JOYFUL JOYFUL ATTITUDEATTITUDE

Shout joyfully to the Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;LORD, all the earth;Break forth and sing Break forth and sing

for joy and sing praises for joy and sing praises (Psalm 98:4).(Psalm 98:4).

• • rejoice always:rejoice always:

Rejoice alwaysRejoice always(1 Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians

5:16)5:16)

• • sorrowful but always rejoicing: sorrowful but always rejoicing:

but in everything commending ourselves as but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in servants of God, in much endurance, in

afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in

labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, purity, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of

truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, we live; as punished yet not put to death, as as sorrowful yet always rejoicing,sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet making many rich, as having nothing yet

possessing all things (2 Corinthians 6:4–10).possessing all things (2 Corinthians 6:4–10).

• • give thanks in give thanks in everything:everything:

Rejoice always; pray Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in without ceasing; in

everything give thanks; everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for for this is God’s will for

you in Christ Jesusyou in Christ Jesus(1 Thessalonians 5:16-(1 Thessalonians 5:16-

18).18).

• • be content in every circumstance of be content in every circumstance of life:life:

Not that I speak from want; Not that I speak from want; for I have for I have learned to be content in whatever learned to be content in whatever

circumstances I am.circumstances I am. I know how to get I know how to get along with humble means, and I also along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned and every circumstance I have learned

the secret of being filled and going the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and hungry, both of having abundance and

suffering need. I can do all things suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. through Him who strengthens me.

Nevertheless, you have done well to Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction share with me in my affliction

(Philippians 4:11–14).(Philippians 4:11–14).

• • do all things without do all things without complaining or arguing:complaining or arguing:

Do all things without grumbling Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above innocent, children of God above

reproach in the midst of a reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse crooked and perverse

generation, among whom you generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, appear as lights in the world,

holding fast the word of life, so holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may that in the day of Christ I may

have cause to glory because I did have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain not run in vain nor toil in vain

(Philippians 2:14–16).(Philippians 2:14–16).

• • rejoice when reviled and rejoice when reviled and slandered:slandered:

Blessed are you when men Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and cast insults at you, and

persecute you, and say all persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you kinds of evil against you

falsely, on account of Me. falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad, for your Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for reward in heaven is great, for

so they persecuted the so they persecuted the prophets who were before prophets who were before

you (Matthew 5:11–12).you (Matthew 5:11–12).

• • rejoice when ostracized, rejoice when ostracized, insulted, and defamed:insulted, and defamed:

Blessed are you when men Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, hate you, and ostracize you, and cast insults at you, and and cast insults at you, and spurn your name as evil, for spurn your name as evil, for

the sake of the Son of Man. Be the sake of the Son of Man. Be glad in that day, and leap for glad in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is joy, for behold, your reward is

great in heaven; for in the great in heaven; for in the same way their fathers used same way their fathers used to treat the prophets (Luke to treat the prophets (Luke

6:22–23).6:22–23).

• • rejoice in weaknesses, insults, rejoice in weaknesses, insults, calamities, persecutions, and difficulties:calamities, persecutions, and difficulties:

And because of the surpassing greatness of the And because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from revelations, for this reason, to keep me from

exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me — the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me — to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it this I entreated the Lord three times that it

might depart from me. And He has said to me, might depart from me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is

perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that

the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content I am well content ((eudokeoeudokeo)) with weaknesses, with weaknesses,

with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I

am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:7–am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:7–10).10).

• • eudokeoeudokeo means ‘take pleasure in, take delight in, means ‘take pleasure in, take delight in, enjoy’ in Greekenjoy’ in Greek

• • seizure of property:seizure of property:

But remember the former days, when, after But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great being enlightened, you endured a great

conflict of sufferings, partly, by being made a conflict of sufferings, partly, by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and public spectacle through reproaches and

tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners, showed sympathy to the prisoners, and and

accepted joyfully the seizure of your property,accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore, do possession and an abiding one. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a not throw away your confidence, which has a

great reward. For you have need of great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the endurance, so that when you have done the

will of God, you may receive what was will of God, you may receive what was promised (Hebrews 10:32–36).promised (Hebrews 10:32–36).

• • being beaten and being beaten and imprisoned:imprisoned:

And they took his advice; and after And they took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them to speak no them and ordered them to speak no more in the name of Jesus, and then more in the name of Jesus, and then released them. So they went on their released them. So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, way from the presence of the Council,

rejoicing that they had been considered rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.worthy to suffer shame for His name.

And every day, in the temple and from And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on house to house, they kept right on

teaching and preaching Jesus as the teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ (Acts 5:40–42).Christ (Acts 5:40–42).

And the crowd rose up together And the crowd rose up together against them, and the chief against them, and the chief

magistrates tore their robes off them, magistrates tore their robes off them, and proceeded to order them to be and proceeded to order them to be

beaten with rods. And when they had beaten with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, commanding threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison, and threw them into the inner prison, and fastened their feet in the stocks. But fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight about midnight Paul and Silas were Paul and Silas were

praying and singing hymns of praise to praying and singing hymns of praise to God,God, and the prisoners were listening and the prisoners were listening

to them (Acts 16:22–25);to them (Acts 16:22–25);

• • the choice of attitudes is the choice of attitudes is betweenbetween

sorrowsorrow contentmentcontentment joyjoy rejoicingrejoicing singingsinging praisepraise

submissionsubmission obedience obedience growthgrowth rewardsrewards

OROR

sorrowsorrow grumblinggrumbling complainingcomplaining angeranger rebellionrebellion blasphemyblasphemy

disobediencedisobedience divine disciplinedivine discipline

APPLICATIONAPPLICATION

• • which attitudes do you which attitudes do you think will make you more think will make you more

like Jesus Christ?like Jesus Christ?

• which attitudes please God • which attitudes please God and encourage him to bless and encourage him to bless

you?you?