! Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Finding Joy"

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Finding Joy

Finding Joy can be a difficult thing at times. At least I know I struggle with it often enough. Until the after the elections it may seem impossible since aliens have taken over our TV sets, mail boxes and our phone lines. I say aliens because it is obvious that politicians do not live on the same planet the rest of us do. But this passage of scripture says we are to be “joyful always”. This passage we regulate to the blah, blah, blah, part of reading, the part you read the words because you have to but you never really listen to them. Being joyful is not easy for we have circumstances that take our joy and then there are the joy suckers, people who come around and try to suck all the joy from your life, like the dementors in Harry Potter. So how do we become joyful.

1.UNDERSTANDING THE PASSAGE

A. IT IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU

a. YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NOT GOD’S WILL FOR YOU

b. FINDING JOY AND GIVING THANKS INSPITE OF

B. JOYFULNESS, PRAYING AND GIVING THANKS ARE CHOICES

a. HOW PAUL TREATS THEM HERE AS A COMAND

b. PHILLIPIANS 4:4-7

2. KNOW YOU TRUE CIRCUMSTANCES

A. A BMW IN THE MUD

a. YOUR MUD PUDDLE IS TEMORAY

b. YOUR SALVATION IS PERMINITE

c. YOUR MUD PUDDLE YOU CAN LEAVE

d. NO ONE CAN TAKE YOUR SALVATION

B. PHILIPIANS 4:8

C. PHILIPIANS 4:9

D. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE JOY SUCKERS

3. SUBMIT TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS GAL 5:22

B. CHANGE THE WAY YOUR LIVING GAL 5:16&17 24-26

C. CHANGE THE WAY YOU PRAY

a. PRAY MORE OFTEN

b. LET YOUR REQUEST BE KNOWN (PHIL 4:6&7)

c. PRAY WITH THANKSGIVING

CONCLUSION: BEING JOYFUL AND GIVING THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES ARE NOT THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO YOU, STOP WAITING FOR THEM TO HAPPEN TO YOU. BEING JOYFUL AND THANKSGIVING ARE SPIRITUAL DISOPLINES. IF WE CAN STOP LOOKING AT OUR MOMENT BY MOMENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND FOCUS ON OUR SPIRITUAL DISOPLINES WE CAN FIND REAL AND LASTING JOY.