How to Catch It

This is a message from leading the way with Dr. Michael, you sat. We pray that it will encourage you in your walk of faith. If you would like to learn more about Dr. you Seth for leading the way, please visit LTW.or people confuse happiness with joy. In fact, if you listen carefully you find a lot of people use those words interchangeably.

That's not really true and so often today and after the series of messages out the correct when you hear them talk about joy and happiness in the same breath, or use them interchangeably because happiness comes from getting what we want and that is why it is often temporary at best and that is why The Pursuit of Happyness can be the most unhappy of all pursuits. Why, because often we don't get what we want. Other times we actually lose what we have and therefore our happiness is not really dependable or as is often the case. Some people want something so badly. And then finally they got it, and after a while you lose interest.

That sort of the and wears off, and that is why you must understand the difference between happiness and joy joy.

On the other hand, has only one source and it comes from only one place in his name is Jesus. Jesus is the only source of joy. Y'all never made a joyful person who doesn't have Jesus in the life.

He is the only source of joy and that can never ever ever ever be taken away from you. You can't lose it and you often heard it said the joy is gone from those three words JOY Jesus, others and yourself. If you put Jesus first other second yourself last. You have joy that's fine is a wonderful cliché, but military is something I will give you a use of formula I joy is for Jesus. Why is for you, but the all in the middle stands for nothing. Zero. That is when there is nothing between you and Jesus you have joy when something comes between you and Jesus, and I can have joy, don't forget it and this is what Philippians is all about this magnificent little epistle. In fact, the joy that Paul talks about is the kind of joy that you find people experience in the tough times you see people going through difficult times and yet there joyful at the same time somebody else might have everything going their way to have no joy and this epistle of joy is going to show you the secret of continuous joy, how to have it continuously in your life. And of course you not understand the church in Philippi was not a perfect church and happy clapping church.

You know they're always going everything is fine, therefore, is talk about joy. None of. They actually had so many problems and material needs. They had the tension within the church. They have disagreements like that that there was some egotistical people who were insisting on their way in the will creating havoc in the church. There were fractious people there, and therefore they were not having joy. Another is why Paul is writing to them 14 times in this little epistle, telling them about the secret of his joy. I don't need to tell you that this is a time, at least in my lifetime where there are more people who are fearful and anxious and worried and discouraged. And yes joy list than I have seen in a long time and I believe in my heart. If there's ever a series of messages that the Lord laid on my heart for this time it is a series of messages from epistle to the Philippians, which I'm calling the series. It is contagious.

Pass it on because that's what joy is.

It is contagious and I'm going to show you in the next several messages how to catch it hard to keep it hard exhibited symptoms, how to infect others with it how to value it how to appropriate its blessings and how to stabilize its condition and how to maintain its benefits. So I want you to turn with me please to Philippians chapter 1 how do you catch it as the first 11 verses if you look with me in the Bible. It is a gift from God and it comes to you as one package was salvation. It is not to get salvation here and then a few years later you get joy in his one package and you get it altogether. Joy is constantly provided in our lives through the presence of the Holy Spirit and that is why Paul told the Romans in chapter 14 verse 17 he said, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but it is righteousness and peace and the joy of the Holy Spirit. Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit and that food is going to hang out all over you when you are fully obedient to the word of God when there is obedience and operation in your life you gonna experience the joy of the Lord. I want to tell you from painful personal experience. Disobedience to the word of God will steal your joy. It will cover up your joy doesn't necessarily mean that you gonna lose your joy completely because it is there. It is just covered up with all the clutter of this world and the worries of this world and anxieties of this world that brings to life and the distrust in the promises of God is going to cover up your joy and that is why Jeremiah said in 1516.

Your word became to me at joy and a delight to my heart when ever you are obedient to the word of God you joy is gonna deepen even in the tough times. Even in the difficult times. Even in the dark days and that is why Jim 712.

He said considered all jewelry, my brethren, when you encounter various problem finality tell you that the believers joy is made complete when you focus on your hope of heaven. Romans 1212 rejoicing in hope, the reason why the church today in the 21st century has lost its power in the world is because the velocity joy. How because we have become so focused on this world, we have become so focused on our strategy. We have become so focused on our styles. We have become so focused on what we like and dislike.

We have become so focused on this life that we have forgot about our eternal home. John Newton, whom you know as the author of the great hymn amazing Grace was a great pastor and one day he went to visit a lady in his church who lost everything basically in a foreigner house caught fire and everything she owned in this world went up in smoke and Newton said I bring you great joy Mme. as she said, what joy when all our property is consumed by fire. He said no not at all is said by joy that you have so much property that fire cannot touch this. If all love the Philippians he really had a very soft spot for them. He loved them dearly and and he wanted to share with them the very secret of his joy. Why does he was he a joyful person and he led so many of those people to Christ himself and from Lynn the other great businesswoman. He led her and her family to Christ to the Philippian jailer who actually consented to the congregation in our congregation this thing about joy in Paul's letter is not really a theory because I was in charge of the prison here in Philippi. When Paul and Silas were beaten up and bleeding all over the place, but in the middle of the night that were singing and praising God and having joy in their hearts and he said the earthquake came and then I cried out and said what must I do to be saved in this estimate believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you and your household shall be safe. He's one of those people who came to the Lord because of the apostle Paul and the joy that this man exhibited not just in theory, not just in words but in all of his life and he felt this unique relationship with the church at Philippi and that is why in those four brief chapters. He tells him his secretive joy in the midst of the crushing circumstances, but you know that his greatest testimony is greatest witness to the congregation. There is not necessarily the words are the words inspired by the Holy Spirit. Nothing God for them, but it is where he wrote that letter about joy from he was not in an American prison. We got some color television and and and some decent meals and clean place to the slick that was a gin and… I rejoice with me tell you about the secret of my joy. Paul was in prison, but he was joyful me tell you how I would've written this part by erratic is how I would've written it.

I thank God for your faith and that's why I need you to pray for me. Probably because my situation is really tough. I am in this miserable situation where I'm not able to preach the gospel. I am so depressed. I'm so discouraged because I see no way out of here except martyrdom of death of both of the Roman justice system has let me down. You know when I was in Jerusalem and I appeal to Caesar, I really had a great hope for the Roman justice system, but it let me down.

I discovered it was riddled with corruption and favoritism and also serving justice. My body is aching and my arthritis playing up and my joints are creaking and I'm having sleepless nights. Please pray for me that God would deliver me and intervene and get me out of this terrible place, your pastor, Michael listen to Paul written those words. I for one would not blame him and live with you know it. Would you buddy, he jumps out of grace and peace which is normal breathing on the instrument, he jumps out of there to talking about joy as I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first date of this time he was thankful for this sacrificial giving.

They did not give her the crumbs that fell off the table didn't give just a little bit. They gave out of the desperate need and posting. I am so thankful to God for your faithfulness. I am so thankful for your partnership and the preaching of the gospel and he is so rejoicing in their some court even though he's in the imprisonment and that is why, in fact, he doesn't give his imprisonment. A great deal of space. He doesn't give it a great deal of airtime you want to say Paul, what is the secret of this incredible joy he gives you the secret and it's verse six. It is one of the greatest verses in the entire Bible being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ to the wise one, the greatest verses because it tells us it tells you it tells me that God, the God who brought you salvation will never, never, never, never allow you to lose your salvation. Did you get that same man some of your gonna kick and scream all over the place.

I know that that's all right, kick and scream all you want. Some of it on a holler. So, Michael Lerner, I chose Jesus. I put my faith. It must continue a salvation is dependent on me and what I do for Jesus is not going to do any good because it's an error. It is not the truth of the word of God. Summers, I will. Michael I know some people who are really great Christians and their fellow way and I know somebody might even preached you. How come God didn't listen to me who told you that that person was safe to begin with. Just because somebody puts on a Christian mask or call themselves Christian, doesn't mean there saved. There are churches in America that are filled with people are not saved you know what I'm saying. So be careful. Be careful because when the Lord saves you, he doesn't Savior for a day or two over this life.

