” REJOICE IN THE LORD…IT IS A SAFEGUARD FOR YOU.” – {PHIL 3:1}
The word, “SAFEGUARD” literally means, “not to trip, stumble or BE OVERTHROWN.
Unfair circumstances, difficult people can tempt us to give away our joy when we choose to yield to them, but it is a choice we make, difficult circumstances come your way, unwanted difficulties and we trip over them like tripping over a rock. We see the rock and for some reason we choose to walk straight into it an when we fall we blame the rock when we are the ones who SAW it and chose to trip over it. In the Spiritual realm it is like doing that also.
The word speaks of keeping from being tripped up. It has to do with keeping our morale up, and rejoicing in the LORD, Himself, who He is and His promises, His Work, KEEPS US from being tripped up, stumbling, in our morale. when we begin to choose to practice rejoicing, not for rejoicing sake but “IN the LORD,” the results is, we are kept from being tripped up in our morale.
It at times is such a fight of faith, a bit like Namman who had leprocy,”Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was furious and went away” he was offended, and to go wash in the muddy Jordan didnt make sense… isnt that like us, God says rejoice and we get offended, maybe not verbally nut inwardly as it seems such a waste and whats the pint and how will that help ME!”{At that moment our hearts are exposed we are more concerned about us than His honor}. Namman finally obeys by faith and is healed. Why? It was God’s way for him at that time.{2 Kings 5:1-19} Or consider Elijahs servant told to go and check the weather to see if there was a cloud in the sky.. he went back time and time again by faith to look, and as faith is God’s way, so we by faith which pleases Him. -{Heb 11:6}…The fight against the anxious, depairing, irritable, negative feelings that seek to pull and keep us down, and like the above two men mentioned above, “by faith” they act, it can seem a waste but like Peter who had been fishing all night and caught nothing but for the LORD’S sake because He said to cast his net , he did and when he did there was an avalanche of fish he caught. Again faith in action! Faith exercised and so He tells us to “REJOICE IN THE LORD…”, and the result will be a “SAFEGUARD” from those things that would trip us up and cause us to fall, and bring us down.
When we are down, and we read or hear “Rejoice in the LORD,” seems such a waste and the questions come,”what’s the point?’ it can seem useless, but then we know “without faith it is impossible to please God,”{Heb 11:6} so by faith we obey as an expression of love to Him, knowing it is His revealed will for us and to take Him at His Word, we know pleases Him and He says this is for our good, our welfare. Our spiritual welfare, that effects us emotionally.
I am writing this thinking to myself as I do, on “why rejoice in the LORD?” when you dont “feel” like it, when circumstances are tough and difficult. Yet we are reminded who said these words and where he was. It was Paul writing from prison! A good study is read each chapter in Philippians and note the words,”rejoice, rejoicing, joy” and list what he rejoiced, was glad in. For example chapter one he rejoices when he prays due to others partnership in the Gospel with him. -{1:3-5}, The work of the LORD in the philippian believers lives caused him to be glad, delight, rejoice! In his circumstances he recognized his blesings and rejoiced in the LORD who was the fount of such blessing! The LORD is his focus.”IN the LORD…” is your salvation, strength, song, satisfaction, sufficiency!
As I write, I am sharing thoughts I have and just putting down on paper as I think through and talk to myself, and remind myself of why rejoice , when circumstances, would give a list of reasons why not to rejoice in the LORD. The lie to tempt to conquer, control and hold us down with such as “rejoice only when circumstances are favorable.” And yet we read He says,”He who has My commandments and Keeps them , He it is who LOVES Me.” {John 14:21}. Rejoicing in the LORD is a command and we can talk the truth to ourselves, and remind ourselves when we CHOOSE to obey the Command and rejoice in the LORD we are expressing Love to Him! This helps me. It is a “SAFEGUARD” to us and “By Faith Abreham GLORIFIED God”- {Rom 4:19-21}. As we exercise faith in obeyring when we don’t “feel” like it, GOD IS GLORIFED!
WHAT’S THE POINT OF MY REJOICING IN THE LORD?
1. – Rejoicing in the LORD is a LOVE issue- {John 14:21}
2. – Rejoicing in the LORD is a PROTECTIVE ISSUE for our morale.-{Phil 3:1}
3. – Rejoicing in the LORD- GLORIFIES HIM-{Rom 4:19-21}
These are THREE TRUTHS to Hide in your heart. WRITE the verses out and place somewhere you can read for a week and be able to recall in difficult times WHY YOU NEED TO REJOICE IN THE LORD. Also to give these THREE REASONS to encourage others likewise
No wonder the evil one attacks our MIND to seek to tempt us to disobey His command as if we yield we fail to love Him and our morale is pulled down into the dull-drums of despair, fears, and hopelessness, and we miss the opportunity in our circumstances to glorify Him! What if we have succumbed to the temptation?”Rejoice in the LORD,’ as His blood cleanses and you can start afresh!”Rejoice in the LORD, …it is a SAFEGUARD for you.”