Study Notes

I.      James 1:2-4-Count it all joy when you are surround by tests, trials and afflictions (MSG-Consider it a sheer gift friends when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors)

A.    If you lose your joy in a time of adversity defeat is inevitable

1.      Adversity comes, affliction comes, trouble comes to check you out

a.    Temptations-Trial of a man’s constancy and integrity, adversity, affliction, trouble,

2.      Prov24:10, Neh8:10-If you faint in these times it’s b/c you’re strength and joy is small

a.    His instruction if for you to count it joy during these times, because if you loose your joy, you’ll have no strength and you will fail

B.     It’s important to understand that James was the half-brother of Jesus; he was raised in the same house and saw Jesus function day to day; he must have seen Jesus do this

1.      Despite popular belief Jesus didn’t not walk around stoic, emotionless, blank, detached, and cold and if you see him that way you see him incorrectly and you will therefore imitate him improperly

a.    Hebrews 1:9-Gladness-Extreme joy, to be exceedingly glad

b.    Luke 10:17-21-Jesus was exceedingly glad and walked in extreme joy

2.      Hebrews 1:9-Jesus walked in more joy than anybody

a.    AMP-Therefore God, [even] your God has anointed you with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond your companions

b.    ERV-You love what is right and hate what is wrong.  So God, your God, has chosen you, giving you more honor and joy than anyone like you.

c.     GW-You have loved what is right and hates what is wrong.  That is why God, your God, anointed you rather than your companions with the oil of joy.

d.    NCV-He has set you apart with much joy

e.    NLV-He has poured over you the oil of joy more than anyone else.

f.      It’s not coincidence that Jesus walked in more joy than anybody, had more strength than anybody and resisted the enemy better than everybody

3.      Liking the wrong stuff will rob of you joy

a.    Sin tries to replace every lasting joy with momentary pleasure

C.    You being able to count it all joy in the middle of affliction, trouble, and distress is connected to what you know

1.      This is not just to know it, but it’s to deeply know it, know the inner workings of it, be intimately acquainted with it, believe it, know that you know

a.    Know-To understand, have knowledge of, to be intimately acquainted with

b.    This will not give you joy just because you have knowledge of it; it will give you joy if you know that you know it

2.      If you don’t know this, then you can’t count it joy

a.    The trying of your faith puts patience to work

1)       When you’re faith is tried it puts patience to work

2)       When faith is tried it’s time for patience to go to work

b.    When patience is finished I’ll be, perfect, entire, lacking nothing

c.     When your faith is tried count it joy because you know that the end of your faith being tried is you being perfect and entire wanting nothing

1)       This is just the first step to me seeing my victory

D.    The trying of your faith is precious because it’s the first step in me seeing victory-1 Pt1:7

1.      6-Knowing that your safe will cause you to rejoice

2.      6-They’re heavy and he’s correcting them

3.      7-In every fight of faith your faith has to be tried so that it can be proven and when it is proven it will produce what you need it to produce

a.    A strong person, a champion of faith recognizes these moments

b.    In every battle there comes A MOMENT that separates winning from losing, that separates defeat from victory. A Champion recognizes those moments, thrives during those moments, and overcomes. When David and his men came back from battle and saw their families taken and their homes destroyed, that was one of those moments. When Habakkuk saw his fig trees not blossoming, his fields yielding no increase, and no cattle in his stalls that was one of those moments. When the three Hebrews stood in front of the fiery furnace and heard King Nebuchadnezzar say, "If you don't bow you're going to burn," that was one of those moments. When David stood in front of Goliath and heard Goliath say, "Come to me and I'll give your body to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field," that was one of those moments. When Jesus hung on the cross and felt their spit on his face and heard them mocking him that was one of those moments. What we do in those moments will determine whether we see victory or experience defeat. Moments like those separate the sheep from the goats, the believers from the unbelievers, the champions from the failures. A true Champion looks for those moments, recognizes those moments, and thrives during those moments. David encouraged himself in the Lord. Habakkuk said, "Yet I will rejoice in the God of my Salvation." The three Hebrews said, "Our God whom we serve will deliver us out of your hand." David said to Goliath, "This day will the LORD deliver you into my hand; and I will smite you, and take your head from you." And Jesus said, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do." When you recognize one of those moments in your life, let the Champion rise up on the inside of you, fight the good fight of faith, and your victory is guaranteed!

4.      8-Believing and rejoicing go together; unbelief and sorrow go together

a.    This joy that comes from God is inexpressible with words

5.      9-You hold your joy like this and you’re receive the end of your faith

II.     Certainty regarding the Word of God will be your source of joy in times of adversity-Hebrews 10:34

A.    Psalm 5:11-Fully persuaded faith will manifest in overflowing joy

1.      Those who are certain will rejoice; those who are uncertain won’t

2.      Rom4:19-21-He was strong b/c he gave glory and he gave glory b/c he was certain

B.     John 16:33-Joy is going to flow out of your knower

1.      Joy doesn’t come from what you see or how you feel it comes from what you know or the Word of God that you are certain about

a.    My joy is not based on what I’ve seen, heard, or believe from the Word, but on what I KNOW from the Word

2.      When attacks come and trial comes ask yourself, WHAT DO I KNOW?

a.    Not what do I feel or what do I see, but what do I know

3.      Rom 10:17,Jer 15:16-Certainty about the Word comes from time in the Word

C.    John 16:22-If circumstances are your source of joy, then they can take your joy

1.      The word never changes and if my joy come from the word then my circumstances can’t take my joy because my joy doesn’t have anything to do with my circumstances, but rather what I know from the Word

III.   God never intend for trials, affliction and trouble to take your joy.  In fact, His plan is for you to exercise your joy right in the middle of trouble.

A.    Colossians 1:12-God intends for you to persevere even in the greatest trials with joy

1.      Strength and joy go together

2.      Habakkuk 3:17-19 (AMP)-He can rejoice because he knows something

a.    18-You have to make a decision to exercise joy when you don’t feel like it

1)       He didn’t pray that God will help him rejoice or that God would give him joy, but rather he simply made the decision to rejoice

b.    18-God of my salvation; Creator of my deliverance and victory

c.     You can take everything, but you can’t have my Joy

B.     Hebrews 12:2-If you want to feed your joy in times of trouble think about your victory

1.      When he thought about winning and the reward it gave him joy and then he had strength to endure

2.      Being more conscious of the battle then you are the victory will steal your joy and keep you weak

3.      To walk in joy we have to learn to despise shame rather than magnify it

C.    Pr 15:15-A person that operates in the God kind of joy will exercise that joy at all times

1.      ERV-Life is always hard for the poor, but the right attitude can turn it into a party

2.      NIRV-All the days of those who are crushed are filled with pain and suffering, but a cheerful heart enjoys a good time that never ends