Joy inspite of circumstance Phil 4_11_13

Title: Joy in spite of circumstances

Text: Phil. 4:11-13

Intro:

Orientate:

Joy -18 times in

CPS: Our Joy is not dependent on our circumstances but on our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Contentment is a learned process. Vs. 11-12

Paul is quick to let his friends know that he is not complaining! His happiness does not depend on circumstances or things; his joy comes from something deeper, something apart from either poverty or prosperity.

The Process

Contentment – (Adj) Sufficient/ having enough: state of inner joy and satisfaction regardless of external circumstances.

Learned - (verb) To initiate into the mysteries "to learn the secret.

Revelation through experience

The Experience (Every Situation)

With a lot (Abound)

Money

Tarsus was a trade center

Roman armies bought tents

product in Tarsus was a fine wool cloth called cilicium. It was the cloth of choice for the luxurious tents of wealthy nomadic leaders

Roman Citizen

Respect (Pharisee)

Education

Instruction Gamaliel

Languages Hebrew (died in Babylon), Aramaic, Latin, and Greek)

True scholar of the Torah and Judaism

“But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” Php 3:7.

Hardships

5 x 39 lashes

3 x beaten with rods

Stoned in Lystria

Dangers from Jews and Gentiles

Sleepless nights

With a little (Abased)

Money

Food

Hungry and thirsty (2 Cor. 12:27)

Health

Thorn in the flesh (Blind)

In Prison

Freedom

Awaited execution (would be released)

The Providence

Providence of God

The working of God in advance to arrange circumstances and situations for the fulfilling of His purposes.

Romans 8:28

ILL. What if you knew the outcome of each day… How would you live your life?

Paul’s purpose (1:21)

Application: Paul didn’t allow his circumstance rather good or bad to dictate his joy and peace. Rather through trial and testing, Paul was “initiated” into the wonderful secret of contentment in spite of poverty or prosperity.

Let’s allow our circumstances to initiate us into the wonderful secret of contentment!

Contentment is found in Christ Jesus Vs. 13

“I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power and find joy in it!”

Man’s insufficiency

Man is a fallen creation

We are self-sufficient

Therefore, we confuse pleasure with Joy and pleasure is directly based on circumstances.

Greedy (always want something else)

Christ sufficiency

If you are in God’s will He provides for all your needs and regardless of the circumstance you can find joy indescribable!

He was in the will of God. (divine appointment)

Paul had learned that the Lord’s commands are the Lord’s enablements

God’s grace was sufficient for Paul

Needs

Physical

Provisions

Presence

Spiritual

Salvation (Mans greatest need) (Put at peace with God)

Joy

Rejoice in the Lord

Paul had peace in God because He was at peace with God… This was his source of Joy!

ILL. Hudson Taylor learned a great lesson in life. Hudson Taylor worked hard and felt that he was trusting Christ to meet his needs, but somehow he had no joy or liberty in his ministry. Then a letter from a friend opened his eyes to the adequacy of Christ.

“It is not by trusting my own faithfulness, but by looking away to the Faithful One!”

He said, this was a turning point in his life. Moment by moment, he drew on the power of Christ for every responsibility of the day, and Christ’s power carried him through.

Application: Is your Joy based on your circumstances or are you able to say “I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency”