Elements of Joy, Part 3 B

The sovereignty of God is the surpassing doctrine for Christians to understand is the overarching encompassing reality that keeps everything in perspective.

God is in control of all if you don't understand that your joy I can make you a more joyful person or put another way, he'll show you the rules to follow to let joy rule your life. The title to study joy rules. So what sort of things tend to upset you or depress you or make you bitter.

What does it take to lose your joy stay here and see if your list makes John's list of joy killers and learn how to develop a joyful attitude that trumps any circumstance. If you have a Bible turn to Philippians chapter 1, and here's John. I thought it might be good to just share with you a few principles things that cause you to lose your joy today. These are the things you need to be on guard against.

As we see what God produces in us by the spirit in the name of joy. What is it that can steal our joy. What causes the absence of joy. Number one false salvation, false salvation that is to say, seeking joy without the Holy Spirit, there are some people who seek joy. It is elusive, they become immensely frustrated. Their lives are not happy and maybe there in the church and involved in somewhere, another in the church and active in somewhere. Another, and maybe they think they're pursuing righteous activities and they're trying desperately to be religious and experience joy, and it never comes because it is the work of the Spirit and they have not the spirit because they are not Christ. There will be no true joy and when there is no true capacity for joy because Christ is not there. The spirit is not there, the process becomes very frustrating and I personally believe the churches are filled with people who are not genuinely saying they therefore do not possess the Holy Spirit and joy therefore is elusive, absent many of those people spend some time in the church, never able to discover and affect joy in their life. They leave frustrated and lost. So if you have an absence of joy in your life. If it seems consistently elusive to go back to the beginning. Somewhere and as Paul said in second Corinthians 13 five examine yourself to see if you're in the faith.

You may be seeking something you will never find because you do not possess God's Holy Spirit at all. In other words, be sure your say.

Be sure your say secondly, Satan and demons may do all they can to steal your joy. After all, first Peter 58 says that the devil is a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. And I'm there may be efforts made on the part of the host of hell to rob you of joy, and a myriad of ways. We need to be aware and alerted to the fact that definitely is Satan's ploy and effort to take away the joy of believers that could come in many many forms. We have to understand the source of that. Thirdly, one of the things that has a tendency to steal joy is an inadequate understanding of God's sovereignty and inadequate understanding of God's sovereignty.

In other words friending as if God was not in control worrying anxiety ridden feeling the threat of others controlling your life or of your own inability to control it and ignoring the reality that God is sovereign, that no matter what is going on or what is happening.

God is in control, that all things in the classic terms of Romans 828 are working together according to his purpose for your benefit, the sovereignty of God is the surpassing doctrine for Christians to understand is the overarching encompassing reality that keeps everything in perspective. God is in control of all of it. If you understand that your struggle with your joy and inadequate understanding of God's sovereignty will take your joy forcefully. Another thing that steals joy is prayerless in this prayerless in us that is failing to commit things to the Lord, leaving them to yourself to fret and worry and fume trying to orchestrate all of life's elements yourself and never going to the place of prayer breeds frustration rather than dependence. What I really believe this is such a vital thing and so missing in the church today. It literally is replaced today by what we call counseling instead of going to God with your needs. You go to somebody you sits across the desk and supposedly tells you thing that are neither sovereign nor supernatural. In many cases. In most and the best of human insight is a far cry from divine assistance.

No wonder James said when when you reach a place of impotence in your life when you reach a place of total weakness. When you no longer can tap the divine resource for yourself.

Go to the elders of the church and let them pray over you effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man is tremendous effect, commit your way into the Lord. Proverb says, trust also in him take it to him get the divine resource involved trust in the Lord with all your heart, all your ways acknowledge him focus on him and then he says in chapter 4 of this very letter to Zeehan verse six be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God: God, go to the Lord, and if you don't have the strength and you feel like you're in such shambles spiritual.

