WEEK FIVE
Day Five
DAILY SCRIPTURE
Philippians 4:4
LEADER GUIDE QUESTIONS
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Know: Read Philippians 4:4-5
Note: Read slowly, carefully marking keywords.
Rejoice
Observation: Study notes below for context.
What is the repeated phrase?
What: Where is your joy?
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” Philippians 4:4-5
Have you ever been in a church setting where everyone around you looked as if they had been sucking lemons and drinking prune juice? Did you know heaven is always celebrating and having a party? When we worship, we can join the party or have a funeral service for joy- but I guarantee that heaven won’t join that party. We can enter heaven’s rejoicing or continue drinking prune juice; the choice is yours. Praise and worship can be as exciting as you allow or as dead as you want because heavenly realities happen in the spirit.
God loves it when we enter into heavenly worship because that’s where He is! He wants to show us things and celebrate with us. Be free to celebrate Him in your worship. Joy is one-third of the Kingdom: “ For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17)
The birth of Jesus was ushered in by an angelic celebration, “The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11) This good news continues to this day. The Gospel should be good news! When King returns, it will be a day of celebration, “Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself.” (Revelation 19:7 AMPC)
King David prophecied this long-awaited Day of the Lord’s return, “The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” (Psalm 118:24 NLT)
Jesus said this about joy:
“I have told you these things, that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing.” (John 15:11) Jesus is speaking of a supernatural joy. This joy He paid for is essential to our Christian faith. Stop for a second as you read this and ask yourself if you are experiencing joy in everything you do. As you go about your duties at church- whether you serve in children’s ministry or worship or roll out of bed to attend church, where is your joy? Do you help behind the scenes? Where’s your joy? I’m not talking about joking and laughing and poking fun with friends; I mean the supernatural joy of God that Jesus paid for you to have. Do you find yourself grumpy because you feel like all the work falls on you, and you live in constant frustration? It’s time to stop and let Jesus’ joy be your strength. You’ll be amazed at how you will begin to feel joy and experience the joy of people around you because they no longer have to live with “grumpy” and can be free to have some fun around you.
If you lack it, ask for it. God is a good Heavenly Father who loves to give good gifts. You have not because you ask not- have you asked Him for His supernatural joy?” You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11)
As children of God, we have his very life within us. His presence and joy are inseparable. “For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” ( 1 Peter 1:23)
You carry the DNA of God, which means His joy is in your design.
The presence of Jesus makes us brave. His love drives out fear, and His grace makes us more than conquerors. His fullness of joy gives us all the strength we need to defy the enemy, and we rejoice, knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
We already learned about Paul and Silas’s escape from a prison cell after thier celebration of joy. They were completely enamored with Jesus, and the joy of the Lord was thier strength and victory.
What made David face the giant Goliath with only a slingshot and stone? (1 Samuel 17:50)
Daniel praised God openly when threatened to be thrown into the lion’s den and fed alive. God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lion, and no injury was found on his body.
When the Lord told King Jehoshaphat, “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15) Surrounded by his enemies, he went to war with a choir of singers leading the way. As they worshiped, the Lord ambushed the enemy, who ended up self-destructing. For three days, Jehosephat’s army picked up the spoils of war, and they returned rejoicing because the Lord had made them rejoice over thier enemies. “Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them rejoice over their enemies.” (2 Chronicles 20:27)
The Lord has promised to fight our battles. All you have to do is look to Jesus. No matter what you face, turn your gaze to Jesus. Our response to enemies, threats, and intimidation is to praise the One who promises always to cause us to triumph. Joy is expressed in praise. As we praise, He fights for us. As we stay positioned, the Lord will defeat our enemies.
Adversity comes to us all, but how we respond to that adversity determines how God can work in and through us. Find the beauty in your Savior and fixate on Him. What He promised, He will do.