“Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things.” – Kay Warren, Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn’t Enough.
- • “Are you sure you know who God is?”
- Our struggle with joy, peace and trusting God comes from forgetting that God is ____________________________, and God is __________________________________.
Psalm 117:1-2 (NLT) Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you peoples of the earth. 2For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord!
- Paul had an accurate view of who God is. It’s why he could write Philippians from jail.
- Philippians 4 isn’t just a commentary on joy. It’s a lesson in how to have joy in your life.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
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- Prayer is to help us during our circumstances, not necessarily to change them.
“It has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer over an 8-week period can change the brain to such and extent that it can be measured on a brain scan.” – Dr. Caroline Leaf, Switch on Your Brain
- Philippians 4:8 ends with telling us what we should spend our time thinking about. We tend to act in life based on our strongest thoughts. (Romans 8:5-6)
- _________________________________________ is our greatest weapon against anxiety and a lack of joy.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
APPLICATION
- Establish a regular pattern of thankfulness – HABIT STACKING.
- Make a God box.
- Take the 12-minute a day prayer challenge.
- Have people in your life to help you with this.