. “And endurance has a perfect result, it makes you mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” You want to be a strong Christian; you want to be resolute, persistent, enduring, patient, faithful; then you have to suffer. It doesn’t matter to me what happens to the flesh. Now somebody might say, “Well, what about Romans 12:15? I can let life bring what it brings, and move through life knowing that whatever happens God providentially orders it to work together for good to those that love Him and are called according to His purpose, Romans 8. What do you mean by forgetfulness? We’re commanded to this joy, because not to have this joy would be to disdain all the reason You’ve given for it, it would be to diminish Your generosity. Now we move from that, perhaps some particulars that rise out of that. When Jesus comes to the end of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, verse 10, and says, “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Scripture is filled with these confidences. North Trenholm Baptist Church. We experience that as fallen creatures. Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent things; let this be known throughout the earth. What is it that motivates me to do that? You won't want to miss it! REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS Philippians 4:2-9 Intro: All throughout the book of Philippians Paul has been giving exhortations in his efforts to encourage a joyous life. When I have the Spirit of Christ who is in me, when the Spirit has gifted me for Christian ministry; when the Spirit is my comforter and my strengthener, and the one who comes alongside to help and aid me; when the Spirit of God is the guarantor of my eternal redemption, the seal of my salvation, I have no fear that my God will fail, I have no fear that my Christ will fail, I have no fear that the Spirit will fail, and my joy is anchored there. There’s a wonderful testimony to the sufficiency of God toward His people in the brief twelfth chapter of Isaiah. That is understandable to me. What is that? Psalm 103:2, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits.” You know, it’s really good to just remember and remember and remember and remember the history of God’s goodness throughout redemptive history as well as throughout your life, because it helps you draw the well of joy. It is my theology proper, to be technical. The idea somehow that, “Wait a minute. You,” – he says – “gave me peace, so that I can lie down and sleep. Do you know God’s will, and God’s will for you, for us as a family? It is possible. It’s what they want and get that makes them happy; and if they don’t get what they want, they’re not happy. So Paul says: talk to God. The truth of the matter is, they expressed to me with real zeal and passion, “We lived our whole lives under the sovereignty of Satan. It is that Christ connection that makes the difference. But obedience to this command is not accomplished by an act of the will. No matter how you look at the Christian life, you look at all the blessings as they’re poured out to us, divine providence orchestrating everything, you look at answered prayer, you look at the Scripture, you look at Christian fellowship. You know, God has given a common grace, and that is the ability for people to be happy. Paul in Philippians 3 expresses this and it ought to be all of our testimonies, “We are the true circumcision who worship in the Spirit of God, and rejoice in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.”. Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:4 he wanted to come and see Timothy so he could be filled with joy. Shouldn’t I expect that?”, I remember one person who was raised in that theology. But the drawing of that joy is dependent upon the Holy Spirit; that is to say, walking in the Spirit, obeying the Spirit, being filled with the Spirit. Help Grace to You bring important resources like this to people in your community and beyond, free of charge. God is too gracious not to overlook my sin. Skip to comments. But it’s a delusion. This article is also available and sold as a booklet. Let me give you a little bit of a paradigm as to think about this kind of joy we’re talking of. Gills continued, “If I listen to myself, I hear all the reasons why I should give up. Some of our ladies have been studying a book by Ann Voskamp. If there is ever reason to “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, [and] give thanks in all circumstances,” it is this: “The one who calls you is faithful, and will do this.” Whatever happens, we know that we can trust God’s promises, because God has been, and continues to be, faithful. We know that our hearts are clean and our salvation is secure because of Jesus Christ's redeeming sacrifice. The kind of joy we’re talking about is not related to your position in life or your possessions in life. Now that’s not necessarily virtuous. And in the midst of that sort of personal persecution from other believers as well as the hostility and suffering at the hands of the Romans, he mentions joy sixteen times. God is too loving to be unkind to His children. “I have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,” Ephesians 1 says. My life gets hopelessly complicated with just a few contingencies. b. And I’ll just define the world’s joy for you, I mean, you know this. After clicking 'Register', you will receive an email with a link to verify your account and to complete your registration. As I think about why – and I just jotted these things down because they’re personal to me, but I think they’re universal for Christians. It’ll put a lid on the well so you can’t draw the joy. 16 Rejoice always, A. First and foremost is salvation (2Pt3:9). An untested Christian is a Christian subject to doubt. I. Rejoice always. It is a very amazing one. I think what might appear as a lack of emotion or compassion is really a confident joy. 6515 N. Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC US 29206. info@ntbc.org 803.787.2133 Small Groups 9:30am | Worship 10:45am In fact, James emphasizes, James 1:2, “Consider it all joy,” – again, not a marginal joy, not a minimal joy, but a consummate joy – “my brethren, when you encounter various trials, because these trials test your faith, and they therefore produce endurance.” Tested faith is faith that endures. Perhaps we didn’t know all of this before we came, but now we’re aware of it. