“Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.”
“Safeguard,”– Is a Greek word “aphales” is taken from a verb meaning “to trip up, overthrow or cause to stumble.” Here the negative prefix (“a”) is added and thus describes “that which has stability and firmness so as not to be easily tripped up or overthrown. “
Imagine you are walking along and you see several rocks and potholes along the path, and you choose to ignore them and trip over a stone, stumble into a pothole and twist your ankle. Who’s fault is it? You chose to ignore what you knew, and paid for it. So in the spiritual realm, there is power for you to live and to choose to ignore and apply God’s wisdom for you, will end up in tripping you up spiritually in the potholes of anxiety, despair, fears, circumstances dictation to you and dominating you. “Rejoice in the LORD …IS a SAFEGUARD for you.” Is God lying to you? When you and I chose, have refused to rejoice in the LORD, He not only is dishonored, because we deem Him untrustworthy, by refusing to obey Him, but we stumble and are unstable spiritually, has been the reality for many of us. “Rejoice in the LORD… IT IS a Safeguard for you.” You have the Power to rejoice, you have a Person to rejoice in, you have His eternal Promises for you to rejoice in. Presently, choose to Rejoice!
We can often be like a boxer in a defensive position, on the ropes, taking a hammering, when you realize you have greater power to not only fight back but to win. Your victory in the spiritual realm, is in who you are “in Him,” and what He has given us as a weapon for the fight is “rejoicing in the LORD.” To choose to rejoice in the LORD, when you don’t feel like it, is to fight against…your “feelings,” “unfavorable circumstances,” which at times are “down,” and will trip you up, and cause instability…, to spiritual trip you up…is a certainty when we choose to refuse to obey the command to “Rejoice in the Lord.” He is the Focus. His Word fuels us to Know Him as He reveals Himself {Rad Luke 24:27}. Read Philippians, and underline where He is mentioned and make a list of reasons to know Him better and to rejoice in Him. Circumstances are temporal. He is eternal! Your salvation because of Him is eternal, Rejoice in the LORD. Focus your THINKING on Him and not your feelings, which are ever changing. Focus on His faithfulness, your future which is secure with Him! Focus on His promises, His harvest, your opportunities to pray and serve others. Rejoice in the LORD!
Rejoicing in the LORD – Is A COMMAND
Rejoicing in the LORD – Is A CHOICE of love for Him
Rejoicing in the LORD – IS A “SAFEGUARD” for you
{From the message,”The First Thing In Trials”- Philippians 3:1 }