I'M keeping my joy!

SCRIPTURE

The Floating Ax Head

2 KINGS 6:1 One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small.

2 Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.”

“All right,” he told them, “go ahead.”

3 “Please come with us,” someone suggested.

“I will,” he said.

4 So he went with them.

When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees.

5 But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”

6 “Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface.

7 “Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it.

2817 Longest Smile

A 12-year-old girl in Winnipeg, Canada, held a smile on her face for 10 hours five minutes, establishing a new world record.

Lisa Lester’s exploit won the smiling marathon of the Manitoba Province Dental Association.

The longest smile recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records was seven hours 32 minutes.

Lisa also broke an unofficial record smile of eight hours 20 minutes accomplished in Toronto, Canada.

Introduction/ backgroung

2ND KINGS PICKS UP WHERE 1ST KINGS LEAVES OFF.

IT OPENS WITH A RECORD OF ISRAELS CONTINUED DOWNWARD SPIRAL INTO SIN.

IT RECORDS THE PROPHET ELIJAH’S LAST ACTS AND HIM PASSING THE PROPHETIC MANTEL TO HIS SUCCESSOR ELISHA.

THE GOAL OF 1ST & 2ND KINGS IS TO GIVE A RECORD OF THE KINGS THAT REIGNED DURING THE DIVIDED KINGDOM.

UNFORTUNATELY 85% OF THOSE KINGS LED THE NATION INTO SPIRITUAL DEPRAVITY AND DECLINE

AS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, THEY TOOK THE WRONG PATH AND LED THE NATION WITH THEM

AS A RESULT THIS PROMPTS GOD’S WRATH, JUDGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE

BUT IN THE OPENING CHAPTERS GOD REVEALS HIS LOYAL LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS AND WILLINGNESS TO AID AND HELP THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL TO HIM

AND HERE IN CHAPTER 6, WE GET A GLIMPS OF THAT IN THE LIFE OF SOME MINISTERS IN TRAINING SERVING UNDER ELISHA

Points

(vs. 1 ) concern “ don’t get too comfortable “ cramped space

(vs. 2 ) contribution the sons of the prophet Elisha commit to contribute to the work

(vs. 3 ) company “ they invite the presense of GOD through the prophet Elisha”

( vs.5 ) cry “ lost axehead” exodus 22:14

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE UNEXPECTED OCCURS? HE WAS INITIALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE BUILDING PROJECT, BUT THEN THIS HAPPENS

David looses his joy because of sin PSALM 51:12

Psalm 51:12 LEB

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and with a willing spirit sustain me.

THIS MAN LOOSES HIS JOY IS SERVICE OF THE LORD

Joy

Joy is the sense or state of gladness or elation that people experience through their relationship with God and through good things in their lives.

joy is more of a state of being than an emotion; it’s a result of choice not chance. One of the fruits of the spirit (Gal 5:22–23). Having joy is directly correlated with our experience of being a Christian

A FEW TRUTHS ABOUT JOY

knowing whose on your side - Romans 8:31

Romans 8:31 LEB

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

2. Joy is not predicated on circumstance but it’s cultivated in my daily walk and service to GOD

Paul & Silas Acts 16:15-26

Acts 16:15–26 LEB

And after she was baptized, and her household, she urged us, saying, “If you consider me to be a believer in the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us. And it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain female slave who had a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing a large profit to her owners by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us and was crying out, saying, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation!” And she was doing this for many days. But Paul, becoming greatly annoyed and turning around, said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!” And it came out immediately. But when her owners saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. And when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men are throwing our city into confusion, being Jews, and are proclaiming customs that are not permitted for us to accept or to practice, because we are Romans!” And the crowd joined in attacking them, and the chief magistrates tore off their clothing and gave orders to beat them with rods. And after they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them into prison, giving orders to the jailer to guard them securely. Having received such an order, he put them in the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Now about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened and all the bonds were unfastened.

3. Everything doesn’t have to be right for me to have and experience joy

Romans 8:28 LEB

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose,

4. Joy helps me turn disappointments into discovery

2 Timothy 4:16–18 LEB

At my first defense, no one came to my aid, but they all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord helped me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fulfilled and all the Gentiles might hear, and he rescued me from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will save me for his heavenly kingdom, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

5. As believers we find joy in GODS presence

Psalm 16:11 LEB

You will make known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forever.

Luke 1:41 LEB

And it happened that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby in her womb leaped and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

WHEN PREGNANT MARY CAME INTO THE PRESENSE OF PREGNANT ELIZABETH, JOHN THE BAPTIST WHO WAS IN HER WOMB LEAPED FOR JOY

BECAUSE YOU CAN’T BE IN HIS PRESENCE AND STAY DOWNCAST. PSALM 30:5

Psalm 30:5 LEB

For there is a moment in his anger; there is a lifetime in his favor. Weeping lodges for the evening, but in the morning comes rejoicing.

6. THERE IS JOY IN THE WILL OF GOD

Hebrews 12:1–2 LEB

Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, putting aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, let us run with patient endurance the race that has been set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the originator and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1. JOY IS A BYPRODUCT OF SALVATION

2 Corinthians 1:21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us

2. SIN ROB’S , DISRUPTS, & INTERFERE’S WITH OUR JOY

John 10:10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

3. SANCTIFICATION HEPS ME MAINTAIN MY JOY

1TIMOTHY 4:7 Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”