Stay Joyful Series

#27, 10-28-07

Stay Joyful

Introduction, Which of these four songs reveals your attitude towards life?

1) “Make the World Go Away”

2) “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head”

3) “I did It My Way”

4) “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning”

Text, Philippians 4:4-7

I. The Problem With Anxiety

A. Anxiety defined; inner feeling of apprehension, uneasiness, concern, worry/dread

B. Effects of Anxiety

1. Physical, ulcers, head aches, shin rashes, backaches, shortness of breath,inability to sleep.

2. Functionally, less productive, stifles creativity, dulls personality thinking and memory.

3. Spiritually, lose of joy and peace, less service for God

C. The cause of anxiety

1. A person worries because of a sense of inadequacy.

2. Person feels incapable of meeting certain situations, example lack of finances.

3. Lack of trust in God

II. Rejoice in the Lord (4)

A. This is a command

1. Starts with an act of the will

2. Praise God regardless of feeling

B. “In the Lord”

1. Not in circumstances

2. Rejoice in who God is, what He has done and will do.

C. Effects of Rejoicing

1. Changes your attitude from bad eventualities to God’s possibilities

2. Free your spirit for the invasion of the Holy Spirit

3. Produces joy

Quote from John McArthur, ”Joy is not a feeling, it is the deep-down confidence that

God is in control of everything for the believer’s good and His own glory, and that all is well no matter what the circumstances.”

III. Lighten Up (5)

A. “A forbearing spirit”

B. Greek word, epiekes

“Sweet reasonableness, generosity, good will, friendliness, charity towards the

faults of others, mercy towards the failures of others, gentleness, gracious humility.”

C. Don’t be a harsh perfectionist

IV. Cast your cares upon the Lord, (6,7) (1Peter 5:7)

A. Take your concerns to God in prayer

B. Pray with thanksgiving

C. The results (7)

Has worry robed you of your joy? Is your rejoicing dependent on circumstances?

What are your thoughts about God? Have you learned to cast your cares upon