He saves you forever and for eternity. He doesn't give you a gift and takes it away from you. One of the great men that have the greatest impact on my life was an illiterate man. I was 18 years old.

God brought him away. He began to disciple me a not a member.

One of the things he said to me, and I'll never forget the day I die. He's her brother said, remember this, God is not sitting up in heaven with a pencil within the race at the back of it and so your repent of your sins and you come to the Lord and receive salvation. So he writes your name in the book of life with principal then you blow it so he tips a pencil upside down and he erases your name when you come back scream and cry as the Lord forgive me I'm sorry I sent Satan's a pencil back in writes your name again and then he will turn the Pinson Photonics. Tommy brought he will ration him again and then he will write your name again when you come back and because he said that is not the character of our God. He doesn't use pencils when he has written your name in the book of life eroded with the blood of Jesus and it is that the stay in because your name is written by the blood of Christ in the Lamb's book of life.

Nobody and nothing can erase it. You see the Bible say Paul saying that God never begins.

Anything that he never finishes I've known people through my faith years.

This project and the new moon to the next project and have ways done then again the next project. God bless up on it. The drive you nuts but still in a receipt, not God. He always finishes what he starts and even started, but giving your salvation being undertaken away from you. You can even change that yourself. Now if Paul wrote this verse this right. Listen carefully. Had he written verse six.

This way all Philippians. I have every confidence in you that you will keep your commitment to Christ no matter what.

Who gets the glory, they would have right get the glory. And the reason those who think that salvation is up to them and they the ones is going to do it.

The gluons that want to get the glory.

Nothing, nothing will humble you and keep you on your face and on your knees, then knowing that Jesus saved you eternally that he began that work and he'll bring it to completion is gonna take you across the finish line. Nothing really say all Michael where did Paul get his teaching will listen to what Jesus said some of you still resent now is still optimally. Okay, listen to the words of Jesus and then if you have an argument have it with Jesus, not with me. Only the mailman John chapter 10 verse 27, 28 Mars sheep listen to my voice and I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never say never perish.

Listen to the rest of no one can snatch them out of my hand, is enough to make you shout is what Paul got his teaching. He got it from Jesus.

And that is why in Romans 838. He can say for unconvinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons are neither present, nor future, nor any power neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. When he saved you he saved you completely eternally and forever you know what I was thinking throughout my experiences.

If you show me a continuously joyless Christian, I will show you a Christian who is having a hard time believing in the eternal security of the believer who think it's up to them.

Joy comes from knowing that he began a good work is able to bring it to completion all the way to the end is Paul's attitude. I might be in this miserable dungeon, but I am filled with joy because my salvation is not dependent on me. It is signed, sealed and delivered by Jesus's own blood, and no one can take that away from me and that can give me all the joy that a man can stand versus seven and eight.

He reminds them that God did not save them just to save them. That's what some people think they got save them just to save them only a foolish person would make this statement all well since God is the one who guarantees my salvation all the way to heaven. Then I can live which way I want to live in an hour and then he'll take care of that.

That's a foolish statement. In fact, it really is an indication of a person is not saved that the mind is not in the heart not regenerated by Christ because a person who really understand that Jesus is the grantor of your salvation is gonna be on his knees on her face before God in gratitude and thanksgiving, and the apostle Paul is saying to them, God saved you for a purpose. What wasn't there partnership in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Together with Paul he knows he can set and I remember fondly all the good times we've had together. In the times when Anna saw that went to the ballgame and really had a great time with the hotdogs and the niceties and will or are you not remember the fun that that the church picnics that we used to have them fill apartment. I remember with fondness that the great food we used to have her own like we tend to talk today in a man it was great hanging out with you guys to shallow football. I should be too shallow for ask who we had a great time sharing didn't we share each other to death and we had some fun together in our discussion group fine.

All these things are fine.

I'm not against them probably did all that but as far as the great apostle was concerned, he is saying that their shared passion for the gospel of Jesus Christ and to get the lost be saved in the proclamation of the gospel was the most exciting partnership of all, I am convinced that there is nothing that can unite believers together with their black and white to brown up ritual for fat or for men or women introvert or extrovert. Nothing can unite them together like realizing that Jesus came from heaven and died on the cross so that he might reconcile sinners to his father.

That is the one thing that can unite people more than you will can ever imagine. Everything else is okay, but nothing will unite us like the gospel. What gives Paul joy verse seven we all share in God's grace with Mary and that is why versus non-agent and he said, and this is my prayer. You do well to use this prayer to pray for others, that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern my goodness no one on the line. That word if we have such desperate need today among Christians is discernment that you might discern what is best in the that you might be pure and blameless until the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, is another Yusuf is a joyless Christian is a fruitless Christian because he is or she is disobedient Christian.

Jesus said I am the true vine. Therefore, if your strategy is right you will bear fruit right so the natural Zoe said I am the true vine, and therefore if you do work 12 hours a day, you will bear fruit.

He said I am the true vine, and if you abide in me, you will bear fruit.

If you abide in my word, you will bear fruit. Again, a fruitless Christian is a disobedient Christian and a disobedient Christian is a joyless Christian who is the only source of joy and when something comes between you and Jesus you lose your joy. I have met people that breaks my heart who were running from seminar to seminar church to charge conference to conference this profile activity to this activities. This activity is looking for the chalk they can only find in Christ will not find it in all these things is only one source for the joy and when nothing comes between you and Jesus you catch your joy is how you catch them knowing that he who began a good work in you is able to bring it to completion. How many of you have seen the film Lawrence of Arabia was some of you might not of known is that after world war one Lawrence of Arabia took some of his Arab friends to Paris, France. He wanted to show them all the sites you want to expose them to the Western culture. He wanted to show them all their friendship culture and and and so he he took them the parasitic and he showed them the louver and he showed them the arc of triumph and he showed them Bonaparte student showed up. Chancellor said he wanted you want to show them all these incredible sites, but they expressed no interest. Go back to the hotel room and they wanted to spend most of their time in the bathrooms of their hotels, turning on and off the faucets who would turn it on and it will turn it off and turn them on the new Panama that were mesmerized that were fascinated they that they just couldn't believe that you can turn the handle and and you get all the water you want. I mean is just it's right there, and I thought this was the answer to their arid lands and so as they were leaving friends.

He went to get them and he found them in the bathrooms trying to unhook the faucets in the said Lawrence, if we take these home with us.

We can just turn them on and get all the water we want. And he had to explain to that. The secret is not in the faucets is not in the handles this secret is that these faucets these tapestries, these handles are connected by a pipe to the source of water in the answer to the dry land is not the faucets but water to handles these faucets not the answer to the scarcity of their water beloved.

There are many people today who are living joyless lives and they think that if they get into the trappings of religion if they get into the trappings of churchy additive to get into these trappings of of activities that they will have joy their lives as dry as the Arabian desert and there spend their time going after these faucets in these handles and and they don't understand that the secret is the connection was Jesus and that there be no relief for joblessness until nothing comes between them and Jesus. Psalm chapter 1 is one of the most exciting Psalms illustrates what I'm trying to say this is that person is like the tree that is planted by the source of the water which means obedience to the word of God and with that obedience takes place, and nothing between Jesus and you that connection is going to produce fruit much fruit.

I'm not against activities. I'm not against working hard as you know I do. But without Christ.

Those activities of empty activities. Obedience to the word of God brings joy that produces fruit just like that obedience joy fruit, obedience, joy, fruit, father.

Only the Holy Spirit can communicate what I'm trying to do and so we come to you, believing, trusting that he who began a good work will bring it to completion and father we say were sorry for losing our joy because we have allowed things to come between us and you, Lord Jesus. Father God, I pray that you will teach us to hook up with the source and not all the trappings that are designed to detractors and ultimately hide your joy may those words that we just heard with our outward ears. Father beat penetrate deep into our minds and our hearts and into our wills that will produce the fruit that is desirable to you and you alone. In Jesus name, amen