WHAT STEALS WHAT STEALS OUR JOY?OUR JOY?

Dr. Eric ReeseDr. Eric Reese

The church of Philippi was started on The church of Philippi was started on the 2nd missionary trip of the Apostle the 2nd missionary trip of the Apostle Paul. (recorded in Acts 16) The church Paul. (recorded in Acts 16) The church was founded while Paul was camped was founded while Paul was camped beside a river and people began to beside a river and people began to get saved thereget saved there

The book of Philippians covers The book of Philippians covers two main topics: Mind of Christ and two main topics: Mind of Christ and Joy.Joy. The words "joy" and "rejoice" are The words "joy" and "rejoice" are used 16 times in the used 16 times in the epistle..

We can combine the main We can combine the main topics:topics:

The Joy of the Lord is our strength!The Joy of the Lord is our strength!

The book of Philippians covers four The book of Philippians covers four subjects that may steal our joy!subjects that may steal our joy!

1)1) CircumstancesCircumstances2) People

3)3) PossessionPossession

4)4) WorryWorry

Philippians 1:4Philippians 1:4

““In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.”.”

PossessionPossession

  

In the third book of In the third book of Philippians Paul speaks on Philippians Paul speaks on three subjects:three subjects:

1.1.SalvationSalvation

2.2.SanctificationSanctification

3.3.Glorification Glorification

Philippians 3:1-3Philippians 3:1-31 “1 “Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the

Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you...

2 2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh!!

3 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh..

OBS: In the old testament the false prophets were called dogs, OBS: In the old testament the false prophets were called dogs, and Apostle Paul was writting to them to remind them that and Apostle Paul was writting to them to remind them that our joy does not come from our joy does not come from PossessionPossession, but in salvation , but in salvation through Christ Jesusthrough Christ Jesus

APOSTLE APOSTLE PAUL IS A PAUL IS A

STORY STORY TELLER!TELLER!

SalvationSalvation

CRCREDITEDIT

Philippians 3: 5-6Philippians 3: 5-6

5 “5 “circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee..

6 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.”.”

DDEBTEBT7 “7 “But whatever were gains to me I now consider

loss for the sake of Christ.”.”

8 “8 “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

9 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[i] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith..

In Brazil’s past, the In Brazil’s past, the coins were called a coins were called a Cruzeiro. When it Cruzeiro. When it

began to be called a began to be called a Real, the Cruzeiro Real, the Cruzeiro

became of no value!became of no value!

WONWONPhilippians 3: 10 – 11Philippians 3: 10 – 11

10 “10 “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death..

11 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”.”

Example: There was a really poor Example: There was a really poor man, who had a dumpster behind man, who had a dumpster behind his house. One day another man his house. One day another man came and asked to switch the came and asked to switch the poor man’s house for a house in poor man’s house for a house in front of the beach.front of the beach.

Jesus did the same with us. He Jesus did the same with us. He traded his life for our.traded his life for our.

SanctificationSanctification

RUNNERRUNNER

Philippians 3: 12Philippians 3: 12

12 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me..

2 TIMOTHY 4: 6 – 72 TIMOTHY 4: 6 – 7

6 “6 “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near..

7 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith..

1)1) FIGHT FOR YOUR FIGHT FOR YOUR HOLINESS:HOLINESS:

Obs: Apostle Paul was speaking Obs: Apostle Paul was speaking in the runner’s language.in the runner’s language.

Philippians 3: 13Philippians 3: 13

““Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”.”

2) WE NEED TO FORGET OUR 2) WE NEED TO FORGET OUR PAST, AND FOCUS ON OUR PAST, AND FOCUS ON OUR

GOAL.GOAL.

Philippians 3: 14Philippians 3: 14

““I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”.”

3) Fight a good 3) Fight a good fight!fight!

Ex: The professional athlete lives off of Ex: The professional athlete lives off of playing their sport. Sports is his life. An playing their sport. Sports is his life. An amateur only plays sports every so amateur only plays sports every so often.often.

Final Example: Final Example:

There are men who draw figures There are men who draw figures using the sand on the beach. How using the sand on the beach. How are their drawings so perfect?are their drawings so perfect?

This is why: They remove all This is why: They remove all useless parts. A life of holiness is useless parts. A life of holiness is also like that. Jesus wants to also like that. Jesus wants to remove all unclean and useless remove all unclean and useless things out of our lives.things out of our lives.

Philippians 3: 17Philippians 3: 17

““Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”.”

Philippians 3: 18 to 19Philippians 3: 18 to 19

““For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. ””

Philippians 3: 20 to 21Philippians 3: 20 to 21

““But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body..

During Apostle Paul’s time, when During Apostle Paul’s time, when there was a competition the winner was there was a competition the winner was glorified. The emperor would call the glorified. The emperor would call the winner to the top, then the soldier on the winner to the top, then the soldier on the right of the emperor would tell him, this is right of the emperor would tell him, this is the winner and the soldier on the left of the the winner and the soldier on the left of the emperor woud hand him a crown. The emperor woud hand him a crown. The emperor then crowned the winner. After emperor then crowned the winner. After this the emperor would clap three times for this the emperor would clap three times for the winner, and the public would do the the winner, and the public would do the same after the emperor. In the same way same after the emperor. In the same way we will be glorified in heaven and on earth.we will be glorified in heaven and on earth.

. The emperor then crowned the . The emperor then crowned the winner. After this the emperor winner. After this the emperor would clap three times for the would clap three times for the winner, and the public would do winner, and the public would do the same after the emperor. In the same after the emperor. In the same way we will be glorified the same way we will be glorified in heaven and on earth.in heaven and on earth.