Posted by Sunday, September 15, 2019 we have started a new sermon series “Experiencing Joy in the time of Adversity“. We will be going through the book of Philippians for us to understand God’s plan for our lives and How we can trust God in the time of Adversity. I find if necessary for us to lay the solid foundation which will help us withstand the storms of this life and what is going on around us.
The Foundation of Our Joy
The foundation of our joy depends on our personal relationship with God. This relationship is based on what God has done on our behalf through Jesus Christ, if we place our trust in Jesus Christ, we are then reconciled with God and have a personal relationship with Him.
What God has done through Christ
Righteousness that pleases God
We know that our own righteousness in the sight of God is nothing but the filthy rags.
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
Isaiah 64:6 – NIV
What we consider good is not the righteousness God demands. Therefore, He sent Jesus Christ into this world to die on our behalf and by accepting His sacrifice on our behalf, the righteousness of Jesus Christ is then applied to us.
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Romans 5:17 – NIV
Freedom from the Sin
For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Romans 6:6-7 – NIV
Freedom from the Law
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.
Romans 7:4 – NIV
Freedom from the Flesh
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation–but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it…
Romans 8:12 – NIV
As we study the subject of “Joy in the time of Adversity” it is important for us to know who we are in Christ. If we fail to recognize who we are in Christ, we will never get to experience the true Joy which we only attain through Christ.