Elements of Joy, Part 1 B

The fact that you have been given such glorious life in Christ. The fact that you have been given the privilege of intercessory prayer and access to God at any time.

The fact that God is filled your life was so much blessed because you will mutely resolve did life get easy probably not difficulty doesn't go away just because you're Christian. In fact, it may grow even more intense.

So how do you face hardship. Even the gravest trouble, the deepest sorrows and still keep your joy.

How can the joy of your salvation rule your life no matter what you're dealing with stay here on grace to you as John MacArthur helps you answer those questions in his continuing series called simply enough joy rules and here's the message Paul had this inventory of memories and by virtue of the power of the Holy Spirit within him. He focused on the positive ones.

He says I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, everything he could think about the Philippians gate. Enjoy. They were cause for gratitude.

His heart was filled with joy is thanks to God for the sweet memories of these believers suggest to you that that's a key to joy in the Christian life. A real key to be able to recall the goodness of people to be able to recall the best in someone to be a will to look past some of the glitches's in life and capture the sweet memories the heart where the joy of the Holy Spirit dominates, like it did in Paul is a heart that touches the sweet things of life, not the bitter thing. It savors thoughts of others. Goodness and others, kindness, and others love and others, compassion, and others, gentleness, and others sacrifice and others care and it forgets the rest.

It really does.

It forgets the rest I can easily discern if given enough time, a heart where the spirit of God is not in control because there's no joy and the tendency is always to focus on everyone's unkindness in gratitude faults wounds that they've inflicted on us is a dead giveaway. What is it right about everybody what is in the way people wanted to be learned to walk in the spirit learned to yield to the spirit and the spirit of God has a way of erasing the tape of negative thing. I thank God for that. That's the work of the spirit in the heart of the believer, bitterness and unforgiveness, always remembering evil that is the work of the flesh, holding grudges's Thomas Hardy said some people can find the manure pile in any meadow you want to live like that you want to stop running that stuff on your life. I me Paul's joy was expressed in pleasant memories. That is a basic element of joy.

That's the joy have recollection. Let's look at a second joy which we could say more about that second you the joy of intercession.

This is another element of joy.

Verse four always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, and here's an element of joy that you never want to miss the delight of praying for others when the spirit of God is in control of the life in your living in obedience to God's word and under the control of the spirit you will delight in praying for others bosses on my every occasion of praying for you. I am filled with joy that's tied to his recollection, that's tied to the joy of his memories. This is the joy of having the privilege to petition the word here for prayer has to do with his petition, the aces used two times in the verse. It's the idea of of asking God for something or someone else and that is the expression of joy joy of the Holy Spirit tends not to be bound up with what I have, but in the privilege of praying that God would pour out his blessing on others. True joy is expressed in the fact that I can see God at work in someone else's life much more preoccupied with them than with me. There is Paul prisoner in a negative circumstance not only physically but in terms of his ministry, you're going to find out later in the chapter. People were really really criticizing him without mercy and without kindness and he was not worthy of that at all. So he was undergoing all of that bitterness from rival preachers and people had animosity toward him, but his particular circumstance did not affect his joy and the evidence that it was a spirit produced joy is the fact that he was all wrapped up in the delight of praying for other people's needs when he himself had needs far greater than the errors in some ways, making request to God for others is an element of joy you can tell if you're experiencing Holy Spirit joy you find delight in interceding on someone's behalf when you praise it your joy to pray for the spiritual benefit blessing progress of someone else, or are you forever and always pray only about yourself. Now it is true that sometimes our prayers for others involve pain. Sure, even in chapter 3.

Would you notice verse 18 Paul says in verse 17 shook brother and join in following my example and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us for many walk, of whom I've told you, and now tell you even weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Christ a there were some people he prayed about with tears. Those were the enemies of Christ. But with regard to the Philippians's prayers were painless and filled with pleasure and delight. He loved them. They loved him. He was filled with joy over them and that joy expressed itself in a delight to pray on their behalf. If you love his concern for others. Joy is found in that love being fulfilled in that others are having their needs met.

Joy delights in petitioning God for someone else's needs doesn't concern itself with itself even in the midst of pain even in the midst of difficult circumstances. It joyfully asks for others to be blessed.

