1. Scripture, Philippians 1:12-18

Ø Paul was not concerned about his situation with its lack of pleasures, prospects, respect and freedom. Why not?

Ø Because 1) he knew God overrules circumstances & 2) because he knew t/joy of exchanging his desires for God’s.

2. Joy Knowing God Overrules Circumstances

Ø When we see our circumstances as God-given rejoice at what God is going to do instead of complaining about what He didn’t & we look for opportunities from God.

A. Imprisoned

Ø This 2 yr. imprisonment was preceded by 2 yrs. in Palestine & a sea voyage which ended in shipwreck.

Ø At the height of his ministry God seems to allow the wheels to come off, but look what really happened.

Ø Believers who were content to leave it to Paul while he was there preach for him in his absence, like you all did for me the day my back went out.

Ø Maybe before Paul’s incarceration, they feared the consequences of preaching but seeing him winning the Praetorian guard and Caesar’s household during it would be emboldening.

Ø Maybe seeing Paul rejoicing despite such circumstances inspired them to think “I want me some of that!”

Ø Either way, Paul was happy t/gospel was being preached.

Ø It’s not like this is something God only did “back then.”

· John Bunyan’s 17th century preaching was very popular and powerful, angering the Anglicans.

· Jailed to silence, he would preach from jail & 100’s from the area would stand outside to hear him.

· So he was put in solitary, yet there he wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress that has ministered to millions. For several centuries it was the most widely read book in the world after the Bible.

B. Opposed

Ø Those who opposed him appear to have been envious of his success & leadership. The saw this as a chance to surpass him in some way. (competitive pastors?)

Ø They sought to stir up trouble. I think they thought that any thing that advanced their influence would bother Paul. Why would they think this? Because it would bother them if the roles were reversed.

Ø What they must have whispered about why God did not deliver him and why he took him out of the batting order! Bad doctrine, too little faith, too old school, etc.

Ø They were still preaching the true gospel or Paul wouldn’t have been able to rejoice that Christ was being preached.

Ø But Paul’s did rejoice over seeing fruit in their ministry since it meant more came to Christ. There was so little “self” in Paul’s service. And who’s remembered today?

Ø If we labor obediently, but for whatever reason most of the growth goes to some other congregation, or some other cell group, will we feel more joy that Christ’s kingdom advanced or more sadness that ours did not? What if the beneficiaries were openly critical of us? Ouch!!

C. Chained

Ø Paul was chained to a guard 24/7, the guards rotating every 6 hrs. for 2 yrs. He had no privacy; none when he ate, slept, prayed, wrote, went to…, well you get the idea.

Ø Think how hard it would’ve been for him to have such good evangelistic access to the elite Praetorian Guard any other way!

Ø The soldiers hear those who came and went for audiences and teaching times with Paul, as Acts describes. What must they have thought sitting under that anointed teaching? What did they talk about in the dark, chained together, after everyone else was gone?

Ø To decide Paul’s case the Roman court would have to study Christian doctrine to see if it was a new religion or a Jewish sect, and to see if it was dangerous. How else could he have reached Roman leadership?

Ø All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household. (Php 4:22)

D. Rejoice, God overrules circumstances

Ø Paul could say to his persecutors what Joseph said to his brothers after they sold him into slavery: “It was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.… As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 45:8; 50:20). -MacArthur, J.

Ø We can learn to say the same.

3. Joy in Exchanged Desires

Ø Was Paul just willing to be unhappy? Did he mope from task to task as long as Christ was preached? Did he whine on the inside “don’t worry about poor ole Pauly.”

Ø He re-joy-ced. He reveled in it. He delighted in it. He was full of the fruit of the Spirit, including those first three, love, joy and peace.

Ø Walking in the Spirit should regularly yield joy. Loss of joy likely indicates loss of fellowship through sin.

Ø Don’t start looking behind every glum face for a tawdry affair or secret vice. It may not be gross sin at all. It may just be thanklessness, or dissatisfaction, or some other negative attitude.

Ø Circumstances, though, make it easy to get negative, don’t they? “A change for the worse in health, job, finances, personal relationships, or other important areas of life can easily cause believers to question the Lord…” -MacArthur, J.

Ø How do we respond when we don’t get what we want? How does one change what they want?

Ø Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

Ø Our desire and expectation should not be to succeed in the eyes of others or to avoid the suffering of carrying the cross. It should be to be content and rejoice in knowing and serving Jesus.

Ø It is the practice of the abounding, knowing and discerning love for the Lord we talked about last week.

Ø True love is to die for, right?

What Do I Really Delight and Revel In