No Stress, Just Yes

we've all read the verse I can do all things through Christ was strengthen me but the question I have for you is can you can you do all things through Christ was strengthen with you does Christ strengthen you and if he does how does he do it because here's the reality the that verse is true I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me however the Apostle Paul is saying that as a culmination of a bunch of things that came before that and so if you don't do the bunch of things that came before

that you can't claim that and so what we're going to look at is how can you do all things through Christ with strengthen in me and I've decided to call this yes you can um because you can take your stress and turn it into a yes but you have to do the things that come before Philippians 4:13 in verses 4-12 and here's what it says it says rejoice in the Lord all way and again I say rejoice let your moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand be careful for nothing but in

everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep or guard your hearts and Minds through Christ Jesus finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise think on these things those things which you've both learned and received and heard and seen in me do the Apostle Paul is saying I've lived by

example I didn't just tell you what to do I showed you what to do um seen in me do and the god of peace be with you but I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me ha flourished again wherein you were also careful but lacked opportunity not that I speak in respect of want for I learned whatsoever things uh whatsoever State I am in therewith to be content I know both I know both both how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere in all things I

am instructed both to be full and hungry to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me that's what he said he said it at the end of all of those other things so if you want to live a yes you can life if you want to take your stress and turn it into a yes and you want to be able to properly claim Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me you have to do the things that come before it the first one is you

must be perpetually joyful Philippians 4:4 says rejoice in the lord always and again I say Rejoice God is not going to tell us to do something that we have no ability to do because we've seen the pattern in scripture and God doesn't change before God gives a command he always gives the capacity before he gives the command before he gives the assignment he always gives the ability before he gives the assignment so if God is telling us to live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness which by the way is what it means when it says

rejoice in the lord always and again I say rejoice because the prefix re means to do again so when it says rejoice in the lord it's saying again have joy in the Lord and then it's saying always so again have joy in the lord always and again I say rejoice or again I say again have joy that sounds pretty Perpetual to me we are to live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness that's not to say that we're always happy we're not always happy um I like what my brother Mike says he's a pastor up in

Pennsylvania he says um happenings I mean happiness is the result of happenings right but joyfulness is the result of being joyful joyfulness is something you be whereas happiness is something something you possess something that you have and so to live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness it it requires a level of awareness in fact there's an it reminds me of another passage over in the Book of James James chapter 1 verse number one where it says my brethren count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations that word those words diverse Temptations means different

kinds of Trials so count it all joy when you fall into different kinds of Trials how can I count it Joy when I'm in a trial that doesn't even seem to go together but the reality is it does go together because it says count it all joy when you fall into diverse Temptations knowing this which which means like count is a perspective word have this perspective have the perspective of Joy when you fall into diverse Temptations knowing this knowing is a perception word oh so he's telling me to count in a specific way based on

what I know so in order for me to live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness I have to have a level of awareness that's greater than just just being aware of what I'm going through one of the reasons a lot of people stay stuck in a state of sadness and depression and overwhelm is because they've gotten stuck focusing on What's Missing while ignoring what's there I'm not saying that there's nothing missing I'm just saying you focus so much on What's Missing that you're missing what's there because in order for something to be there something has

to be missing in order for something to be missing something has to has to be there you wouldn't even be aware of the fact that it was missing um it's kind of like do fish think they're flying and what does that mean it means if you're surrounded by water all the time do you know you're surrounded by water or do you just feel like you're flying like is the water for the fish the same thing as the air for the birds are they aware of the fact that they are submerged under the water and I

don't know if they do or not but it doesn't seem like it and so the reality is most people are swimming in abundance and unaware of the abundance that's all around them because are so in tune with what's missing that they can't perceive what's there so he said count it all joy knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience but let patients have her perfect work that you may be perfect in entire wanting nothing so in James chapter 1 he's telling us how to live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness even while we're

in the middle of a trial while we're going through something difficult while we're going through dealing with a disease while we're going through the living with the loss of a loved one while we're going through dealing with the loss of a job or the loss of a fortune or whatever while we're going through something difficult we can still counted all joy we can live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness but only if we have a level of awareness that's greater than just what's missing he said count it all joy so that we can only have

the right perspective when we have the right perception well what is the right perception count it all joy knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience what does that mean well when it says the reason you count it all joy is not because you love trials but because you know that when you go through the trial it's going to work patience into your life what is patience patience is persistent consistent endurance so he's saying count it all joy when you fall into diverse Temptations or different kinds of Temptations because you know that going

