Finding Your Joy

Philippians 4:4

Billboard Fails

Billboards are to be a quick read and a quick look at a picture that tells the story of the product or service (or the message) to as large a number of people who pass by that billboard

When message is good, but maybe putting it on a billboard isn’t the best strategy

When our product or service may be good, but your attention to details is missing

When our product or service has been in place, but our message needs to continue to be reviewed —$15 for an Uneatable Feast might not be the bargain they had hoped it would be

Bus stop ads—maybe be sure they are placed in places where they may not be misunderstood —I’m not seeing exactly where the fun is happening here

As we follow Jesus Christ, Paul calls us “Ambassadors” for Christ

We represent Jesus Christ here in this world

Our lives serve as a sort of billboard to a watching world

Sometimes we only have but a short moment to convey our message

Most compelling message read in our lives

Is our Joy in Jesus Christ

Before you came to Christ, you may have known a Christ follower

What made them stand out?

More often than not, it is the joy you can see in their lives

Reason it is a primary target of Satan

To rob you of your joy

Fewer things turn people away from Jesus

Than joy-less people who belong to Jesus

We will examine the area of joy in our lives

What it is

What it is not

Things you can do to protect that joy in the Lord

Things you can do to regain your joy in the Lord

Things you can do to experience that joy for the first time

Philippians 4:4–9

(ESV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Rejoice

“In the Lord”

In spite of circumstances

Source of Joy: Jesus Christ

His nature

His purpose

His ways

“Always”

In spite of circumstances

Because my source of joy is in Jesus

I am now confident

That He is in control

That He is good

That He loves me

That He is going to do what is best for me

1. Pray

Satan is out to rob you of this joy

If he can get your mind and your heart from delighting in Jesus, he can begin to neutralize you

He will take the occasion of “life storms” to try to make this happen

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

A. Anxious

1. Prayer

Worship-based prayer

“You are worthy” because…

Gets your focus on who the Lord is

2. Supplication

“I am needy” because…

Declaration of Dependence

3. Thanksgiving

“Thank You for doing…”

from Scripture

from own life experience

Reminds you of those tastes of God’s goodness from the past

Beef torpedoes on July 4

4. Requests

Please _______ “so that” ________

Greater specificity breeds greater authenticity

B. Peace of God

Surpasses all understanding

“will guard as a sentinel”

your hearts and minds

through Christ Jesus

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier—Arlington

1921

1926—began placing guard from sunrise to sunset

1937—24/7 guard

3rd US Infantry Regiment

“The Old Guard”

2. Think

Philippians 4:8 ESV

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Whatever is…

True

Honorable

Majestic, dignified (reverence)

Just

δικαίος

“righteous”

“just”

Pure

Thoughts, words, deeds

Lovely

Things that promote peace as opposed to conflict

Commendable

“fair speaking”

“good report”

Excellent

“virtue”

“excellence of character”

Worthy of Praise

“moral value”

something that is obviously a virtue by any account

Think

λογίζομαι

Consider

Count

Calculate

Think deeply

3. Practice

Philippians 4:9 ESV

9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

You have…in me

Learned

Received

Heard

Seen

Practice

πράσσω

“to do regularly as a matter of practice”

Dave Pelz

“Practices does not make perfect”

“Practice makes permanent”

“Perfect” practice makes perfect

Practice

The right things

The right way

Result

God of peace will be with you

and you will be aware of His presence

Now What?

Remember what Joy is Not

It is not:

Pretending that things are not hard

Having no struggles

Some sort of reward for good deeds done

It IS:

Confidence in Jesus Christ

That Jesus is

In control

Good

Loves me

He is doing what is best for me

You can regain your joy by

Praying through your worries

Thinking on the ways that Jesus is good

Practicing the good steps you have learned from others who are following Jesus

You can experience joy right here right now

Believing in Jesus Christ for everlasting life

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Communion/Lord’s Supper

Bread

Mark 14:22 (NKJV)

22 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Cup

Mark 14:23–25 NKJV

23 Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. 25 Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”