Joy in All Circumstances

Introduction

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/19/world/europe/chik-fil-a-uk-lgbtg.html - Imagine experiencing the joy of a chicken sandwich and then it’s taken away.

You ever feel like you’ve been robbed of joy? Some of you feel that way right now…

Think of your worst days and listen to this verse. : “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, rejoice.” You say, “Impossible!” Your life is in a million pieces. How can you rejoice always?

Paul wrote those words in a Roman prison to the church that he established in . Paul’s experience in Philippi was challenging! Full of struggles! Even found himself in prison! But, just like he had joy in a Roman prison when he wrote to Philippi, while he was in Philippi in a Philippian jail, he had joy.

Real simple: If you have Jesus, you can have joy. It’s not elusive.

Acts 16 - a great example of what it looks like to have joy in all circumstances. Three reasons why you can have joy in all circumstance.

- a great example of what it looks like to have joy in all circumstances. Three reasons why you can have joy in all circumstance.

You can have joy because you know God is leading you.

Second missionary journey - Paul left Antioch with heartache. Wanted to go back and encourage the believers in the cities where they planted churches. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark along, Paul didn’t. Mark had abandoned them earlier. Barnabas wanted to give him a second chance, Paul didn’t. Paul and Barnabas split and went separate directions.

Paul takes Silas, goes a different direction, meets Timothy along the way, and begins the journey. Along the way, they spread the news about what happened at the Jerusalem council. ()

But, the journey soon becomes frustrating. Doors of ministry weren’t opening. For several years, doors were wide open. But, the Spirit was closing doors. Paul forbidden to go to Asia (6). Then forbidden to go to Bithnyia.

The journey soon becomes frustrating. Doors of ministry weren’t opening. For several years, doors were wide open. But now, the Spirit was closing doors. Paul forbidden to go to Asia (6). Then forbidden to go to Bithnyia.

Paul wandering. Imagine the frustration of closed doors. The Spirit of God preventing Paul from going where Paul thought he needed to go.

Eventually, Troas, where Paul had a vision: a man from Macedonia, “Come to Macedonia. Help us!”

God had different plans than Paul, and a door of ministry to Macedonia is opened - the Gospel mission is expanded.

Paul is doing Gospel ministry, but doors are closing.

You ever feel like you’re giving your best to the Lord and doors are closing instead of opening? Why is that?

Preparing you. Why did the Spirit block Paul? Maybe a reminder to Paul that this was God’s work; not Paul’s work. You need the reminder that God is in control. When doors closed, Paul didn’t give up. He keeps going. He keeps waiting on God to open the door. Learning to trust. Learning to be patient. Learning to be sensitive to the Spirit. Perhaps God is closing some doors in your life as well because he is preparing you for different opportunities. Take joy!

Preparing opportunities. In God’s time, He opened the door to Macedonia. God didn’t want Paul in Asia. He didn’t want Paul in Bithynia. He wanted Paul in Macedonia. “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” () A source of joy! God puts you exactly where He wants you for His purpose and His glory!

9  The heart of man plans his way,

As you follow the Lord by faith and serve Him diligently, you can trust that He is going to place you exactly where He wants you for His glory.

Kevin Gore calling me old - he doesn’t realize I hold his grades in his hands. God holds your life in His hands - and He knows what He is doing.

You can have joy because you know God is with you.

but the Lord establishes his steps.

Paul and his traveling companions find themselves in Philippi - a Roman colony.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

On the Sabbath, outside the city gates, ladies gathered to pray. (Need 10 Jewish men for a synagogue) Like Cornelius (), Gentile women who knew about and even worshipped the God of the Jews. But, unaware of God’s Son, Jesus. One lady, Lydia, a wealthy businesswoman, open to the Gospel. She trusts in Christ and invites Paul and his companions to lodge with her. Victory in Philippi!

As they went to the same place of prayer, came across someone who was the exact opposite of Lydia. A slave girl possessed by a demon who gave the girl the ability to tell the future.

Girl begins to follow Paul, “These men are servants of the Most High God!” Demon-possessed girl speaking the truth, but you don’t want a demon advertising for you! Follows Paul for days. Paul cast the demon out. The girl is set free!

Everyone should be amazed and excited, but not the case. Her owner saw his profit cast away.

Philippi is no longer a fun place for Paul to be. He and his companions are beaten with rods. Many blows. Dragged to prison. Jailer given specific orders to not let them go. Put in inner prison and fastened feet to stocks. Lowest part of prison - no drainage system - imagine where all the waste ended up. Stocks - suspended from the ceiling - prisoners would lay on their backs with feet hanging from ceiling.

Paul and Silas faithfully served the Lord and the reward was imprisonment. You ever feel like you’re doing the best you can and your reward is hardship? This is the time to shake their fists at God. This is the time to say, “If we ever get out of here, we’re going home, and we’re done with this missionary stuff.”

