Philippians 1:18-19 …and because of this I will rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my good…
Paul not only says to rejoice but continue to rejoice.
What is so powerful about Paul’s letter to the Philippians (the book of joy) is it is written under house arrest (prison). It is only four chapters but he mentions joy no less than 21 times.
Paul has great joy. Now, none of the external circumstances that people claim to bring happiness were present. Yet there are people who possess everything in life, but have no joy at all!
So it's clear joy comes from another source. In fact, joy operates in the same way faith functions in your life.
Paul rejoiced not because of what was on the outside, but what was on the inside - he possessed the Spirit of Joy. True joy is not defined by your status in life, it is defined by your status in Christ (Pastor Steven Furtick).
Jesus says in John 16 that He gives us fullness of Joy and He gives us this Joy through His Spirit – the Holy Spirit. The world seeks after happiness – but as children of God, we are called to Joy because we have received the Spirit of Joy. Happiness is only based on external circumstances and the state of your surroundings. The Spirit of Joy comes from an understanding of what you possess within.
The Apostle Paul spent much of his later years under house arrest but this didn’t drain him of joy. Joseph was thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit but this didn’t drain him of joy. Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den for his faithfulness to God but once again it didn’t drain him of joy.
Rather, all these men remained in faith and it flowed out in the form of joy.
All of these men were imprisoned so that the purposes of God could be magnified and glorified in their generation. And when you begin to understand that there is a purpose to the trials or current circumstances that you might be going through, it will change your perspective toward that trial.
Just think how Christ will be magnified and glorified when He brings you through this trial, not defeated and broken, but victorious and redeemed! This is the purpose of so many trials we go through, so the power of God can bring you victory and redemption. Your victorious life then brings great glory to Christ. And the Heavenly Father loves to see His Son glorified through you.
So rejoice in whatever you are going through because it will bring glory to God!