BEYOND EINSTEIN: UNFATHOMABLE JOY Fruit of the Spirit – Part 3
‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:4-7 NIV
Joy: ‘delight, great pleasure, happiness, gladness, bliss.’ Rejoice (verb): ‘a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.’
‘…in all our troubles, my joy knows no bounds.’ 2 Corinthians 7:4 NIV
Happiness - from our circumstances Joy - from God's presence in our lives
1.LIVING IN CHRIST
‘…The Lord is near.’ Philippians 4:5 NIV
‘Remain in me, as I remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.’ John 15:4 NIV
2.GOD IS IN CONTROL
‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:4-7 NIV
3.GRATEFULNESS AND THANKFULNESS
‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ Philippians 4:6 NIV
“It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” David Steindl-Rast (Benedictine monk)
“Joy in the Lord is the cure for all discord.” Spurgeon
4.LIVING PRAYER LIFE
‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ Philippians 4:6 NIV
5.JOY FLOWS FROM PEACE
‘And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 4:7 NIV
6.JOY IS A CHOICE
‘Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!’ Philippians 4:4 NIV
‘Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines… yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.’ Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV