Joy To The World

I want to give you a few focuses for you to think about that maybe you can realize some joy

1. Joy is found in anticipation 

Scriptural Focus: Luke 1:46-55 (Mary’s Magnificat)

• Waiting for something, and wanting something can and should be a source of joy
• The anticipation of the unknown is a great feeling, but its foundational in who we are as Christians because ours is a waiting religion. We talk about this a lot. Many are waiting
• There’s a story in luke about Mary getting pregnant w Jesus. Angel comes and talks to her, she gets told she’s gonna carry Jesus, Goes and sees Elizabeth who gets filled, john leaps in womb 
• What I love about this story is that there is so many unknowns in Mary’s life, yet she finds a way to still find joy in the Lord. This was an outlandish experience. Angels, impregnation. I’d have ?s
• Luke 1:46-47   And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
• She knows she’s pregnant, she’s young, unmarried. There’s cultural situations that have to be addressed, but there’s also spiritual implications to all of it as well. 
• You’re carrying the son of God, you know you got pregnant by the HS and now what. 
• We minimize this- folks- who in their right mind would accept that someone was pregnant w/o intercourse? No one. Not one of us. And then- who could believe it about themselves as well?
• Joy here is an act of faith—celebrating the fulfillment of God’s promises even before they are realized. Trusting that God knows what he’s doing and that it will all work out eventually. 
• You can have joy in anticipation. Even before God fulfills the promise, you can have joy. 
• Psalm 130:5-6 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning.
• I’ve got some stuff I’m waiting on. Big promises I want to have fulfilled. But I got hope
• Why? I know in whom I believed! I’ve seen him move and I know what he’s capable of. 
• Habakkuk 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
• I don’t know why, but we’re like stupid animals sometimes. I feed my cats at night wet food, you listen to them tell the story, I can be actively feeding they don’t believe, and then come in and try to convince anyone they can find that they’ve never been fed and it never happens. 
• Some humans aint much different
• Lamentations 3:25-26 The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
• Two things to that- The Lord is good to those who wait, and that its good to hope
• God is good to you while you are waiting- that’s a promise, he’s doing something in you and through you as you’re waiting. Quit complaining about it. Trust in the one who saves
• ALSO- its good to hope. God apparently is fine with you waiting. It seems God doesn’t give you everything you want and need and no matter your phase of life, there is always something you’re waiting for. There just is. God is doing something in it that you have to believe 
• Romans 8:24  hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 
• Listen up- I want you to think about something that you’re waiting for that you don’t understand and I want you think about it with a lens of hope. See that God is doing something with your life. He has a plan and that you can trust him in this season. Train your mind!
• Its good to hope. And God is going to be good to you in the anticipation. 
• Tell God you trust him. Thank him for his provision and timing. You’ll find joy
• James 5:7-8 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

2. Joy is found in Suffering

• • joy doesn’t always feel like happiness. There is a component of suffering as well. 
  •  It’s rooted in purpose and a deep understanding of God’s plan. You are able to go through it with God’s help. You get refined in your suffering and you find joy. 
  • Hebrews 12:2 – “For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross.”
  • Jesus looked beyond the immediate suffering to the joy of reconciling humanity to God.
  • Anticipation waiting for something can bring hope, but having an eternal mindset can help you find joy in your sufferings. Anticipation is for fulfilment, suffering is for refinement. Something better comes through suffering. Suffering is more about larger purposes and character dev. 
  • James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
  • much can be learned through suffering. Somethings can only be learned through pain
  • this is why politicians and leaders often accentuate painful experiences from their life

• we intrinsically believe and trust people who have been able to overcome obstacles. 

• • You see someone who grew up some kind of way, or lost a limb, or had trauma, who overcame, and you think- if they can do it- I can do it. It gives you hope and purpose. 
  • You realize that people grow and become stronger through their insurmountable circumstances

• You just don’t want to go through what they went through to become the best version of you. 

• • Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
  • That’s a true scripture- the strongest parts of you come from the hardest things that you’ve been through. I know it. You know it. You tell yourself ‘I got through this- I can do this’

• That’s how you find joy in suffering! You get your mind involved and you remind yourself

• • You go through stuff, you set your mind, and you say- I’m gonna praise God through it
  • Here’s a great verse- not one that gets preached a lot- 
  • Habakkuk 3:17-18 Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

• I’m gonna praise God no matter what. Nothing is going to stop me from praising. 

• No blossom, no fruit, the failure of the labor, the fields have no food, the flock cut off and no herd? YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD. I WILL JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION!
• Friend, you got to set your mind and life and purpose on this truth. 
• I’m not going to give into my suffering, I’m going to lean into my suffering. God does something in it. Im going to believe that the God of the universe knows what hes doing and I will trust!
• Romans 5:3-4 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 
• It takes a special kind of person to lean into tribulations. Knowing you’re building up. 
• Let you in on a secret- the physical parts of the army were easy for me. There wasn’t one time I gave up and couldn’t do what I was supposed to do. I excelled physically in the army. 
• Now HS in football and wrestling? Gave up more times than I could count. Skipped practice, faked injuries, complained and quit physical activites a lot 9-10 grade. 
• But I learned how to push past physical pain by college. Forced myself to work hard. 
• So when the real challenge came, it was easy. Only saying it to paint a pic. You must overcome
• If you try to get out of every painful thing you build no callouses for the bigger things. 

2 Cor 4:17-18 READ  We are a religion of suffering