The Happy Prisoner - Part A

Godly passion is commendable. Paul had a passionate life that seems to be very popular?

What your passion will have one master passion.

If you know anything at all about Paul the apostle you know he was a pretty determined guy. He had what we would call a type A personality highly motivated with a single focus.

Generally, people like that are highly successful because they never quit, never say die never give up. Everyone, including you as a master passion. What drives you people can be passionate about the strangest things like extreme iron competitive dog filing lawsuits today on connect with Skip Heitzigs, Skip explores the best thing you can be passionate about the gospel. But before we begin reading the stories of the Bible is a very good thing.

Walking where the stories took place is at a whole another level. Skip Heitzig is planning his next tour and you can be on it. Here's the invitation from Skip urine for an incredible time as we travel throughout Israel and experience the culture that's so unique to backcountry now.

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Start planning and singling out to tour Israel with Skip Heitzig information@inspirationcruises.com/CAB Q that's inspiration cruises.com/see ABQ as we get into the teaching with Skip Heitzigs in the present. On his first day he heard somebody yell out of one of the cells a number 643 and the whole cellblock broke out in laughter that the on a few moments later, another prisoner yelled out 75 and everybody broke out in laughter again and then 56 and everybody broke out in laughter. So he turned to his cellmate who had been a long time ago.I don't get what's happening what what my hearing here is as we know we been here so long and we been telling the same jokes to each other over and over and over again that we've just numbered them all. So now all we have to do is yell out a number we think of that joking me laugh so the prisoner said how can I try that is insured shot so shut up 12 dead silence again 12 that silences what's happening in the gut.

I guess some guys just can't tell a joke in Philippians chapter 1 verses 12 through 14.

I'm giving this a message title happy prisoner that sounds like an oxymoron because you don't associate happiness, generally with being in prison I prison is a place where usually joy is absent, the place where life is unpleasant. It's a place where dreams go to die.

I found a website for the criminal justice system called corrections.com in which this statement was on most prisoners are unhappy.

Many of them are unhappy all the time.

Many contemplate or attempt suicide or self-mutilation. The suicide rate for American prisoners is between 5 to 15 times greater than it is the general American population."

I'm sharing that with you to begin with because I just want you to keep in mind that we are reading the letter of a prisoner somebody who was incarcerated for his faith in Christ.

Let's look at our verses this morning and will see what he has to say. Chapter 1 verse 12. It's a I thought now, but I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me.

It actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard and to all the rest that my chains are in Christ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains are much more bold to speak the word without fear. So Paul is a prisoner is a prisoner in Rome. These are not the best conditions that he has ever been in.

This is not the happiest place. Paul is physically bound and Paul's ministry is severely restricted and yet you remember what the theme of this book is tell me what it is joy. That's a letter losing with joy for chapters 104 versus and one of the themes. The major themes is joy. Let's look at a few things.

Look at verse three.

Chapter when I thank my God upon every remembrance of you always in every prayer of mine, making request for you all with joy. Verse 18. What then only that in every way, whether in pretense or truth, Christ is preached, and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.

Chapter 2 verse 17 yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith. I am glad and rejoice with you all. Chapter 3, verse one.

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. Chapter 4 verse four rejoice in the Lord and I say it again rejoice, so he's a prisoner incarcerated in a jail saying, rejoice, rejoice in glad rejoice now. Either he's a nutcase he's been beat up one too many times and now his brains are addled or number two is lying through his teeth, but not a good Christian vasoconstriction is most accurately rejoice mildly or he's on to something. And we need to find out what it is that makes him so joyful and so that leads me to give you a statement that I think sort of and capitalizes the whole book, and that's this spiritual maturity can be measured by what it takes to steal your joy.

Spiritual maturity can be measured by what it takes to steal your to what is it take to end the experience of joy as a believer to the area of anger or bitterness.

Whatever would be spiritual maturity can be measured by what it takes to steal your joy the other night my grandson spent the night. It's always a joy and got up in the morning I was making breakfast for and so he was watching cartoons and he came because I'm looking for Winnie the Pooh and we we love watching that we both loved what he did was all we didn't find it but that's what we were looking for but I often wondered if life will Winnie the Pooh episode what character would you be, would you be perhaps the timid piglet.

Would you be to bear himself who likes to eat a lot with GBD important but pushy rabbit. Would you be the wise but boring towel table. Paul the apostle would be you who he be be Tigger, Paul the apostle would be that exuberant ebullient, resilient, bouncy tiger character name Tigger see Paul has every reason to be Igor. He has no outward reason at all to be joyful, but he is joyful. I found an article on the put up and have you see it as I read it to you from psychology today. That said, quote people are unhappy because they view their lives as prisons. Many people feel trapped by aspects of their life trapped in an unhappy relationship or trapped in an unfulfilling job were generally unhappy with their life despite basic needs being met."

