The KEY To A JOY-FILLED Life

Living A Joy-Filled Life In A Trouble-Filled World

Philippians 1:7-8; Selected Scriptures
By
D.Z. Cofield, Th.M., D. Min.
July 19, 2020

Scripture Reading –

1 Corinthians 13:1-7(NASB) – If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1. You need to know LOVE is the key to having a JOY-FILLED life.

Philippians 1:7-8 (ESV) –It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are
all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:7-8 (NLT2) – So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.

Love – agape –

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Romans 5:5 (NLT2) – And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

What’s the relationship between love and joy?

A. You need to remember GOD’S love for YOU if you’re going to have JOY.

Philippians 1:7-8 (ESV) – It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.

8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Grace – charis –

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (ESV) – Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

B. You need to exercise your LOVE for OTHERS if you’re going to have JOY.

Philippians 1:7-8 (ESV) – It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

1 John 3:18-19 (NLT2) – Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. 19 Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.

Proverbs 10:12 (NCV) – Hatred stirs up trouble, but love forgives all wrongs.

1 Peter 4:8 (AMP) – Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others].

Romans 14:17 (ESV) – For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Corinthians 13:4-5 (NLT2) – Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.

LIFE Group Questions

1. How do you tell your keys apart, specifically those who look alike?
2. Have you ever locked your keys in your car and couldn’t get in? What was the most frustrating thing about that experience?
3. How do you think Paul was able to have joy in the midst of everything he was going through?
4. Do you believe love is important to you having joy? Explain
5. Why is it important to remember God’s love for you in order for you to have joy?
6. What are some of the things that cause you to forget God’s love for you? Explain
7. Why is showing love important to the joy of the person giving the love? Explain
8. Why is showing love important to the joy of the person receiving the love? Explain
9. Explain the relationship between grace and joy.
10. What practical steps will you take to live a more joy-filled life?