The Study 26: Philippians (2)

Continuing In Joy

Welcome back to THE STUDY…. the goal has been to crack open THE BIBLE and study it TOGETHER.

John 8:32

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

we have a responsibility to study and know the TRUTH, so we can both live in freedom and share that freedom!

The freedom you experience is directly related to the TRUTH you accept

Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

**As we STUDY the Bible, the BIBLE reveals and refines us**

the goal is TO GROW…..

For this years “THE STUDY” we have been studying the book of Philippians…. Pauls letter of JOY written from prison.

Joy in Suffering, Joy through Serving, Joy through believing….

Joy isn’t something we simply experience, it’s something we learn to continue in.

Continuing in Joy:

1.) Continue through Gentleness

Philippians 4:4–5

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.”

Paul from PRISON connects our JOY to how we treat people….

This word GENTLENESS is from the Greek word epieikes

Gentle/gracious/reasonable/forbearing….Yielding rather than demanding rights

IT DOES NOT MEAN WEAK…

I posses the strength to demand my way, but I posses the grace not to

Tie that back to something Paul already said…

Philippians 2:3–5

“3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:”

Here is the reality…. We misunderstand what gentleness actually looks like.

Gentleness is not the absence of strength, it is strength submitted to the Spirit of God

Then Paul gives us the REASON

THE LORD IS NEAR

Listen… Paul didn’t say be gentle because people deserve it… he didn’t say be gentle because you are a good person…

Their behavior doesn’t determine my response…. HIS PRESENCE DOES.

Galatians 5:22–23

“22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Gentleness isn’t produced by better circumstances

Gentleness is produced by greater awareness of His Presence

Here is the tension… you will either treat people out of your pain or out of the Presence of God…. Only one will allow you to continue in JOY

Pain says… give them what they deserve

Presence says…. Give them what Jesus gave you

When we know the Lord is near, we don’t have to win every fight, prove every point, and stay in every argument.

2.) Guarded Through prayer

Guard your JOY with PRAYER

Philippians 4:6–7

“6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Paul moves immediately from relationship to anxiety

Because what happens around us eventually gets inside us!

Paul doesn’t simply tell us to stop worrying, he tells us how to deal with worry

PRAY

Prayer is the exchange where I give God what I cannot carry and receive what I cannot create

The exchange is how you guard your joy

Anxiety - Prayer

Request - Thanksgiving

Worry - Peace

And then look at what it does

Philippians 4:7

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

This is a DISCIPLINE that guard our joy in seasons of suffering….. this is PAUL writing from PRISON…. He says PRAY

Prayer doesn’t always remove what’s happening around me, but it always guards what’s happening within me

You will never be able to continue in JOY while allowing anxiety to have unrestricted access to your heart

3.) Directed Through Thoughts

Philippians 4:8

“8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Paul doesn’t say simply think about whatever comes into your mind…. He doesn’t say listen to every thought…

He gives them criteria

True, Noble, Right, Pure, Lovely, Admirable, Excellent, praiseworthy

Here is what Paul was telling them on a fundamental level

you cannot always control what enters your mind, but you can determine what gets to stay

Thats why Romans tells us

Romans 12:2

“2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Transformation doesn’t begin with changing of your circumstances…. It begins with renewing your mind….

Your thoughts become the direction your emotions will eventually travel….

you cannot continually feed your mind fear, offense, comparison, and negativity and expect for your heart to continually produce JOY

If you want to continue in JOY you must direct your thoughts

Joy doesn’t require me to deny reality

Joy requires me to decide what gets my attention

Isaiah 26:3

“3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

Where you fix your thoughts will eventually shape where you place your trust

4.) Protected through contentment

Philippians 4:11–12

“11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Pauls contentment wasn’t his personality

Pauls contentment was his practice….

Paul knew what it was to have and not have… both can make you living in the “I NEED MORE” mentality

Contentment protects your JOY…. Entitlement, comparisons and greed… kill your joy

It’s funny this leads to one of the most quoted verses in the bible

Philippians 4:13

“13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

It’s not about achievement…. It’s about contentment

Contentment isn’t believing I have everything I want. Contentment is knowing I have everything I need in Christ.

Generosity cultivates contentment which protects our JOY

Paul goes on for the next few verses celebrating the church’s generosity….

Generosity breaks the cycle of more… Generosity cultivates trust

Generosity says My source isn’t what’s in my hand… my source is my GOD

Philippians 4:19

“19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

Contentment - Generosity - Trust- Provision

That is the cycle that protects our JOY

I say it again… REJOICE in the LORD

SALVATION CHARGE: