JOY FULL - Week 4 |February 28, 2021 Preaching Notes |

Week 1: Joy in Suffering

In the midst of our present difficulties, we can find purpose, and

therefore joy. God completes His work in us, makes our love
abound, and advances the gospel through us.

Week 2: Joy in Relationships

Christ set the example of humility and serving, and was eventually
exalted. Joy is made complete when we walk in the same way in
our relationships - in unity, love and service - and we shine as
light in the world.

Week 3: Joy in Pursuing Christ

Enduring joy comes from the surpassing worth of pursuing Christ,

by knowing Him despite the loss of all earthly gain, and pressing
on towards His upward call.

Week 4: Joy in all circumstances

To rejoice in the Lord means to find joy again, over and over, in
the Lord. This results in peace in the midst of anxiety,
contentment despite lack, strength despite trouble, and supply for
every need.

TEXT:

Philippians 4:4-9 (ESV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I

will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to
everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with
thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And
the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will
guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally,
brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is
just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have
learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice
these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

PRAYER:

CONNECT:

Every time we attend a summit or a retreat for a week or so.

Gemma, leaves instruction sa mga maiiwan sa bahay. She posted
it on the refrigerator using the ref magnet. Till now, kahit kami lng
sa bahay she loves to put instructions like these:

Sa cabinet namin, sa hagdan at kung saan saan.

When I read Philippians chapter 4 that is the feeling I got. It reads

and feels like after 3 chapters of teachings, instructions,
addressing needs and issues.

This reads like a bringing together of everything. Remember this,

keep doing this and this final key.
So The Apostle Paul:

— LEAVES INSTRUCTIONS...

Philippians 4:4, 6 (MSG) Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean,
revel in him! 6 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let
petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God
know your concerns.

He says in the ESV, “Rejoice in the Lord always, AGAIN I will say
rejoice…”

Don’t forget this, I showed you how, there is a decision involved in

this.

Rejoicing is not dependent on our circumstance...

Remember Paul mentions joy 19 times in this short book...

The Apostle Paul:

— HONOURS AND SHOWS GRATEFULNESS TO PEOPLE…

Philippians 4:1-3 (MSG) My dear, dear friends! I love you so much.

I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me
with such pride. Don’t waver. Stay on track, steady in God. Pray
About Everything 2 I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their
differences and make up. God doesn’t want his children holding
grudges. 3 And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you’re right there to help
them work things out, do your best with them. These women
worked for the Message hand in hand with Clement and me, and
with the other veterans—worked as hard as any of us. Remember,
their names are also in the book of life.

Did you notice that the people with issues are also the people he
worked with and worked for God…

These are some of the people he honours and expresses his

gratefulness to.

Could you imagine what will happen around us, at work, at home,
in government, among nations if we can find something and
appreciate the good and the work of problematic people?

I am not saying forget or overlook their issues but it will make a

major difference if we help them after we have an appreciation of
them rather than treat them as a problem to be stopped and
solved.

The Apostle Paul:

— SHOWS THE FRUIT OF A LIFE IN CHRIST...

What are The Fruits: Peace, Provision, Contentment, strength

and the Worship of God...

Philippians 4:12 (MSG) I’m just as happy with little as with

much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being
happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty.

Remember the context of this statement…

He is under house arrest. No freedom, accused and taken
advantage of…

Devoid of the simple comforts and respect…

Prevented from pursuing his actual work...

- Kung may work from Home ngayon, si Paul at that time he

worked from Prison.

● Contentment, peace and joy are never the fruit of favourable

circumstances. Instead Contentment, Peace and Joy make our
circumstances favourable no matter what it is…

● Do not let the reality of the moment or the accumulation of

moments evaluate the quality of our lives.

Instead let priceless values our treasured relationships bring

contentment and joy at any stage of life.

Philippians 4:13 (MSG) Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can

make it through anything in the One who makes me who I
am.

● Amazing strength is possible even in the most extreme

situations.

Philippians 4:16-18 (MSG) 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent

me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the
gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have
received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having
received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant
offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And
my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches
in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory
forever and ever. Amen.

One of the world's favourite Bible verses:

God always and will always provide.

God is never and can never be limited in resources.

Apostle Paul says, that as you have allowed God to use you to
supply the needs of the work and others...

He will provide for you...

● Generosity is powerful because it does not have to start with

much but it will end up with more than enough…

● Generosity is a seed that is planted that produces a harvest,

which produces more seed that will bring even a bigger and
bigger harvest.

COCLUSION:

The Apostle Paul made an ending statement.

— THEN FINALLY: Huling bilin, Recap, Summary, Moral of the

story...

Philippians 4:8-9 (MSG) 8 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say

you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things
true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the
best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to
praise, not things to curse. 9 Put into practice what you
learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do
that, and God, who makes everything work together, will
work you into his most excellent harmonies.

So the Apostle Paul shows how we get to continue the joy he has
been talking about…

—- What we keep filling our mind will form our heart.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,

whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything
worthy of praise, think about these things. When this pandemic
hit, people were glued to the news…

What is this, what is happening, etc...

It was not long before fear began to grip the many people I know,
the nation and even the whole world.

Why, because as we were all glued to the news, the bad news
kept feeding our minds hours and hours of our lives.

Now remember this:

Joshua 1:6-9 (ESV) 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall

cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their
fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous,
being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my
servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand
or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you
go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth,
but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may
be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then
you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have
good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and
courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua had a good reason to fear.

Moses the greatest leader they have seen is dead, now he is in

charge.

They had a war to fight to get the promised land.

They had flooded the river to cross.

What did God say? “Don’t be afraid, instead meditate on My

Word, confess, prophecy My Word.”

Meditate on it day and night... not the crisis, not your problem…
Stop giving a voice to your fear, anxiety and hopelessness...

Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth...

Stop saying and confessing the problem. Say and keep saying The
Word of God...
—- The simple disciplines we continually (intentionally or
not) do will greatly influence our journey.

Philippians 4:6 (MSG) Don’t fret or worry. Instead of

worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries
into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Just keep doing
it...

Even if your feeling or your thinking does not seem to change,

just keep going to God...

But Ptr. Rick I prayed, am still bothered, nothing is happening...

just keep going to God, just keep praying...

- Look: Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers...
Philippians 4:7 (MSG) Before you know it, a sense of God’s
wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and
settle you down.

It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the

center of your life...

Have you noticed that our prayers also go through a journey of

faith...

Because we are always on a journey of faith or away from faith...

When the Crisis hits, many times we start praying out of surprise,
fear and anxiety...
But as we keep going to Gods as the scripture says our meditation
changes, our perspective is changed and eventually the condition
of our faith changes as well...

—- What we choose to obey is more powerful than any

negative opinion or negative circumstance we are in.

Philippians 4:9 (ESV) What you have learned and received and
heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of
peace will be with you.

So many times people fight for what they believe, they will
debate, protect and even attack for it. BUT do they apply it.

See when we apply, obey and practice (consistent and constant)

then the peace of God guards us.

Do you realise that you cannot remove and try to empty your
mind of evil, bad and wrong thoughts? You have to replace them
with The Word (counter culture thoughts).

Then apply, obey and move forward with The Word so you would
see the truth, the power and the reality of God’s Word.

● The Power of The Word is seen and experienced in the midst of

applying it, obeying it and walking it out.

Let us close as we read these truths:

Isaiah 55:10-11 (ESV) 10 “For as the rain and the snow come
down from heaven and do not return there but water the
earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the
sower and bread to the eater, 11 so shall my word be that
goes out from my mouth ;it shall not return to me empty, but
it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in
the thing for which I sent it...

Jeremiah 1:11-12 (ESV) 11 And the word of the Lord came to

me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an
almond branch.” 12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen
well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”

● READ THE WORD, MEDITATE ON THE WORD, PROPHESY

THE WORD. IT WILL CHANGE YOU, IT WILL CHANGE OTHERS
AND IT WILL CHANGE THE WORLD.

PRAYER FOR MINISTRY:

• Thank you God for YOUR peace that is based on who YOU are,
not our circumstances. Thank YOU for guarding our hearts and
minds and for giving us joy as we pursue YOU.

• Lord I pray for the grace to be content in any situation.

I pray that our joy will always be anchored on who YOU are and
not what we have.

• I pray for those who are going through a difficult time at the
moment that you would come to rescue them.

I pray that they will not only have the grace to rejoice in the midst
of the situation, but that they would draw even closer to God.
We ask these things in Jesus Name! Amen!