6. The Power of Joy In The Prison Of Pain in Philippians (part5)

   Prayers Position Phil. 1:6

     Regarding Others

        Pray Confidently   Being confident of this very thing,

To be confident is to have strong conviction.  Confidence is the assurance of being totally convinced and thoroughly persuaded.  Confidence is what emboldens us to a position in our prayers. 

Being confident is the only position to be effective in anything we hope to see realized.  The opposite of confidence is feeling insecure, vulnerable and uncertain about everything. 

Being confident is embracing the prayer persuasion that specific things are going to be accomplished. 

Our confidence leans against the obvious ability of God.  We have to look away from self-confidence.  In the prison of pain we can’t break out based on our own clever abilities.  The power of Joy is in:

Worshipping God in the Spirit, and rejoicing in Christ Jesus, and having no confidence in the flesh. Phil. 3:3

The various aspects of pain we find ourselves in can shatter our confidence in God.  We wonder if life will wilt away as we sink deeper in a prison of pain.  Paul found power to be lifted in His confidence in God’s hand working through each ache to lift Him in pray and joys source, Christ Jesus. 

David in the Psalms speaks of His confidence being bolstered in Psalms 65 as he mused on God’s work and ability in what appears a disaster.

OBVIOUS ABILITY OF GOD  PSALMS 65:5

HE HEARS AND HE ANSWERS IN CALAMITY

      AWE INSPIRING RESULTS V.5             By terrible things

If we’re facing what looks to be a disaster, God’s responses can be amazing and astonishing.  One example that’s shocking to imagine is the Israelites walking across a dried up passage through the Red Sea while a murderous army chasing the Israeli’s is killed as the walled up Sea explodes back on them.  Can we expect this jaw dropping awe?  My conclusion is God is the same, yesterday, today and forever and whatever pain is chasing us God is working a work for us in it.

      ACCURATELY INGENIOUS RESPONSES in righteousness will You answer us,

Everything God does is right.  He’s going to respond back in His resourceful creative way when we seek Him, it’s guaranteed. 

You answer us,

AMAZINGLY IMPRESSIVE RECOVERY

OUR DELIVERER                        O God of our salvation;  

Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake. Psalm 79:10

Helping us naturally flows from His nature, He’s the God of Salvation and the God of our salvation.  To deliver us in our need is what glorifies and exalts His name.  His actions intensify the value of His person, promote His reputation and exonerate all His purposes.  He meets us where we are in our weakness, depravity and wasted lives to work His amazing impressive recovery.   

OUR DEPENDENCE who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of

                                                   them that are afar off upon the sea:

Wherever we are, out in the middle of the ocean, or off in a remote area of our planet, we can depend on God to be there with us, and we can confide in Him.

 

PSALMS 20:7-9

APPOSING ALTERNATIVES V.7-8

HUMAN RESOURCES            Some trust in chariots, and some in horses:  

HEAVENLY RESOURCES    but we will remember the name of the LORD  

                                                           our God.

HARMFUL RESULTS           They are brought down and fallen:

HEALTH RESULTS              but we are risen, and stand upright.

APPROPRIATE AID V.9       Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call

PSALMS 65:6-

     HE HEARS AND HE ANSWERS IN CREATION V.6-7

         HE CONTROLS STABILITY IN THE PEAKS V.6

EVERY FOUNDATION IS SECURED BY HIM   Which by his strength sets  

                                                                          fast the mountains; being girded with power:

Mount Everest is the highest mountain on earth. By the end of the 2010 (climbing season) there were over 3,050 who attempted to climb to the summit.

There have been more than 219 deaths Because of the rugged conditions of Mount Everest and the horrendously difficult weather patterns.  After the death of those unfortunate climbers the corpses are left where they fell and many are visible as new climbers attempt the ascent from the climbing routes. 

A permit to climb Everest costs 25K to the local Nepal government.  Climbers are a significant source of tourist revenue for Nepal.  There’s no search and rescue team to reach out to your need. 

The grandeur of mountains reveals the majesty and permanence of God.  God created the mountains as unmovable and prominent by His strength.  The firmness of the mountains is that seen in that they depend on God in His immovability.  He girds them with power and He does the same for us.  The Lord is our stability.  David viewed the mountains as a stimuli of firm stability and confidence in an unmovable unwavering God.        

