INTRO: 1. The church at Philippi is apparently among Paul’s favorite churches.
a. Paul’s ministry there started with a supernatural vision and saw God miraculously move in that area.
b. Even after Paul had left them they supported him financially in his missionary tours.
c. Generous in their offering for the church in Jerusalem going through famine.
d. Not without it’s difficulties, remember it was at Phillipi that Paul and Silas was beaten and shackled in a prison cell until God brought a miraculous earthquake to deliver them.
2. This letter was different from the others in many ways.
a. It was more relaxed (tell Paul was comfortable with them)
b. It was more open (not afraid to be transparent in their midst)
c. It was spontaneous (probably the first draft)
d. Not motivated by problems in the church… although a few are dealt with here.
3. I believe that this church became special to Paul because of one very distinguishing characteristic… Joy.
a. They were clearly a Joy to be around, to even think about. Vs. 4
b. Their Joy was a a supernatural Joy… a gift of grace from God.
c. Their joy didn’t fade in times of trouble but abounded…intervened for others.
4. Paul understood that that which marked this church and made it such a blessing was the area that Satan was most likely to target.
a. The devil hates Joy… indicator of your strength and of your maturity in Christ.
b. They, like every church, are in danger of losing that Joy.
c. Paul said this is the reason he wanted to see them again. Vs. 25-26
5. This letter would become known as the ‘letter of Joy.’
a. “Joy” or “rejoice” is found no less than 18 times in a book only 4 chapters long.
b. Not about some emotional feeling…happiness.
c. Not about external circumstance… Paul penned from a Roman prison.
d. About the Joy that Christ gives and Holy Spirit manifests.
e. About a Joy that isn’t fickle or weak but triumphant… at it’s best when things are at it’s worst.
6. In our study we will see how Paul outlines for us this ‘Triumphant Joy’ that is available for us all.
a. Tonight, we will look at ‘Triumphant Joy Defined’ as Paul lays out the meaning of this kind of Joy.
I. TRIUMPHANT JOY IS A STANCE Vs. 13-18
a. Paul demonstrates for us here that you can’t keep this kind of Joy down.
b. While others would bemoan their circumstance, Paul praised God for using his prison experience to further the gospel… encouraging others to take up the slack and preach that much more fervently.
c. But one of my favorite quotes from Paul is where he points out that there are many different preachers out there preaching some with the proper motive and some without… but it didn’t matter to him just as long as the gospel was being preached.
d. He could have complained about his circumstance, even about other preachers but he had determined to respond to everything the same ways. Vs. 18
e. Paul had taken a stance of rejoicing.
A. A DECISION TO REJOICE
1. He said “I therein do rejoice”
2. Paul said I don’t have to wait until it’s over… I choose to rejoice “therein.”
3. Rejoicing must be a decision, God’s not going to force it on you.
4. Everything you face demands a response from you… how you respond is up to you.
5. Not a decision out of will-power, but a decision out of grace.
6. A gift of grace is what you need when you need it.
B. A DETERMINATION TO REJOICE
1. Paul backed it up with the phrase “yea, and will rejoice.”
2. His stance wasn’t just for today but for tomorrow as well.
3. Paul was saying whatever I go through I “will rejoice.”
4. Paul was facing a long prison term, torture, even death, but He had made a decision and he had determination.
C. A DIRECTION TO REJOICE
Phil. 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
1. It wasn’t some empty hope… or some silly giggling spirit… it was in the Lord.
2. Again Paul emphasis a determination to rejoice “alway.”
3. Paul was saying, I may be imprisoned, but they can’t keep God out.
4. Paul said I may be behind a locked door… but we’ve been made to “sit together in heavenly places.”
5. Paul pointed out in vs. 13 that even the Palace guards know that God sent him there.
6. Rejoice that no matter where we are we can be a testimony that are not soon forgotten.
ILL. Mother Teresa said, “A person filled with joy preaches without preaching.”
II. TRIUMPHANT JOY IS AN ELEMENT OF CHANGE Vs. 18, 19
a. Paul’s rejoicing set in motion a change in his circumstance.
b. There must be victory within us, before we’ll see victory around us.
c. ILL. Paul had learned this lesson on Philippi in a jail much like the one he was in right now… rejoiced with Silas until a shaking loosed their bonds and turned a jail house into a church house.
d. You can see the change in vs. 19 that had taken place within Paul and what he expected soon to take place around him.