It is concerned more about the pain of others than about itself and that's what chapter 2 says look not on your own things. So let each of you regard one another as more important than him so and I think it's especially joyous in this case. When Paul knew that the spiritual state of those for whom he prayed was good. We found a special joy in that even the two women in chapter 4, who were a problem, couldn't steal his joy. They couldn't steal his joy. After talking about them in verse 10, I rejoiced in the Lord greatly even says rejoice always and again I say rejoice. I guess I have to confess to you that I that I fear I fear that there are very few Christians who know the true joy that the Holy Spirit gives to a fully obedient Christian and it shows up in these two ways their negative thoughts toward others, and the lack of concern delight and joy in praying for others. Their self-centered their selfish and so when somebody else offends them, they hold a grudge. That's ego, that's pride they find little delight in praying for others that are not nearly so concerned with them as they are with themselves. That's evidence of no joy in the spirit that's evidence of a carnal fleshly conduct, love really finds its expression in the delight of the well-being of others. That's an element of joy cementing George raindrop. An interesting name, wrote a book called no common task. It's got one beautiful incident and I want to relate to in the book he tells about a nurse and how this nurse taught a man to pray and literally change the man's entire life story says he was a dull disgruntled dispirited man who became a man of joy. This is what the writer says much of the nurses work was done with her hands and she used her hand as as it were a scheme of prayer. Each of her fingers stood for someone her thumb was nearest to her and it reminded her to pray for those who were nearest and closest and dearest to her. The second finger was used for pointing those who teach us point to us with it when they would ask us a question, therefore, her second finger stood for all her teachers. She prayed for them.

The third finger is the tallest and it stood for the VIPs, the leaders in every sphere of life. The fourth finger is the weakest as every pianist knows and it stood for those who were weak in trouble and in pain and the little finger is the smallest and the most unimportant, and to the nurse.

It stood for herself.

It's a lovely scheme of prayer and there will always be a deep sense of joy in the heart of one who learns to pray by that little scheme starting with others and ending up with the most insignificant of all yourself. That's the joy of intercession, the joy of petition. One other thought the joy of participation. The joy of participation. Another element of joy one comes from the idea that we are able so wonderfully to remember the good things another that we have the privilege of interceding on behalf of those we love. Both are elements of spiritual joy, 1/3 one is the joy of participation.

Verse five says in view of your participation. The word is coin on the your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Paul rejoiced over their partnership so that word means their communion, fellowship, participation.

He was thankful because of their participation in the gospel. That's their salvation grade school because they were believers, and then he adds from the first day of your conversion until now. He's thankful for their fellowship in salvation but since salvation through all the years that have passed. They have been partners sharers fellowship now is true that the word Pannonia partnership, fellowship, communion is used in the New Testament sometimes to refer to monetary contribution giving money it has that very explicit meaning in several New Testament passages.

In fact it says in Romans 1213, contributing to the necessity of the saints, and their uses the word going on near partnership.

It is a contribution very often it is an expression of commonness of partnership of love when you give money to support in the Romans 1526. The contribution to the poor saints in Jerusalem is the word partnership in second Corinthians chapter 8 verse four chapter 9 verse 13 first Timothy 618, Hebrews 1316 the word economy has used about monetary contribution. That's a kind of partnership. So is saying maybe in the broadest sense. I rejoice that you're saying that you're a partner with me in the gospel. Further, that your partner with me in the spring of the gospel by your gifts your giving further that you're a partner with me in the spread of the gospel by you are spreading the gospel he just rejoiced in the fellowship of saints. They had given much to him verse 15 and 16 of chapter 4, you yourselves also know Philippians at the first preaching of the gospel. After I departed from Macedonia.

No church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving.

But you alone for even in Thessalonica you send a gift more than once for my needs.

They had definitely participated in the financial area but there is much more than that. Here he says that your participation not in the money, but in the gospel, not just their participation in the sense of salvation. Although that certainly would be part of it, but in the cooperation with the development. The growth of the support of the spread of the gospel phrase in the Greek Ace to on Gilliam indicates the whole scheme of the gospel development. He simply saying I'm just so thankful that you participated from the very beginning until now in the spread of the gospel you come alongside me as partner mail that's another element of joy. The person in whom the Spirit of God is free to produce joy will rejoice in the fellowship of the believers love to be with Christians feel love to have a heart that reaches out and says I bless you for your participation. I rejoice that from the first day of your salvation on. You have participate you had fellowship made.

The ministry happened that's such a tremendous enrichment and one of fellowship. We had one of fellowship.

William Hendrickson is an exceptional section on this thought in his commentary on Philippians I have in my mind, distilled what he said and added a bit to it, but when I think about the fellowship that we enjoy the partnership of ever really define what our partnership is it is up.

It is a fellowship of grace.

First of all, of grace. It's not a natural partnership. It's not a platonic partnership.

It's not a man-made partnership were not a club or a society like the Elks or the Rotary year of the Royal order of goats or anybody else were not a man-made organization. This is a divine fellowship effected by God in Christ through the Spirit by grace.

The fellowship of grace apart from the Trinity is nonexistent, impossible to form on a human level, it transcends time and space and it's forever. It's also a fellowship of life we all share the same common eternal life made ours in Christ. He gives us all life. We are all one with him one with the father, one with the spirit, one with each other to fellowship of life. What a cause of joy to fellowship with faith, just as Christ draws near to center himself sooner draws near to God and living faith to fellowship with Faye we all believe we all believe in the same God, we all believe the same truth of God's word is a fellowship of prayer. It's a fellowship where we come commonly before God on behalf of one another.

It's a fellowship of praise.

