When Paul wrote his Philippian prison Epistle he mentioned the word joy 6 times and in the same letter to the Philippians he mentioned the word rejoice 10 times.
For Paul the Jail House as tough as it was could become a Joy house with the Lord.
Today the happiness of most people in the world today is dependant on their circumstances. If their circumstances are going well, then they have joy, if their circumstances are hard then they lose their joy.
For the Spirit filled Scripture believing Christian, Christian joy can show others that we can be doing well even if we are not doing well in the world's eyes.
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Joy for the Christian is built not on circumstances in our lives but in the confidence that we have in the God who rules over every circumstance in our lives.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Believers can be doing well in the Lord even if they are not doing well in the World.
The New Testament passage that we read from this morning was in Acts 16. In Acts 16 we find that Paul gets his Macedonian call.
Now you may not get a special vision like Paul to be a missionary in Macedonia but we are all called to mission nevertheless. Acts 1:8 KJV But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Walk out that Church door today and you will actually meet people that have no understanding of who Jesus is.
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Vincent Wall is an Australian pastor who has ministered in Churches in Sydney and Country NSW since 1995. He currently has an itinerant preaching ministry and has recently authored the book called “Tradition or Truth”.
