Scripture Reference Philippians 4 : 4-5

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

You know what? It is very hard to remain in conflict with someone when you are constantly rejoicing! We should each of us exercise our God-given, Spirit-inspired capacity to rejoice. The less you do it, the less you will desire to do it, the more you do it the more natural it will become for you to continue to do it.

Too often we are a people who exercise our capacity to complain or argue rather than rejoice. Now then here as in the rest of this letter, Paul qualifies the way we should rejoice with “in the Lord”. We have a reason to rejoice and that is our relationship with Christ.

But this goes beyond my saying, “we have a reason to rejoice” as though all we have is a cognitive motivation to rejoice; no, when Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord always” he is not simply making a suggestion that we base on intellectual assent, he is informing us as to how it is possible for us to rejoice always!

Let me say this, it is not only possible for those who remain in the Lord to rejoice always, it is a certainty. Why? Because, Psalm 4:1 “You Fill my heart with joy when their grain and new wine abound.” And, Psalm 5:11 “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them that those who love your name may rejoice in you.”  And, Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” And again, Psalm 21:6 “Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.”  Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”   Psalm 71:23 “My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered.”  Those who know the Lord rejoice in the Lord!

Those who remain in the Lord are filled with the joy of the Lord! Neh. 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength”! Are you weak and heavy-laden? Cumbered with a load of care? Precious Savior still our refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer. Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer; In His arms He’ll take and shield thee, Thou wilt find a solace there.” (What A Friend We Have In Jesus).

We have more than a reason to rejoice, we have an inspiration! You do not have to conjure up joy because God’s Spirit will fill you with joy. Here’s the rub, if you would experience the fresh and ongoing infilling of the joy of the Lord, you must actually do what God has ordained you should do and that is to rejoice in the Lord! When we listen to and obey the Word of God we will experientially live the promises of His Word! There is no other way! No one can claim the blessings of God’s promises while living in rebellion to His Word! No one!