You can't do that and get some godly people to go prayerless and this will steal your joy because you will scramble all over this world, trying to find solutions to the dilemmas that only God can solve what you try to orchestrate life don't you try to find some Guru behind a desk who can orchestrate life go to God hellos or some sort of theological things that steal your joy theological perspectives on things at steal your joy. Let me give some real practical ones. Okay, continuing our list number five, one of the things attends to steal. Joy is a low after a spiritual high. Have you noticed that Monday after Sunday you're here and it's glorious in your enriched and blessed and encouraged and you walk in that place you work in its humdrum bar you get up in the morning and mothers got dirty clothes in the weekend list the kitchen and blitzed the laundry room and all the cars are filthy again. It's all there, and you go from the spiritual high to the home drama low of life, to say nothing of going from some great spiritual experience to a severe trial classic of course is Elijah goes on Mount caramel and withstands the priests of bail takes out a sword and massacres. The priest defeats 450 priests a bail on a mountain and God sends fire from heaven burns up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones licks up the water and an incredible supernatural event and Elijah has just seen the great God the Almighty God act in his behalf.

In response to his prayer in a monumental way spiritual high on Mount caramel has few equals in the history of the prophets, and he goes right from there to wanting to commit suicide. He wants God to kill any runs like a maniac down a path and sits down in the sun and says kill me kill me kill me.

I can't stand it.

There's a woman after me that's hard to understand. 450 men gave them no problem. One woman scares the living daylights out of them, kill me, Lord. He went from the height of spiritual victory to the depths of spiritual depression, even to the point of true depression where he wanted to die sometimes severe trial. Jezebel did have some power to throw around severe trial following immediately upon the heels of some great spiritual experience causes us to lose our joy. By contrast, if we just want to go along in life.

Maybe we don't sense it that way. But when you go from the very high to the very low it can take your joy, so be aware that sixthly another thing that I believe steals joy is a circumstance orientation. There are some people in this life as Christians who will know very little joy because they take all their signals from the material world.

In other words there. There emotion is controlled by the shallowness of the world is a substitute for the true joy if their husband treats them the way they like them to treat them. They have joy if he doesn't, they don't if their kids do what they want them to do. They have joy if they don't they lose it if they can only what they want to own.

They have joy if they can't, they don't.

In other words, they get all the signals for response from the material world. Materialism is what it is the lack of focus on God's a lack of contentment with God. They don't see God at work every responses controlled by the things of time and space.

Most people live like their joyous because it's a big event. Their joy rises and falls on whether they get something new, whether they have some special event with her going on a trip or not. All of that controls their responses because they are totally linked to a circumstance orientation and taking all their cues from the material world that will rob you of joy and put you on a roller coaster that's unrelated to true spiritual joy.

Seventh, another thing that I believe steals joy is ingratitude. Ingratitude. In fact, there are few things in human life uglier than ingratitude view things if I were a parent all over again raising the children. I've already raised. I would spank them oftener and longer and harder for ingratitude than I think almost anything I can think certainly that would be worthy of a spanking far more than if they spilled the milk or dump the paint or whatever other things we spank them for out of anger so often do you train your children to be grateful.

How sharper than a serpent's tooth is a thankless child in gratitude. Failure to be thankful. Instead of focusing on things which you have received from the Lord in everything giving thanks.

Whatever the circumstances, whether they see positive or negative. Some people are never thankful because they are never satisfied.

They don't see life's trials as blessings from God conforming them to Christ. There never satisfied, they never say thanks has to do with pride. Unquestionably ingratitude. Another one is forgetfulness. I think forgetfulness will steal your joy. Say what you mean by that. Well, failure to keep the memory of what you were saved from why is it that new Christians always seem full of joy and you get to the people been saved 40 years or so and they begin many of them to look really sour you notice that why is that I never knew a church split led by new Christians never never heard of a major church problem created by new babes in Christ never heard of it. Never conflict in a church between a group of brand-new Christians never heard of it. Never heard of a group of miserable, griping, murmuring and complaining people in the church, all of whom were just say ridiculous thought you got me a long time Christian to be like that. Why, because somehow we forget what we were saved from. We lost the freshness when new Christians seem to have that that joy of the psalmist in Psalm 1032 says bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not his benefits cultivate a memory of good things will you will be a joyless, cranky, sour, dour person.

