Rejoice In The Lord Always

Rejoice in the Lord Always - Phil. 4:4

We Americans are living in a time when more people are suffering from discouragement, depression and disillusionment than at any time in history even though we are the richest country on the planet - why?

Illustration: Discouragement is dissatisfaction with the past, distaste for the present, and distrust of the future. It is ingratitude for the blessings of yesterday, indifference to the opportunities of today, and insecurity regarding strength for tomorrow. It is unawareness of the presence of beauty, unconcern for the needs of our fellowman, and unbelief in the promises of old. It is impatience with time, immaturity of thought, and impoliteness to God. William Ward.

Today in the Word, April, 1989, p. 18.

Let us rejoice in the Lord through praise. We get the English word praise from the Greek word eulogeo (eulogy) which means:

to praise, celebrate with praises

to invoke blessings

to consecrate a thing with solemn prayers

to ask God’s blessing on a thing

pray God to bless it to one’s use

pronounce a consecratory blessing on

of God

to cause to prosper, to make happy, to bestow blessings on

There is no greater joy than to give God praise.

Let us examine twenty two ways that we can practically obey the scripture and rejoice in the Lord always:

1. Appropriate the fact that the joy of the Lord is your spiritual strength. (Neh. 8:10) Praise God that in His presence is fullness of joy and in HIs right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psa 16:9-11)

2. Remember the promises of Jesus who said, "These things are written to you (obedience to my commands) so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be full." (JOHN 15:11)

3. Pray and praise and rejoice knowing that Paul gave the Biblical admonishment to an angry and fearful people, "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice." (Phil. 4:4)If Paul can rejoice while in prison I think we are in a much freer situation to do so today.

4. Remind yourself of your limitedless resources in Christ. Paul writes, "Strengthen with all power according to His glorious might for the obtaining of steadfastness and patience with joy." (Col. 1:11)

5. Sing the famous song, "Joy to the world the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King." Isaac Watts great hymns inspire, instruct and illuminate truth to our hearts and minds that we need to fully realize. We can always find joy in Jesus that is greater than all our problems.

6. Sing the famous hymn, "Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love. Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee opening to the Son of love. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness. Drive the doubts of dark away. Giver of immortal gladness. Fill us with the light of day." Great hymns, psalms and spiritual songs have a way of lifting up our eyes to the hills from whence comes our help. Our help is in the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. (Psa 121:1-3)

7. Sing the glorious song, "Praise the Savior, you who know Him who can tell how much we owe Him. Gladly let us render to Him. All we are and have. Jesus is the name that charms us. He for conflicts, fits and arms us. Nothing moves and nothing harms us. While we trust in Him. Trust in Him you saints forever. He is faithful changing never. Neither force nor guile can sever. Those He loves from Him." Thank God that the joy of the Savior can always be counted on to deliver you from any sadness, hopeless feeling or problem.

8. Pray the prayer that David prayed when he felt sadness. "Commit your way to the Lord, delight yourself in the Lord, trust also in Him and He will bring things to pass... Do not worry, fret or grow angry, it leads only to evil doing." (Psa. 34:3-7)Delighting in the Lord, means praising Him for His attributes of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. By praising God for His characteristics we can fix our eyes on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent, admirable and praise-worthy. (Phil. 4:8)

9. Refuse to give in to worry or fear or discouragement. Many people and cirucmstances will try to break your heart if you let them, but don’t let them. "Do not give into worry or anger it only leads to trouble." (Psa 37:,6-8) We have a choice to either grow better or to get bitter. No one in their right mind would want to grow into an old grump!

10. Remember to think, pray and react to problems the way the apostle Paul did, "As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. As poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things." (2 COR 6:1-12)