A fellowship of thanksgiving. It's a fellowship of love we enshrine other Christians in our hearts and your for them out of love. It's a fellowship of service. Commonly, we shoulder the load and do the ministry. It's a fellowship of contributing to others needs. It's a fellowship or promoting the gospel through preaching teaching and witnessing. It's a fellowship of separation from the world and attachment to Christ. We are detached from the world. It's a fellowship of warfare or conflict we wage war side-by-side only against a common enemy fellowship, one who is filled with the Holy Spirit. Joy is going to be rejoicing over the fellowship. Is there anything in the world is wonderful as is, I'll tell you some people go around picking it all kinds of little things nitpicking every little deal that is in the way they like it. All that does is demonstrate the absence of Holy Spirit joy your good you have it, but the partnership you have look at the people you are praying for you coming alongside to enable you to serve Christ. Look at the people you have a care about you who want to meet your needs who want to work with your children, your family, nurture you who are available for you to minister to and use your spiritual gifts to the folks who serve you.

If you can't rejoice in that the problem is not outside it's inside true joy produced by the spirit recollects the good sweet memories loves to intercede on behalf of the needs doesn't look at them negatively cats a delight to pray for others and rejoices in the fellowship. Never a perfect fellowship but a supernatural fellowship of God.

Author divinely designed fellowship and pulses from the first day until now from Lydia on set from day one by the river. No moment have I not had joy over you and by the way, 10 years or so.

It passed 10 years their participation in the spread of the gospel was so unique.

No other church had given so generously they were sacrificial. They came alongside.

They faithfully proclaim the gospel. They serve each other in that church. Their hearts were bound up with Paul. Their hearts were bound up in the cause of Christ. Their hearts were bound up with each other. In fact put up Aphrodite's came to see Paul. They were so sad that he wasn't there because they love them so much and he was so sad that he wasn't there because he loved them so much of Paul sent him back that a fellowship then profound joy, profound joy when Saul, the Old Testament was made king it says there went with them. A band of men whose heart God touched. I love it. Then it sits.

The next chapter. The news remember of May hash injuring the people of God came the Holy Spirit came mightily on Saul and it says the spirit of God came mightily on Saul and his men so that they came out as one man their hearts.

God touch and when the enemy showed himself. They came out as one me. Well the Philippians and Paul were like that.

God touched all their hearts.

From the first day and through all these 10 years or so. They had become one men in heart, and therein lies the joy of Paul that Philippians church sweet memories the privilege of delightful prayer on their behalf in the joy of their constant participation as your joy is the joy in your heart today so what you begin, I'll tell you where you begin it's all produced by home Holy Spirit. You begin with dealing with the sin in your life confess to get to the Lord, yielding to the spirit of God and letting the spirit produce joy. We play something fact that you are chosen by God to salvation before the foundation of the world. The fact that you have been given such glorious life in Christ. The fact that you have been given the privilege of intercessory prayer and access to God at any time. The fact that God is filled your life was so much blessedness, so should cause you to be constantly filled with what with joy and if it is in their don't blame your circumstances. Take the issue where the issue really belongs to belongs inside but spell together in prayer together with our hearts in tune with the Lord, but just the spirit of God to produce the joy in us to put the floodlight on sin to reveal it to cleanse it as the spirit of God to cultivate the joy of recollection, to see people and remember the good thing sweet memories.

Why make life a burden when you don't have to. Why not enjoy it or not.

Love it as the spirit of God to produce in us the joy of intercession to be delighted just to pray for the needs of others rather than to point them out as negative. Father, we ask that you would cause us to be grateful and choice, fill us with your spirit.

Jesus, that's John MacArthur, Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary you can think of his current series here on grace to you as a roadmap for finding joy. John calls it joy.

Rules John, you talked about intercession today and reminded us it's a privilege to pray for one another. We often get a question from listeners that I'm gonna let you answer. They often call or write and ask us how can they pray for you and how can they pray for the ministry of grace to you. You know when I when I hear that question I always go back to the apostle Paul when he said pray that the gospel will have free course pray pray that there will be an opportunity for the proclamation of the gospel. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation and Paul's burden was that the people who knew him would pray that the obstacles would be removed and the gospel would go forth with power and conviction like I have known one thing my entire life since I began ministry well over 50 years ago over 60 years ago now and that is the God honors his word and his word will never return void, but will accomplish that, to which he purposes it, and I lived that reality. My whole life and seen the word of God with power go out into the world and accomplish everything that God designed it to accomplish so we unleash biblical truth every day because we know it is the most powerful reality in the world. So pray that God would allow us to continue to be able to do this, that the Lord continue to give us opportunity to broadcast and expose people all over the world to the truths of Christ, pray the grace to radio would would find these people, wherever they are in the car in. Maybe even in prison.

At home, wherever, and that God would draw many to himself.

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Staff I'm Phil Johnson. Thanks for making grace to you part of your day and be here tomorrow when John looks at one of the biggest hindrances to true joy and how you can avoid it. Don't miss the next 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time here on grace to