So don't you find it interesting that this dude is in prison.

He is not licking his wounds. He is not sending out invitations to a pity party for the same. Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice now to find out why we need to follow the progress of his thinking in these three verses are. I'm glad we only have three verse because it again with his passion move on to his problems and end with his perspective. You have to understand his passions to really understand his problems because one led to the other, but then will end with his perspective on there's enough information here for me to draw out three principles. Let me share the first with you godly passion is commendable godly passion is commendable. Paul had a passion in life that seems to be very popular?

What you passion in life. Paul had one he had a master passion. If you know anything at all about Paul the apostle you know he was a pretty determined guy. He had what we would call a type A personality highly motivated with a single focus and generally people like that are highly successful people because they never quit. They never say die they never give up. Everyone, including you as a master passion. What drives you, what does your mind think of when it's in neutral and you got nothing going on all the activities are gone. What is the one thing about everything that you want or seek for or want to do more than anything else.

For some people it's a career and for those people who make that their master passion.

Everything else takes a backseat. Sadly, even relationships will often take a backseat for other people. It's power for other people it's money.

Let me remind you of what Paul's passion was Paul's passion can be summed up by two words the gospel.

The gospel of the gospel the message that changes people's lives was what he lived for it was his master passion. How much was this on his mind while look at verse five for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Now look at verse seven.

I have you in my heart. Inasmuch as both my change in the defense and confirmation of God gospel you are partakers of mere grace with verse 12. I want to know, brother, and the things which it happened to me. It actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. Verse 17, but the latter out of love knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

Verse 27 only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. So whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel that is only this chapter. If you were to add up all of the times and all of Paul's writings that he mentions the gospel it's 72 times the gospel. The gospel I don't all the gospel without the gospel 41 are likely to ask what you doing the gospel that is his master passion that I can be summed up by two verses both found in the book of Romans versus Romans 115 where he says as much as is in me I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also did you get that language is much as it is in me to the fullest extent of my being what I want is my passion. The second is in Romans 15 verse 24 he said, for it has always been by ambition, substitute the word passion. It is always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ is not known lest I build on another man's foundation question. Why is that is passion.

Why would that thing that at one time he tried with all of his might to stop me now is passion. Remember Paul around putting out the fire of the gospel, keeping it from spreading. He went to the masses to stop the gospel. Why is this now is passion simple answer that because the gospel was the only thing that could change him. Nothing else could.

Nothing else did on that Damascus Road when he saw that light and heard that voice, and he received that Jesus's life was never the same. That's important because until you've experienced the gospel's power.

You will never have a gospel passion, it's only people who have seen and felt and experienced the power of the gospel in their own lives that it becomes to them a passion William Booth to start at the Salvation Army said some men's passion is for gold some men's passion is for art. Some men's passion is for fame. He said my passion is for souls that Paul would've stood there when Booth said that he disliked out his hand to put her there. You and I track because that was Paul's passion as well.

In fact, Paul said. Romans chapter 1 verse 16 for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For it is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes polity and its power.

Now Paul has its passion. Just say that a godly passion like this is commendable, so much so that I look for in people and I've I've gotten good at noticing it when I find I find it I exploited five find some young person's got that fire in their eyes that sparkle that will deep desire to know God and serve Christ and learn the Bible and preach the gospel. I want to bring that person as close as I can under my wing and train that person equip that person to get out and do what is there passion so godly passion is commendable.

That brings up a second movement we go from Paul's passion to Paul's predicament or his problems and he mentions them in verse 12, before we jump into the verse to say that one always brings the other a godly passion always invites great problem. Did you hear that a godly passion always involves or invites great passion. Why is that well because we are passionate about souls you are entering a battleground on which Satan has been fighting a long time. He's got a lot of experience so when you say I am passionate about the gospel I'm going to rush. I want to save souls. You are painting a bull's-eye on you. Your target, Satan will be after you. It's a war he's been engaging so the great commission will always bring great conflict that Jesus even said faith can sometimes be fatal. He promises disciples then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death and you will be hated by all nations for my namesake.

So here is because God is passion for the gospel gospel gospel gospel, but then he says in verse 12, but I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me stop right there something habitable he's mentioning it. Something happened to this passionate man was it. He's in jail again. That's what happened to him. He's been there many times before he's been beaten many times before. He's had hardship many times before. All because of his passion for the gospel. That's what happened to him. So now he has a jail ministry a prison ministry, but not like he expected you know if you have a prison ministry you go to the prison you visit the prisoners you go home and have a nice meal with your family. Not Paul. He lived there.

