Expressing Godly character part 2

When you are going through difficulties and disappointments and trying times in your life how do you respond? What is the difference in your conduct? In your temperament? Even in your facial expression? Do you let the hard times get you down? Do you find yourself being less friendly, do you find yourself having a hard time making decisions? What upsets you? When things are not going your way how do you respond? Are you the same person when things are going right and when things are going wrong? Whatever happen to your faith? Whatever happen to your relationship with Christ?

Philippians 4:1-4

1Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

2I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Apostle Paul had triumphant joy!

Happiness depends upon circumstances, based on conditions.

Joy depends upon our relationship with LORD Jesus Christ. That relationship with LORD Jesus Christ can sustain me any hardship and trial, happiness cannot. Joy is a God feeling. Happiness is light hearted feeling.

When you truth LORD Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Holy Spirit seals you as a child of GOD that can never change. Deep down we have an overwhelming feeling of joy and contentment that we cannot even describe. Often times we who believers we allow circumstances to determine our disposition. Godly people don’t live by the circumstances, they live by their relationship with LORD Jesus Christ, and sealed by the Spirit of GOD no one can break that.

The source of our joy is our personal intimate relationship with LORD Jesus. We have the same privilege apostle Paul had, LORD Jesus Christ is being with us, through us for other people.

These are the times we grow the most during testing and trying times, these are the situations and circumstances grow us up. Christian life is all about the LORD GOD being with what we need for He is the only One that can meet our need.

Joy is GOD becoming foundation of our life in every single day no matter what happens. That foundation does not move. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, goodness and kindness. That’s the gift of the Holy Spirit. When you are saved Sprit of GOD came in you, sealed you and dwelled in you, He began to overflow through you who He is. You have the fountain, the Spirit of GOD overflowing constantly no matter what you are facing in life, He is there. When you sin against GOD, while you are living in sin you cannot experience the joy.

You have the Spirit of GOD in you living with you every single day.

LORD Jesus living in us, to establish us, to make us immovable in trying times, to protect our faith, to give us guidance and leadership, to answer our prayers to show us the right way. Almighty GOD living within us through His Holy Spirit. So the Spirit of GOD enables us to live triumphantly. Doesn’t mean we always do it right every time, doesn’t mean we won’t have hard times but He will bring us through it.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the overflow of love and joy in our heart no matter what we are facing is the joy from the LORD, joy of the LORD GOD Himself.

Happiness is based on conditions, joy is our relationship with the LORD. Our circumstances change but our relationship with the LORD does not change. Because it is an eternal relationship and we are sealed with the Spirit of GOD. Our relationship with GOD supersedes everything else.

Joy in the mist of suffering;

*We can rejoice because we have LORD Jesus to walk through it with us,

*He is in control of our circumstances,

*He causes these times to turn out for our good no matter what.

*Nothing can separate us from His love.

*We can thank GOD for what He is doing.

1 Peter 1:3-8

3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

It is assurance, confidence overflowing within us because of who we are in LORD Jesus Christ.