Living A Joy-Filled Life In A Trouble-Filled World
Philippians 1:1-2; Selected Scriptures
By
D.Z. Cofield, Th.M., D. Min.
June 14, 2020
The FOUNDATION For A JOY-FILLED Life, Pt. 1
1. You must define yourself by WHOSE you ARE, not WHAT you
HAVE.
Philippians 1:1 (NLT2) – This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of
Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong
to Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons.
Philippians 1:1 (ESV) – Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all
the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and
deacons:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) – Or do you not know that your body is a temple
of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your
own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Ephesians 6:6-7 (AMP) – Not in the way of eye-service [as if they were
watching you] and only to please men, but as servants (slaves) of Christ,
doing the will of God heartily and with your whole soul; 7 Rendering service
readily with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to men,
Colossians 3:23-24 (AMP) – Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily
(from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, 24 Knowing
[with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will
receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are
actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah).
The FOUNDATION For A JOY-FILLED Life, Pt. 2
1. You need to realize YOU are secure in GOD’S holy FAMILY.
Philippians 1:1-2 (NLT2) – This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of
Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to
Christ Jesus, including the elders and deacons. 2 May God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Saint (hagios) –
There are three stages of sanctification.
A. There is initial or POSITIONAL sanctification (I AM SANCTIFIED).
Hebrews 10:10 (AMP) – And in accordance with this will [of God], we have
been made holy (consecrated and sanctified) through the offering made once
for all of the body of Jesus Christ (the Anointed One).
B. There is PROGRESSIVE sanctification (I AM BEING SANCTIFIED).
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (AMP) – And may the God of peace Himself
sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make
you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and
body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 24 Faithful is He Who is calling you
[to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by
hallowing and keeping you].
C. There is ETERNAL/PERMANENT sanctification (I WILL BE
SANCTIFIED).
Ephesians 5:27 (AMP) – That He might present the church to Himself in
glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might
be holy and faultless].
1 Peter 2:5 (AMP) – [Come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into]
a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up
[those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through
Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1:9 (AMP) – [For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called
us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration,
a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we
have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace
(unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began
[eternal ages ago].
Colossians 1:21-22 (AMP) – And although you at one time were estranged
and alienated from Him and were of hostile attitude of mind in your wicked
activities, 22 Yet now has [Christ, the Messiah] reconciled [you to God] in the
body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and faultless and
irreproachable in His [the Father’s] presence.
The FOUNDATION For A JOY-FILLED Life, Pt. 3
1. You need to realize The LORD makes _____________ and
_____________ available to _________.
Philippians 1:2 (ESV) – Grace to you and peace from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace (charis) –
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT2) – God saved you by his grace when you believed.
And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a
reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
1 Timothy 1:14 (AMP) – And the grace (unmerited favor and blessing) of our
Lord [actually] flowed out superabundantly and beyond measure for me,
accompanied by faith and love that are [to be realized] in Christ Jesus.
Peace (eirēnē ) –
John 14:27 (AMP) – Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and
bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts
be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be
agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and
intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]
John 16:33 (AMP) – I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have
[perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials
and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident,
certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of
power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
Questions to Consider
1. What determines how you say hello or greet someone?
2. What’s the difference between greeting someone formally or
informally?
3. In light of COVID-19, do you think it will change how we will greet one
another in the future? If so how long? Explain
4. Why do you think Paul identified himself and Timothy as
servants/slaves of Jesus Christ?
5. Could identifying yourself as a servant/slave of Jesus Christ help you to
live a more joy-filled life? Explain
6. What are some things you have identified yourself by in the past that
kept you from experiencing joy in your life?
7. How important to your joy do you think it is to know you are secure in
the family of God?
8. How does living, or not living, out of The LORD’s grace and peace affect
your ability to live a joy-filled life?
9. Who do you know who needs to change their focus in order to live a
joy-filled life?
10. How can you encourage that brother or sister this week to begin laying
a foundation in their life to live a joy-filled life?