Dealing with Joy Killers

Living Joyfully:

Dealing With Joy Killers:

Philippians 4:1-9

Joy is not having perfect circumstances.  Joy is applying God’s power and God’s truth to the imperfect circumstances of my life.

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I Choose Joy When I…

1. Choose to Stand Firm (1)

• A Compassion expressed
• A Charge given

Stand firm in the truth and resources God provides!

God’s Joy will never be experienced with unhealthy Compromise or conformity to the culture.

2. Choose Reconciliation over Alienation (2-3)

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:31–32)

Seek Common Ground, not the battleground

Learn how to disagree/differ without Demonizing

Seek Unity not Uniformity

Initiate, don’t Hesitate

3. Choose my Attitude (4-5)

Rejoice is a Command

A High View of God produces much joy, a Low View of God yields little joy

Gentleness often shows up in our Tone of Voice

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)

Motivation: The Lord is near

4. Choose Prayer Over Worry (6-7)

Worry is a Habit that we learn and practice

Worry is gazing at my problems in self-reliance or self-pity instead of looking to the Lord in Trust and dependence

Whenever God tells you to eliminate something, He always has something superior to replace it.

Phrases:

In everything: If it is big enough to worry about, it is big enough to pray about

Prayer:  See the greatness and majesty of God (Adoration)

Supplication:  Specific, detailed request

Thanksgiving: Gratitude, appreciation

Requests: Not demands, not suggestions

“Prayer is the hand that takes to ourselves the blessings that God has already provided in His Son.”  R.A.Torrey

5. Choose my Thoughts (8)

Stress is an Inside Job.  You have been given the freedom by God to choose what you think about

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3)

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” (Proverbs 23:7, KJV)

We Become what we habitually Think About

6. Choose my Actions (9)

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22)

Beliefs in our head are never enough!  Truth must be Lived Out!

The Result: Peace (7 & 9)

A quiet confidence within, regardless of the circumstances, people or things that surround us.

Guard – A military term meaning, “To keep watch over”

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Peace With God always precedes the peace Of God!

Making It Personal:

• Do you genuinely have peace with God through the perfect provision of Jesus Christ?

• Are you experiencing the peace of God which surpasses all understanding?

• Which of the points of this message do you most need to put into practice this week? How will you do that?

• Who can you share these truths with?