What kind of an advertisement is that you have the young Krista, saying, Lord, and not take me home soon. Let that happen.

Number nine in my list.

Another thing that steal your joy is dissatisfaction with your earthly condition. Dissatisfaction with your earthly condition.

Some people lose their joy because I don't like the way they look. They don't like where they live. They don't like the gifts or lack of gifts that they have. They don't like the particular place in life. They have been given there always living as if they were the recipient of something less than they deserved. Paul said, I have learned in whatever state I am, therewith to be what content Philippians 412 are not to be abased, and how to abound the same to me. I don't care I can have it or not have it, but some people lose their joy because they're basically dissatisfied. We all have disabilities.

We all have handicaps. Some people lose their joy because her in a wheelchair. Some people lose their joy because they can't get a job they think will bless them to the level of their ability. Some people don't have joy because they feel that they ought to be more appreciated they don't like where they fit in the church structure they wish they could be doing something more significant they wish they were prettier, are more handsome or more capable athletically or mathematically or academically or whatever it is and it goes into the dimension of whether they have or have not material things as well. Number 10 is another thing you will steal your joy, fear of the future. Fear of the future. Why do some people always imagined that the worst possible thing is going to happen in everything they just go around in fear all the time. Fear of failure fear they will lose what they have fear they might lose their power. They might lose their reputation, fear of illness, fear of death, fear, constant fear of the future, Jesus says, take no thought to what you shall eat and drink what you show where I'll take care that Matthew six Jesus said I'm going away but whatever you ask in my name I'll send it to you.

Don't let your heart be what troubled, neither let it be afraid. What he afraid of some people live in fear. Fear of all kinds of things that aren't happening. If you notice that fear of things that aren't happening. It's the what if syndrome number 11 in my list that will steal your joy is to live by uncontrolled feelings to live by uncontrolled feelings I may give you the definition of a weak person a week person doesn't talk to himself enough to what you mean by that. You gotta get yourself under control. If you live by your uncontrolled feelings you be a victim that's living by the flesh. I think Martyn Lloyd Jones said it best in his book, spiritual depression, listen to this. I suggest that the main trouble in this whole matter of spiritual depression is this that we allow ourselves to talk to us instead of talking to ourselves.

Good have you realize he writes that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself rather than talking to yourself in the art of spiritual living is to know yourself. Psalm 42 he moans and groans and then he says why are you disquieted all my soul, quiet soul.

Hope thou in God. Why are you doing that soliloquy talks to himself.

Some people just listen to themselves, whatever their emotions say they are victims of will do that. Talk to yourself control lives, not by uncontrolled feelings, but by controlling those feelings in the power of the spirit of God bring yourself into submission 12. Another thing that I really believe will steal your joy is morbid self-analysis, morbid self-analysis. That's why I have such an aversion to psychology the first place. It seems to me utterly unnecessary since the Scriptures give us all we need for life and godliness. But secondly, because it tends to make a person concentrate on his own navel to the degree where he becomes morbidly and self-centered Lee. If there is such a word, analytical worrying about his failures, worrying about the possibility of negative attitudes, negative results, negative actions, worrying about the fact that somewhere deep down inside there's something that needs to be uncovered. Poking around and scrambling around a pile of whatever's going on in the past, trying to uncover some secret to spring him loose and what he winds up with is a whole ton of morbidly self analytical baggage that doesn't help them at all. They were inadequate. That's generic enough to satisfy manner to poke around in it forever. I messed up.

I know that to dwell on to poke around and all you did this all my you did it, here's your problem.

You gotta pull off the stuff and find it somewhere down the line you got abused and somebody didn't treat you well and I can blame all of it on that to make you happy. I morbid self-analysis will take take your joy forgetting the things that are behind, looking on your own things, but the things of others move ahead 13 sort of pull together a lot of self-centeredness. Self-centered people are always unhappy because are always unsatisfied. That is a dead-end. Show me a self-centered person. I'll show you miserable person.

Self-centered people can't be satisfied.

The campy unselfish people are satisfied all along because they don't then asking for anything and finally another thing you will steal your joyous guilt. The unwillingness to accept forgiveness. The unwillingness to accept forgiveness just won't accept forgiveness for for many people say it's it goes like this.