HE CONTROLS STORMS IN THE PUDDLE V.7

EVERY FLUCTUATION IS STABILIZED BY HIM     Which stills  

                                                            the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves,

The tallest wave ever recorded is a tsunami that was 1720 feet tall.  Dramatic wave heights are increasing in the Pacific to around 50 feet.  God alone can calm turbulence in unsettled seas. The noise of blustery confusion is only calmed by His voice.  The Lord is our stability and our support in shaky fluctuations and precarious nervous trembling.  The noise of the seas and the noise of their waves secure us in the confidence of putting our hand in the hand of the Man who calms the sea, Jesus our stability.     

HE CONTROLS SURGING IN THE PEOPLE

            EVERY FAMILY IS SATISFIED ONLY IN HIM and the tumult of the people

In our insecurity, uncertainty and confusion we can rest in God for peace and harmony. We are surrounded in a world of chaos and calamity but God is at work in every furor and turmoil.      

HE HEARS AND HE ANSWERS IN CIRCUMSTANCES V.8

        HIS PHENOMENA CAN BE PARALYZING V.8 They also that

                                 dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at Your tokens:

Spurgeon writes: tokens are terrible phenomena in nature, such as

Earthquakes, pestilence, tornado, or storm; and when these are seen, even the most ferocious people tremble before God.

The Increase In Earthquakes

DATES FROM & TO      PERIOD       NO. EARTHQUAKES (Mag. > 6.99)

1863 to 1900                  38 yrs                   12

1901 to 1938                  38 yrs                   53

1939 to 1976                  38 yrs                   71

1977 to 2014                  38 yrs                 164 (to Mar. 2011) predict >190

The Increase In Pestilence

Aids

1990 6 million    

2010 33 million 

The Increase In Storms

2010 600 twisters in the USA

2011 1300 twisters in the USA

2012 80 tornadoes in the month of March

The increase in earthquakes, pestilence and storms should makes us to rest in confidence on our God who has predicted their increase and assured us that these are the signals of His footsteps on the move to call us to His side.

HIS POSITIONS FROM POST TO POST

ARE PLEASURABLE

FROM EAST (SUNRISE) You make the outgoings of the morning

FROM WEST (SUNSET)  and evening to rejoice.

   HE HEARS AND HE ANSWERS IN CLIMATE V.9-13

        HIS VISITS BRING BLESSING You visit the earth,

 REFRESHMENT   and water it:

RESOURCES          You greatly enrich it with the river of  

                                                God, which is full of water:

REQUIREMENTS You prepare our corn, when You have

                                                 so provided for it.

RENEWAL V.10   You water the ridges abundantly:

REPAIR                  You settle the furrows thereof: You make it

                                               soft with showers: You bless the springing

REAPING V.11      You crown the year with Your goodness;  

REMEDIES            and Your paths drop fatness.

REVIVAL V.12      They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness:

REJOICING           and the little hills rejoice on every side.

 RESPONSE V.13  The pastures are clothed with flocks;

                                              the valleys also are covered over with

                                              corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. 

     Console Us In Prayers Promise

Pray Competently that he which hath begun a good work in you

Pray Completely will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ

Prayers Pressure v.7

Pray Concerned               Even as it is right for me to

                                                       think this of you all, Because

Pray Compassionately I have you in my heart

Pray Committed             inasmuch as both in my bonds

Prayer Participation

Pray Convincingly

Endorse                    and in the defense

Encourage              and confirmation of the gospel,

Embrace                  ye all are partakers of my grace.

Prayers Passion v.8

A Stable Fact                   For God is my record,

A Sincere Fixation        how greatly I long after you all

A Sensitive Feeling       in the bowels of Jesus Christ

Prayers Petitions v.9-11

Increased Love v.9       and this I pray, that your Love

                                                   may abound yet more and more

 Improved Learning

Comprehension           in knowledge

Capacity                          and in all judgment; 

Insightful Living v.10

Approval                        That ye may approve  

Advisability                 things that are excellent;

Indisputable Legitimacy

Sincere               that ye may be sincere

Sensitive            and without offence till the day of Christ

Imbued Light v.11

Controlled              Being filled with the fruits of righteousness

Christ like              which are by Jesus Christ,

Commendable     unto the glory and praise of God.