Choosing Sovereign Joy 3 Wonderful Discoveries 1. Knowing WHAT the Bible says about something and knowing HOW to actually apply it can be 2 massively different things. Information without application never produces transformation. 2. A primary objective in Jesus' teaching was that you and I might experience JOY. "In they presence is fullness of JOY, in thy right hand there are pleasures forever." Psalm 16:11 "These things I have spoken to you so that you may be filled with my JOY and that your JOY may overflow." John 15:11 "Truly I say to you, that you will have sorrow . . .but your sorrow will be turned to JOY . . . Whatever you ask of the Father, He will give it to you in my name . . . ask and you will receive, that your JOY may be made full." (John 16: 20, 23-24) "May the God of HOPE fill you with all JOY." (Romans 15:13) 3. God's JOY is different that the world's happiness. - Our happiness is determined by our circumstances. - God's JOY is independent of our circumstances. How can we cultivate sovereign joy? 1. Choose to set your mind of things above. "Set your hearts on things above. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." (Colossians 3:1-2) "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, let your mind dwell on these things." (Philippians 4:8) 2. Choose to count your blessings and be thankful. 3. Choose to CLAIM God's promises. - God's promises are more powerful than Satan's Pessimism. I can believe my mood or I can believe my God. - PROBLEM - Focus > Fear > Blinds us to hope. - PROMISE - Focus > Faith > Gives us hope. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and He will give you everything that you need." (Matthew 6:33) "And we know that God can cause all things for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 "Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all that we ask or think." Ephesians 3:20 4. Choose to OBEY & ACT on what you now to be true. I've learned that Sovereign Joy is so much more than a mood. A mood invades us. We don't choose a mood. Bad moods happen. Sovereign joy is always a chose. The victorious Christian Life is a life beyond moods. It's a life in which we choose Sovereign Joy and refuse to become the puppets of our problems and slaves to our circumstances. So now what? People who have come to know the joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness. They point each other to flashes of light here and there, and remind each other that they reveal the hidden but very real presence of God. - Henri Nouwen Choosing JOY does not mean denying reality, it means embracing a bigger reality and putting the temporal in light of the eternal. Choosing JOY means believing that our God is not just a promise-maker, but a promise-keeper. I invite you to join me, just for the next 7 days, to choose Sovereign JOY to practice the 4 simple choices - Regardless of your “mood”, you can always choose To set your mind on things above, To count your blessings, to claim God’s promises, to obey and act on what you know to be true. These things I have spoken to you so that you may be filled with my JOY and that your JOY may overflow.” (John 15:11) Truly I say to you, that you will have sorrow but your sorrow will be turned to JOY. Whatever you ask of the Father, He will give it to you in my name, ask and you will receive, that your JOY may be made full.” (John 16: 20, 23-24)  “May the God of hope fill you with all JOY.” (Romans 15:13)