II just can't forgive myself and you remind what God forgave you.

I know I know but God does not understand my standards. You have a God complex.

My friend, you have just crawled up one ahead of the Trinity. You can't forgive you for what God has long ago forgiven you for that is a massive ego problem and for many people it's that it's that one sin they get one sin somewhere in their life or one little period of sin and they can't forgive themselves for that.

So they literally live through life always going back to that one thing which is a nonissue with God, which is a joy thief in their life. What a waste of energy 10 waste of needless guilt. That's why I don't see any virtue in poking around to discover sin I don't need it poke around and discover stuff that the Lord has already what forgiven. Why waste my energy doing that will steal your joy for me close by reading you a prayer of one of my favorite mothers in the Bible. Hannah first Samuel 21 Hannah prayed and said my heart exults in the Lord my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation. That's the attitude is that's the attitude there is no one holy like the Lord, there is no one besides the there is no rock like our God she rejoice, she rejoice and that's the attitude we need an attitude of joy that spills out in our relationships and allows us to see people the way all saw these dear Philippians this is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us. John's current study from Philippians 1 is titled joy. Rules no friend. If you know you are saved and you know you're going to heaven. You also know there's a reason to rejoice, yet the reality is it's not easy to stay joyful all day every day you have to resist a lot of temptations. Starting with a 14 John looked at today. John this year in particular has been extremely difficult for a lot of people with all the inconveniences we've endured what encouragement would you have for those who are fighting to keep their joy in hard circumstances. Yellow that's always where you have to fight, and in hard circumstances right and I think aware always to a greater degree in this society were always in hard circumstances. And that's because were exposed to so much media.

Everything might be going along fine in my life and for the most part it is and I and I enjoy the blessing of the Lord but imported into my mind. Are all the troubles of the entire globe, constantly pounding on me and then in one form or another you do, you just literally overwhelmed with the disastrous realities going on across the planet.

The horrors of unbelief.

The terrible, tragic lives of godless people and you see them dying all over the place.

It's horrific that you're exposed to all of this so just sheer exposure can steal your joy and you can become anxious about things that don't even touch your own life, but as a Christian you feel this. The pain of these realities. It's almost as if you have a level of omniscience that steals joy. You might think you would like to be omniscient God is omniscient and I'm content to let him be the omniscient one because I already know too much and I'm not omniscient, but I would like to know a whole lot less than I now know, because it's hard to control the joy of my life.

Summary says to me very frequently. You heard some of your old messages are not as funny as you used to be and I said well to be Austria life isn't as funny as it used to be right because about what we know but we want to help you with that and and there is help coming from the word of God.

I want to remind you about the book anxious for nothing, it's, it's an antidote to worry, it's an antidote to fear. It's a pathway to joy. The book title anxious for nothing, and will send it free to anyone contacting us for the first time is one of the most popular books we've ever given away. We've been doing it for couple of decades now 220 pages I think has a section Psalms for the anxious, all you have to do is ask for. And if you haven't contacted us before. As for a free copy of anxious for nothing. Yes, friend. If you are feeling overwhelmed or worried. Make sure you get this book again. Will send you anxious for nothing for free. If you've never contacted us before getting touch today. Call us now at 855 grace or go to GT Y.org to request the book titled anxious for nothing, whether you're facing the challenges of a global health crisis or difficulties that are all your own anxious for nothing will help you take over the wisdom of the strengthen. Yes, even the peace and joy that God provides. Again, anxious for nothing is yours free.

If you've never contacted us before call now 855 grace or go to GT Y.org and why your online go ahead and download any of John's messages from this current series titled joy rules infect all of John's sermons more than 3500 of them total from 51 years of pulpit ministry. All of them are free in either audio or transcript format@thewebsitegty.org you can search by date preached by the book of the Bible or by sermon title again find those sermons@gty.org and now for John MacArthur and the entire grace to you.

Staff I'm Phil Johnson encouraging you to be here tomorrow when John looks at how your prayer life can directly affect your joy. Don't miss the next half hour of unleashing God's truth one verse at a time on grace to you