Instead, about midnight, as prisoners are trying to sleep, from the deepest and darkest part of the prison, a faint sound - the sound of two bloodied and beaten men singing - as the minutes pass by, the singing grows louder and louder - the prisoners listen in amazement. In the worst place imaginable, a worship service is taking place because two men recognize in their darkest moments that God is in control. They may have been imprisoned, but they were just as free in that prison cell as they were outside of the prison cell because of who they knew.

Suddenly, an earthquake - all the prisoners’ chains are loosed - this is the chance for everyone to leave - but no one moves! A very clear message to all: God was with Paul and Silas.

Why joy? Because you know that there is a never a moment in your life that God is not with you. No one from Antioch knew where Paul and Silas were, but God did. God knows where you are as well. He lives in you. () He will never leave you nor forsake you. () The God who is with you is for you - ()

If God is with you:

Don’t ignore Him! Lack of joy because you’ve forgotten that God is with you. Easy to sing praise when life is good, but what about when life is not good? God is not any less present in your hardships. Prison experiences demonstrate what your faith is really made of. At midnight, hold on to what you know to be true.

Don’t shrink back in fear. Scared to live by faith. Scared to obey. What might it cost? What relationships might I damage if I shared my faith? Really, what’s the worst that can happen if you live for Jesus? (From another prison, Paul wrote, “To live is Christ, to die is gain. () Is Jesus worth your obedience to Him?

Don’t be discouraged. You feel discouraged, but you have every reason to be joyful. Instead of complaining, throwing pity parties, etc. keep praising. Keep singing. Keep fighting for joy because you know God is with you and for you.

You can have joy because you know God is using you.

Why sing in a prison? Prison not a setback. Instead, a door of opportunity. You may think your circumstances are a setback, but what if you saw them as God-ordained opportunities? Paul and Silas know that God established their steps. And, Paul knew that God uses the suffering of His people to accomplish His purpose. ()

Chains loosen, doors open, everyone stays. How do you get criminals to stay? Amazed at Paul and Silas’ joy! What kind of impact does your joy have on the lives of others?

Jailer runs in - he knows that he is going to be held responsible. He is ready to kill himself because he assumes that his superiors will kill him. Paul, “We’re all here..” Jailer, “What must I do to be saved.” Undoubtedly, when Paul and Silas brought into the jail, they were speaking of Jesus, then they had been singing to Jesus. Jailer believed there was something to this Jesus they worshipped. Paul, “Believe...” He and his whole family believed and were baptized.

Miracle of deliverance - not primarily to deliver Paul and Silas but the Philippian jailer. God had established the steps of Paul and Silas. He had appointed their suffering for the salvation of the Philippian jailer. God placed them in chains so that the chains of sin and death would be loosened from the Philippian jailer and his family.

You’re suffering may be the very thing God uses to bring someone else to Jesus. God can use your cancer. He can use your financial woes. He can use your job loss. He can use that thing that is causing you the most pain to relieve the spiritual pain of someone else if you walk with joy knowing that God leads you, God is with you, and He uses you.

When you suffer,

Don’t ask, “God, what have I done wrong?” Or, “What did I do to deserve this?”

Ask, “Whose life are you trying to use me in?” Or, how can the way you endure your pain open up a door for a Gospel conversation when someone asks, “How can you have so much joy and peace when your life seems to be falling apart?”

Will you choose self-pity? Or, will you choose missional purpose?

We pray, “God use me.” A dangerous prayer because God might put you in a place of hardship to use you to reach someone else. He might strip away your comforts for His glory. But, a prayer of joy, because you KNOW God is using you even in the hard seasons.

A story to remind us to walk in joy no matter our circumstances because God is leading us, God is with us, and God is using us as we keep our eyes on Him.

An invitation to joy: three very different people whose lives are changed by the joy of Jesus: Lydia, A slave-girl, and a Philippians jailer. What about you? Have you experienced the joy of Jesus that Paul proclaimed?

End of story interesting: before magistrates, Paul tells them he’s a Roman citizen. Paul could have played that card before he was beaten and thrown into prison! They had beaten Paul and thrown him into prison without a trial! They had bypassed proper procedure! Magistrates quickly apologize.

Why didn’t Paul play the Roman citizen card before he was beaten? Maybe he tried and no one paid attention. Or, maybe Paul had simply followed in the footsteps of His Savior - willing to be put in chains so someone else’s chains could be loosened.

That’s what Jesus did for you. Jesus lived a perfect life and then received an unjust trial. He was imprisoned and then led to a cross where He died - for you. On the cross, He took your chains. He took the punishment for your sin, so you could be set free - so all your sins could be forgiven and so you could be given the gift of new life. This morning, turn to the One who can give you true joy by loosing the chains of sin and giving you victory and hope.