I was his prison ministry is not what he expected. Now sitting in a Roman prison. He does not have the freedom to go out and plant churches and share the gospel here and train up leaders.

There he stuck you should know that Paul is in Rome. He always wanted to go to Rome as part of his passion. He wrote to the Romans and he said pray for me that I may come to you with joy by the will of God. It may be refreshed together with you.so exactly what happened, something bad happened to this man and here's what happened after his third missionary journey goes back to Jerusalem.

He's in the temple area with another fellow going to a ceremonial ritual.

Some of the leaders spot Paul there. They start a riot and they attack him a Roman soldier arrests Paul not to punish him, but to protect them from the mob takes Paul is about that Paul beaten Paul poses Roman citizenship card out so you can BBM a Roman citizen so he is then taken from Jerusalem to Caesarea by the sea, where he spends two years and he goes through three trials in two years. He stands before Felix. He stands before Festus, he stands before Herod Agrippa and after two years of minuses.

I'm done. This judicial process is crazy. I appeal my case to Caesar in Rome every Roman citizen have that right.

So the partnership is not a cruise ship is not a Princess cruise is a prison cruise, they put them on this boat descended to Rome, he almost as a make it around the ship sinks he has to swim to shore, but he finally goes to Rome where he's put in jail again. All of that is under this banner, but the things which happened to me.

That's what he is referring to that set of circumstances is enough to change any ticker into an ER pretty quickly. You know that incarceration will always challenge her joy. Restriction of any kind is a challenge to your joy, confinement of any sort will challenge your joy. Some of you feel chained to a job it's a tyrant to you.

Some of you feel chained to a relationship or set of responsibilities.

You didn't sign up for and maybe because of that.

Your passion is gone.

It's right up is not what you had in mind your thinking back to that moment when you finally set. I surrender my life to you, Jesus, and I don't just mean salvation. Maybe you came to the point after salvation reset. Now many get serious on a really live for Christ. From this day forward, but here you are today your thinking back to that date. This is not what you had in mind that there effect.

Could it be, is it possible that when you said, Lord, I surrender to your plan that you said that like the couple who went to the architect and asked the architect to design a house for them. The architect discovered the couple already designed it for themselves as one of the architect to sanction.

Maybe when you said, Lord, I surrender my life to you what you meant. As I surrender my will, I hope it is your will. Lord, here are my plans for my life. I just want your stamp on it because you must want what I want. And now you going this is not what I thought I signed up for the Paul was about to say something very revolutionary. This what we really need to listen so removed from his passion to his problems to his perspective. How does he view all that is happened to him. Now as we dive into this on disconnect review what is the theme of this letter, joy 16×16 times in this letter. The word joy word rejoice or the word rejoicing or found no less than 16 times that Skip message for you from the series Technicolor joy right now. He was a great resource to help you access the power of the Holy Spirit to live victoriously. The Holy Spirit is mysterious in the Bible. Jesus even said she moves like the wind.

So Christians are instructed to know and be sensitive to his and his health Council and comfort as skip, I think reminds us can't neglect the Holy Spirit since the Scripture is the Holy Spirit from beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation. Not only is the Bible. The Holy Spirit you can teach you Holy Spirit is a divine person who helps us how many of you think you need all the help you can get to live your Christian life you I'm fine with. We need help discover who the Holy Spirit is pastor Skip DVD study found and for a limited time you can also get a copy of Gilenya called in power govern your spiritual gifts. Both resources are everything your gift of $25 or more to help expand title teaching outreach to get online securely connect with.com/or call 800-922-1888 many people around the world and experiencing a new life in Jesus. Thanks to your support, just listen to this letter. One person's hand. Thank you for what you've done in my life. I recently gave my life to Christ and have been studying the Bible and getting deep understanding from your teachings you make stories like this possible with your generosity and give you another opportunity to reach even more people with God's love and truth just to connectwithskip.com/donate.connectwithskip.com/donate or call 892 1888 in 1900 9218 thanks you coming up tomorrow Skip Heitzig six years how you can have the right perspective. When you encounter obstacles doing God's work is always an obstacle involved. It's going forward forward forward in the myths about civil sort. Paul wants them to know is I want you to know brother that all that is happened to meet the incarcerations beating the mistrials incarceration that has stopped the advance of the gospel in fact cleared it actually further made progress so Skip presentation of connection communications to go changing truth ever-changing time