24 Nov “The benefits of choosing to rejoice” | medhi Chniouli

Key Verse: Philippians 1:1-21

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ATTENTION LADIES OF WATERS CHURCH: We are hosting a Flannel and Frost party on December 8 from 4-6. We will have worship, fellowship, desserts and a game or two. The cost is only $10 per person and you can register at waterschurch.org/events. Please register by December 4.

Waters Church Facebook Page now has groups set up for each campus and a group set up for Life Groups.

To join the groups, just go to the Waters Church FB page and go to groups and join the ones you want. Make sure you join the Life Group (group) so we can get people interested in joining a Life group. The Heach Coaches and I will be moderating the group and adding topics for discussion.

CLASSES; Baptism class is every 4th Sunday of the Month. at 11:30 / Growth Track runs the first 3 Sundays every month at 11:30 – this is a one and done registrants only need to attend one session / Starting Point runs every 1st and 3rd Sunday at 11:30 – details and descriptions can be found on the registrations which are located under Events on the HUB.

The happiest book in the Bible.

TEXT A PIC OF YOU AND YOUR  NEW APPRENTICE THROUGH THIS SUNDAY AND I WILL HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU! IT MUST BE AN APPRENTICE WHO HAS NOT YET BEEN NAMED TO ME  (AND OF COURSE HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO YOUR COACH)

The book of Philippians was written by Paul from prison.  He is under house arrest and wrote this letter to encourage the believers of Philippi.  This was Paul’s first church in Europe, it was a healthy church but he needed to address some issues.

Paul is unveiling 3 chain breaking strategies:

1. 1.By choosing to rejoice, others are SPURRED ON in the journey to spread the GOSPEL.

Philippians 1:12-14-21 NIV

Paul is the ultimate go-getter.  He is not in it for personal gain, money, nor fame.  What keeps Paul going is his passion to keep people from captivity, addictions, lies of the enemy etc.  Through all of his trials and calamities; being beaten, stoned and shipwrecked, he still presses on advancing the Gospel.  No matter what his situation brings, life or death, the Gospel is being preached.

  Isaiah 61:1 (NIV)

Acts 28:30-31 (NIV)

Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and he was not afraid of anything.  We have that same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the grave.

Q.  What trials have you faced that, despite them, you rejoiced in them and therefore spurred others on in their journey to share the Gospel?

2. By Choosing to rejoice, the flaws of others are NO longer OUR FOCUS as the work of spreading the Gospel becomes OUR PRIMARY GOAL.

Philippians 1:15-18 (NIV)

Sometimes we are too focused on what a good church is not doing, that we forget to celebrate what good it is doing.  We should focus on the gospel’s advancement, as Paul did.  Mehdi told us that right now there are  people willing to die for Christ, those that are held at gunpoint and threatened if they don’t renounce their faith.  We are here for a reason, we need to use what we have right now and not waste our lives. We are not guaranteed even the next minute.  Even though the people Paul is talking about have ulterior motives, the gospel is still being preached. People are still hearing it even through these people.

       Verse16“ Knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel”

Q. Has spreading the Gospel become your primary goal since you became a believer or do you tend to get caught up in others flaws, if so how and why?

3. By choosing to rejoice, we are no longer SLAVES to our circumstances and CAN OPERATE out of full surrender to Jesus.

Philippians 1:19-21 (NIV)

He knows Jesus is powerful.  Through prayer and the Holy Spirit working in his life, Paul is able to rejoice!  Christ’s attributes enable us to follow Him.  Even when our circumstances keep us from feeling like rejoicing, we can cry (scream) out to God.  He hears our groans.  Jesus intercedes for us, we need to activate that gift!

Q. What circumstances are you a slave to and what steps can you begin to take to overcome these circumstances (rejection, hostile family members, fear of…)?

Sermon in a sentence:

If we HAVE confidence in God, we CAN REJOICE in ALL things.