Sermon Tone Analysis

LIFE ABOVE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES

INTRODUCTION

LIFE HAS MANY TWIST AND TURNS, BUT OUR PURPOSE IN CHRIST SHOULD HAVE US LIVE ABOVE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

THE ONES WHO PROCESS THIS QUALITY OF LIFE KNOWS THAT WHATEVER HAPPEN TO THEM SHOULD NEVER SUPERCEDES THE PURPOSE GOD HAS FOR THEM.

PAUL MESSAGE TO THE SAINTS IN PHILIPPI WAS YOUR LIFE CAN EXPERIENCE SETBACKS , BUT THE GOSPEL CHRIST JESUS WILL MOVE FROWARD.

PAUL SAID THEIR ARE 3 THINGS THAT WILL HELP US LIVE ABOVE OUR CIRCUMSTANCE.

1. WE CAN HAVE JOY IN CIRCUMSTANCES.

2. WE CAN HAVE JOY IN SPITE OF CRITICISM.

3. WE CAN HAVE JOY IN THE FACE OF UNCERTIANTY.

A. WE CAN HAVE JOY IN CIRCUMSTANCE.

PHILIPPIANS 1:12-14 “But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

CIRCUMSTANCES IS A FACT OR EVENT THAT MAKES A SITUATION THE WAY IT IS.

THE ONE THING THAT PAUL DID NOT DO WAS FOCUS ON HIS CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT HIS MAIN FOCUS WAS FULFILLING THE PURPOSE GOD HAD FOR HIS LIFE.

PAUL LOOKED AT CIRCUMSTANCES AS A OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCEMENT.

HOW MANY OF US CAN LOOK AT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE MAY FACE AS A PLACE OF ADVANCEMENT.

THE REASON WE DON’T LOOK AT IT THAT WAY IS BECAUSE WE FOCUS MORE ON OUR CIRCUMSTANCES THAN THE PLAN THAT GOD HAS FOR OUR LIVES.

SOMETIMES GOD’S PLANS TAKES US IN SOME UNCOMFORTABLE PLACES.

AND IF WE DID NOT GO THROUGH IT, WE WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN WHAT WAS OUR PURPOSE IN LIFE.

SOME OF US ARE STILL TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT OUR PURPOSE IS.

CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD NEVER HAVE YOU TO THE POINT THAT YOU FORGET WHAT YOUR PURPOSE IS TO GOD.

THAT IS TO SERVE HIM.

THIS IS NOT A OPTION FOR A BELIEVER, BUT A MANDATE.

PAUL USED HIS TIME IN JAIL AS A WAY TO ADVANCE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

PAUL KNEW THAT HE WAS A BOND SLAVE TO JESUS FIRST.

BUT PAUL DID NOT ALLOW HIMSELF TO BE A SLAVE TO HIS CIRCUMSTANCES.

TO BE A SLAVE TO SOMETHING IS TO BE INFLUENCED OR CONTROLLED TOO MUCH BY SOMETHING.

WHEN YOUR LIFE IS CONTROLLED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OTHER’S WANT WHAT THEY SEE.

BUT IF YOUR LIFE IS CONTROLLED BY SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF GOD YOU CANNOT HELP BUT MAKE UNRIGHTEOUS CHOICE.

PAUL LOOKED AT IT AS A OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE HIS WITNESS STRONGER.

WHEN YOU LIVE FOR GOD AND NOT OTHERS YOUR LIGHT IN YOU SHINE BRIGHTER.

ROMANS 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

B. WE CAN HAVE JOY IN SPITE OF CRITICISM.

PHILIPPIANS I:16 “the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:” “but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.”

THE GREEK WORD FOR CRITICISM IS TO JUDGE OR DISCERN.

PAUL LOOKED AT SOME PREACHER’S WHO GRACE THE PULPIT, DO IT FOR THEIR OWN SELFISH MOTIVES.

PAUL SAID THEY WAS MORE CONCERN OF ADVANCING THEMSELVES, INSTEAD OF ADVANCING THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

PEOPLE LIKE THIS MAKE THEMSELVES LOOK GOOD FOR THE SAKE OF OTHER’S.

PAUL LEARN HOW NOT TO ALLOW WHAT OTHER’S FEEL ABOUT HIM TO DISTRACT HIM FROM HIS MAIN PURPOSE AND THAT IS TO DO THE WILL OF GOD.

PAUL SAID AS LONG AS THEY PREACH CHRIST IT BRING JOY TO HIS HEART.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO STOP MAJORING ON THE MINOR AND LOOK AT THE WHOLE.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT BASED ON AN INDIVIDUAL , BUT ON A BODY.

LUKE 9:50 “And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

C. WE CAN HAVE JOY IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY.

WHEN YOU ARE IN UNCERTAINTY , WHAT MAKES YOU HAVE JOY IN IT, IS YOUR ABILITY TO ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO LEAD YOU TO A PLACE OF DELIVERANCE.

PAUL WAS NOT WORRIED ABOUT BEING IN PRISON, BECAUSE IT WAS A PLACE FAMILIAR TO HIM.

PAUL KNEW HOW TO PRAY HIS WAY OUT OF A SITUATION.

WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF IN UNCERTAINTY, PRAY YOUR WAY THROUGH IT AND GOD WILL REVEAL IT TO YOU FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING YOU UNDERSTANDING OF IT.

ACTS 16:25-31 “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard 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 every one’s bands were loosed.

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, and brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

PRAYER NOT ONLY HAVE AFFECT ON YOUR LIFE, BUT HAVE AFFECT ON OTHER’S LIVES.

WHEN YOU HAVE LIFE ABOVE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU ARE ABLE TO FREE OTHERS.

SO MY QUESTION WHO HAVE YOU FREED OR WHO ARE YOU HOLDING IN BONDAGE.