A. REJOICING RESTORES OUR PERSPECTIVE
1. Rejoicing had changed Paul from seeing his curse turn into a blessing.
2. Saw how his courage in the face of difficulty was giving courage to ministers throughout Europe and middle east.
3. Didn’t see the bars… but felt the prayers of the saints.
4. Nehemiah declared unto the people of God going through a difficult time
Neh. 8:10 …neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
5. One translation said “put away your sorrow.”
6. If we’re going to see clearly again we’ve got to let the "Son" shine back in our lives.
B. REJOICING ACTIVATES OUR FAITH
1. You don’t have to have faith to rejoice… but faith is easier when cultivated by rejoicing.
2. You may not feel like it… but your faith needs it.
3. I can testify to this principle, I’ve often rejoiced my way out of the blues into believing.
4. If your joy is fragile, so will your faith be fragile.
5. It’s a wonderful cycle…Rejoicing will bring faith and faith will bring rejoicing.
ILL. The average child laughs 400 times a day, the average adult laughs 15 times a day. What happens in life that adults lose their laughter? Do we quit laughing because we are old, or do we get old because we quit laughing?
C. REJOICING MAINTAINS OUR EXPECTANCY
1. Paul didn’t know if he’d be there a week or years (he did spend years), but his joy gave him a heart of constant expectancy.
2. When God is ready to move on your behalf, rejoicers are always ready to receive.
3. When you discover the power of rejoicing, then you’ll feel the grace of “Joy unspeakable and full of glory” and you’ll expect anything.
D. REJOICING SUSTAINS OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
1. Notice what else came out of Paul’s rejoicing spirit… a confidence in “the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”
2. His rejoicing sustained a powerful relationship with Jesus Christ, that supplied him with all the strength, peace and Joy he needed to face whatever came his way.
3. We all know that when we begin to rejoice in the Lord, He shows up and we fall in love with him all over again.
4. An added benefit is that it sustained Paul’s relationship with everyone else. (guards, churches he served, visitors, fellow prisoners)
5. If there is no joy in your life, nobody wants to be around you… but when there’s joy people are attracted to you and your personality.
III. TRIUMPHANT JOY IS JESUS CHRIST
a. One of the few words mentioned more than the word “joy” or “rejoicing” is the references to Jesus.
b. Paul understood that you can’t talk about Joy without talking about Jesus.
c. He’s the giver, the sustainer, the restorer and the supply.
d. Philippians is one of the most Christocentric letters Paul ever wrote while at the same time filled with more references about Joy… the two are inseparable.
e. Paul points out that you can face any possibility joyfully as long as you have Jesus Christ.
A. JOY IN HIS LIFE Vs. 21
1. Paul’s life wasn’t in the breath he breathed or the heart that beat within his chest… it was in Jesus Christ.
2. Paul was saying whether I live or die, because I have Jesus I’m a winner either way.
3. Paul was saying you can take my physical life, but I’ll even rejoice in death because my Joy is tied not to the vanishing life of this world but the everlasting life of Jesus Christ.
ILL. C. S. Lewis — “Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose... only [upon] the Beloved who will never pass away.”
4. No matter what I go through or face… my life is found in him.
5. Reminds me that it’s not about Me… life is about Christ.
6. Not about churches and positions and accomplishment… about Christ.
7. Not about popularity and applause… about Christ.
B. JOY IN HIS SECURITY Vs. 22-26
1. Paul was saying if God leaves me here, I’ll continue to minister to you.
2. Paul was able to rest in the security of knowing that God had his life in his hands and that either way God went…it would be to ultimately bless Paul.
3. Our security is not found in having all the answers… but in resting in one who does.
4. I can rejoice in my future without seeing it, because I know He’ll bless it. vs. 6
C. JOY IN HIS PEACE.
Phil. 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
1. The supernatural Joy in our lives are coupled with another gift of grace… Peace.
2. I can rejoice because I have a peace that man can’t comprehend… because it’s not from men’s hearts, but God’s Spirit.
3. A peace that will bring rest to me emotionally… “keep your hearts.”
4. A peace that will bring rest to me mentally… “keep your minds.”
CONCLUSION: Are you operating in that Triumphant Joy tonight.
Have you taken a stance to Rejoice?
Have you let the Joy of the Lord change you and therefore change your world around you?
Have you found that Joy in the only place you can Jesus Christ?