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. There are many people who are Christians who struggle with joy, because they don’t understand God the way He’s revealed in Scripture. They wanted it so badly, and then they got it, and all that thrill was gone very fast. Impossible to have God’s will done in your life until God is in your life. I’m very emotional. And so, the trials come to give you the joy of knowing your salvation is the real thing. Identify outwardly with normal human emotion.”, But that kind of weeping does not negate joy, as is clear from 2 Corinthians 6:10 where Paul says, “as sorrowful yet always rejoicing.” Paul gives testimony there that he obeyed this command as a way of life. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. For example, Philippians 3:1, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.” Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice,” just in case you didn’t get it the first time. I am motivated to rejoice always as an immediate response to the character of God, to the character of God. The man simply stared into space while his elderly wife tried to make herself as beautiful as she could. These are some of our most-loved words in Scripture. Sometimes you think if you just had this house, or that car, or this piece of furniture or that wardrobe thing, or whatever achievement or that job, or that position, or that degree, or whatever it might be, or that person, it would be the end of all your desires. Everything is mine because of His death, resurrection, ascension, intercession, second coming, and eternal reign. I rejoice as an act of reasonable response to the truth of Scripture. What do I mean by that? Now let me talk about that from a negative standpoint. I hear that I’m too tired, too old, too weak to make it. “In that day you will say, ‘Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name. So in 2 Corinthians 6:10 does he say, “as sorrowful yet always rejoicing.”, The command then is that: “At all times be rejoicing.” The adverb is placed first, as I said, in the original text. That’s where it starts. Rejoicing is not just a suggestion; it is a command, and it is commanded always. I mean, for example, if I believed in this modern openness theology that says that God is not sovereign, God doesn’t know the future, God doesn’t determine the future because He doesn’t know it. When all of these events unfold, you’re going to have an unassailable joy that no one can ever take.” And so the theme of joy was on the heart of Jesus the last night. James 1:2, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” This joy comes from God, mediated by Christ, energized by the Holy Spirit, as we receive the Word in the midst of trials. 2. Nothing can overrule that, nothing can change that, nothing can ever separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, nothing. And then you could even include the promise of future glory, the promise that is yet to be unfolded for us in the glory which is to come; that certainly is cause for joy. If you have an aberrant theology, no wonder you don’t have any joy, if you believe Satan is running your life. I am not ). Secondly, it comes through Jesus Christ. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. To rejoice in the Lord always is not primarily a matter of feeling, but of obedience. But their joy is derived from earthly pleasure; and earthly pleasure is connected to the matrix of desires that are part of man’s nature as fallen. I had planned to speak on a different subject; but when I woke up Saturday morning God gave me this word. But there’s a fourth element in this. And I belong to that God. Secondly, I am motivated to rejoice always in appreciation for the work of Jesus Christ, in appreciation for the work of Jesus Christ. False expectations will steal your joy. INTRODUCTION. And don’t just rejoice, be glad; rejoice over the top, because this is earning for you a reward in heaven which you will enjoy forever and ever. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. Forgetfulness will steal your joy. And in all of it, he says, “In all my sufferings I rejoice.” He obeyed this command. There may have been momentary joy in the past, you know, like the seed that went into the rocky soil, and it was received with joy and sprung up for a while; and as soon as trouble came – remember? Sermon – Rejoice in the Lord. This is one of those verses that are very rare in the Bible, containing only two words: “Rejoice always.” Unambiguous, clear, not in need of much interpretation, if any; but opening up for us a great area, a wide range of Christian responsibility. It sure would be nice with a vacation right now, but if it doesn’t work out, that inner joy that I have isn’t dampened. That to me is mind-boggling. You don’t need to be ashamed of these feelings. Dare to Imagine Church located at 6610 Anderson Street, Philadelphia. So there are plenty of motivations, aren’t there? I’m going to make the sea part. It’s the joy that comes out of that eternal, unchanging, unalterable, rich relationship with God, through the Lord Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, as we receive the Scripture in the midst of trials. It is to be exceeding. Father, we are aware again of Your word speaking so penetratingly to our hearts. Psalm 2, it is to be full of awe, because you’re so overwhelmed with what God is providing for you. Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.’” You have a God who is your Savior, and He has provided for you in the well of salvation everything you ever need to draw on; blessed with all spiritual blessings. We’re talking about a joy that is impossible to a non-believer. Here’s the statement: There is no event or circumstance that can occur in the life of any Christian that should diminish that Christian’s joy. We lack nothing in the spiritual realm, What generosity, what magnanimity, what lavish goodness is poured out on us. God overrules all circumstances. Let me close with just some hindrances. Being connected to Christ makes all the difference in the world. I’m not talking about that. But I find in the Word cause for joy – incessant, unending joy. It is the commitment of the triune God to us in promises that govern the past, the present, and the future. Bad things, evil things, terrible things happen all around us. In the fourteenth chapter of that passage, Jesus says, “You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you. Let me say that again: there is no event or circumstance that can occur in the life of any Christian that should diminish that Christian’s joy. If you don’t see it, start at that point questioning whether that person’s really saved. I don’t mind being around unconverted people, but I prefer you. 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