through this trial is going to make you stronger for the thing that God has for you to do in the future that you're not strong enough to do right now so what's he saying he's saying count it all joy you can live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness even when you're going through something difficult because you can be thankful for the fact that the god of the universe is getting you ready for something he already has ready for you wow that's a different perspective rather than just thinking of the situation I'm going through as my

destination I think of the situation I'm going through as my preparation I wish I had some help in here oh Lord because when I think of the thing that I'm going through the difficulty that I'm going through while I'm going through this trial if I think of it as my preparation then I have something to be thankful for I can be thankful for the fact that the god of the universe is making me me ready for what I'm not yet ready for see Joseph realized this when he was in the pit he also realized it

when he was in Piper's house he also realized that when he was put in prison for a crime he didn't commit Joseph realized that God was getting him ready for what God already had ready for him how do we know that because when Joseph's brothers thought he was going to get them back after their dad died he said what you meant for evil God meant for good so God even uses the difficulties of our trials to make us better than we were stronger than we were faster than we were more capable than we were so

we can be joyful while we're in the midst of a trial because the trial is preparing us for our assignment so yes you can do all things through Christ with with strength you if you are willing to hold in your awareness the whole truth about what God is doing in your life and through your life while you're in difficulty and be joyful about that in spite of what's going on around you if you can do that that's the first step on the road to yes you can and turning your yes turning your stress into a

yes but you have to live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness so how do I live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness well the next verse says after it says rejoice in the lord always it says um rejoice in again Lord all way and again I say rejoice it says let your moderation be known unto all men the word moderation is self control h it but it says let your moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand and I used to be so confused by that I I used to think what is

one what does self-control have to be with do with the Lord is at hand here's what it has to do with it you use your self-control your willpower to remind yourself that God is always present with you so you're using your willpower to maintain conscious awareness of the fact that God is with you and that you're not going through the trial by yourself why is that so important why is it so important for me to maintain a state of Perpetual awareness of the presence of God because the scripture tells us that in his presence is

fullness of joy so how do I maintain a state of Perpetual joyfulness by maintaining a state of Perpetual awareness of the presence of God I call it practicing the presence of God what does that mean it means I'm willfully aware that God is with me so while I'm going through the difficulty I am not what was me now I may I may be sad I may still cry sometimes I may still be sad sometimes but I don't live there I heard a preacher say one time he said it's not a sin for a bird to

land on your head but it is a sin for him to build a nest up there why because he doesn't have any business being there that long there's not a sin to be sad but you're not allowed to live there as a follower of Christ it's not a sin to feel the pain pain of difficulty or the pain of loss but you can't live there because you're you're you're making yourself more aware of what's missing than you are the presence of Christ okay you got it so so I'm using my willpower to maintain awareness of

the presence of Christ and when I do that now I have the ability to live in a state of Perpetual joyfulness because in his presence is fullness of joy okay what's the next thing it says the next verse says and be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God so in order for me to live a yes you can life and to turn my stress into a yes number one I must be perpetually joyful but number two I must be peacefully prayerful what does

that mean it means I don't worry about anything but I pray about everything you know what the problem is we have we have the motto as followers of Christ well why Pray when I can worry God says no do it the other way why worry when you can pray and the purpose of prayer is not to get your will done in heaven the purpose of prayer is to get God's will done on Earth so I pray to get my will back in tune with his will I don't pray to get his will in tune with

mine and so it says be careful or don't have anxiety over anything be careful for nothing that means don't have anxiety for any over anything it doesn't mean it doesn't mean don't proceed with caution when it says be careful for nothing it means don't have a anxious care about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made know unto God in other words instead of worrying about something I'm going through pray about it and then let God give me his peace because he know like one one he's in it

with me number two he ordained it for me number three he already gave me the ability to go through it because there's no temptation taken you but such as is common to man and God is faithful and he will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able Hallelujah so this is how we turn our stress into a yes and how we can live the yes you can I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me life but not only does it say I'm supposed to be peacefully prayerful but also purposefully thankful

it says be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving I love the fact that the scripture tells us we're supposed to be thankful in all things we're supposed to be thankful through all things and we're supposed to be thankful ful for all things he didn't leave anything out I can even be thankful for the difficulty that I'm going through because I know God is using that difficulty to get me ready for what he already has ready for me so I can be thankful for anything I can be thankful for everything

even the difficult things why because I'm thankful for who God is in my life and what he's doing through my life so be purposefully thankful be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your request be made known to God and the peace of God which passes all understanding should keep your hearts and Minds through Christ Jesus then verse 8 says finally Brethren finally I'm GNA wrap it up I'm about to wrap it up finally Brethren whato things are true whato things are honest whatever things are just whatsoever things are

pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise think on these things first and foremost let's notice that there is an order there's an order to God God's thought processes it says it says finally Brethren whatsoever things are true he starts with what's true and then goes to what's honest why because what's true and honest is more important than what's lovely and of good report see when you get the priorities wrong when you get the priorities wrong what you'll do is you'll put lovely

and good report above truth and so you'd rather have something that sounds good than something that sounds something that's true you'd rather have something that is reportedly good than something that's true and something that's honest something that makes you feel good rather than something that's honest and the scripture tells us this in so many ways that truth goes before good feelings the scripture says the wisdom that is from above is first pure then it's Peaceable then it's easy to be entreated and see we have a lot of people in our world today that want stuff

to be Peaceable and easy to be intreated before they're pure but the wisdom that's from above is first pure then Peaceable then easily to be easy to be entreated the scripture says uh the Apostle Paul wrote and said am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth the scripture says faithful are the wounds of a friend but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful what is the scripture telling us that God has an order in his thoughtfulness and pure supersedes good feelings okay so um be particularly thoughtful about what about what things

are true what things are honest things are just what things are pure and after he does I mean think about this true honest just and pure now whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there is anything that's good if there's anything to praise God about think on these things he's saying be particularly thoughtful then you get to be personally powerful then you get to practice you get to walk in uh Philippians chap 4: 10-13 where it says but I rejoice in the Lord greatly now that in

your last in the last your care of me hath flourished again wherein you were also careful but lacked opportunity in other words he's saying I'm thanking God for the fact that you sent me gifts while I was in prison that's what Paul's saying to the people in in Philippi he said not that I speak in respect of want not I'm not saying that because I needed something but I've have learned whatso state I'm in there withth to be content Paul said I'm not saying that because I needed something I've learned whatever state I'm in whether

I'm in a state of abundance or whether I'm in a state of lack I am content and what he's saying when he says I'm content I can be thankful there I can be peaceful there I can be joyful in that state whether I have a lot or I have a little and how do I know that because he said I know both how to be a based in other words how to have nothing and be joyful and be peaceful and to be powerful and to be prayerful I know how to have nothing and do that

but he said I also know how to abound I know how to have a lot and be peaceful and to be joyful and to be thankful and to be prayerful and to be thoughtful even when I have a lot and then he says everywhere in all things I am instructed both to be full and hungry both to abound and to suffer need what is he saying he's saying regardless of whether I have a lot or I have a little I can be joyful I can be pray prayerful I can be peaceful I can be thoughtful

I can be thankful regardless of whether I have a lot or I have a little why if I have a lot I know I didn't go get it by myself every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variableness neither shadow of turning like so even when I have a lot I know I didn't just go get a lot because I'm so super awesome but I realize it's the blessing of the Lord that it maketh rich and he addeth no sorrow with

it so I didn't do that like every good thing that I have in my life the health that I have is a gift the wealth that I have is a gift the friends that I have is a gift the family I have is a gift the business that I have is a gift the perspective that I have is a gift the under the the the understanding that I have the ability I everything every good thing that's in my life I have it because God blessed me with either with it or with the ability to get

it but I couldn't have done it by myself so so he said I know whatsoever state I'm in there withth to be content and he says that uh he says um how to be hungry I am everywhere and in all things verse 12 I am instructed both to be full and hungry both to abound and suffer need I can do all things through Christ with strengthen me do you see how that personal power is a result of all those other things if he wouldn't have been if if if the Apostle Paul wouldn't and he said

you've seen me do it you've heard me say it but you've seen me do it right so now go do what you've seen me do he said he said you've seen me be perpetually joyful you've seen me be prayerfully U peacefully prayerful you've seen me be um purposefully thankful you've seen me be particularly thoughtful and that is why I'm personally powerful and I can do all things through Christ was strengthen to me so when you have those attributes that laid the foundation then you can claim Philippians 4: 13 where it says I can do all

things through Christ with strengthen me and if you will do these things this is how you take your stress and turn it into a yes this is how you take your mess and your test and your stress and turn it into a yes by doing the things that God laid out for us to do in scripture the Bible is not a book about religion it is a book with promises and precepts and practices and prayers and prophecies that give us the ability to make predictions about outcomes in the future so we can position oursel there

so we can receive the blessing that God has for us and the time that he has it for us because everything is beautiful in his time it's time for you to take your stress your test and your mess and turn it into a yes by following Philippians 4: 4 through1 13 I hope this blesses you in ways you can't imagine yet but you'll be able to experience and then you'll be able to imagine them in the meantime in between time stay blessed by the best and we'll see you on the next video