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Philippians 3:1 - How To Always Rejoice In The Lord.

Philippians 3:1 (NKJV) Finally, my brethren, 
rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things 
to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 
 

Philippians 3:1 (NLT) Whatever happens, my 
dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I 
never get tired of telling you these things, and I 
do it to safeguard your faith.  

Philippians 3:1 (AMP) For the rest, my 
brethren, delight yourselves in the Lord and continue 
to rejoice that you are in Him.  To keep 
writing to you [over and over] of the same things is 
not irksome to me, and it is [a precaution] for 
your safety. 

INTRODUCTION

Joy in the Lord is the overtone of the whole 
epistle. The Philippians are bidden to rejoice with 
that joy which has its source in the Lord and 
which is had only in fellowship with Him. [SDA 
Bible Commentary] 

If you cannot rejoice in your circumstances, 
you can always rejoice in the Lord who controls 
your circumstances. Fix your attention on Him. He 
may not change your situation, but He will 
change you; and that is even better. [Chapter by 
Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe] 

The Lord does not replace our sorrow with 
joy; He transforms our sorrow into joy. The same 
baby that gives the mother pain also gives her 
joy. The world's joy does not last, but the 
believer's joy is forever (Ps. 16:11). [Chapter by 
Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe fm John 
16] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   In another translation, this verse reads, 
"Don't ever limit your joy or fail to rejoice in 
the wonderful experience of knowing our Lord 
Jesus!" (TPT). When it all comes down to it, rejoice 
in the Lord. When you are sick, rejoice in him. 
When you are well, rejoice in him. When you are 
on top of the world, rejoice. When you are 
disappointed, still rejoice. At all times, in all ways, we 
have access to our great Savior and loving Father 
through his Spirit. If for no other reason, that is 
a reason to rejoice! 
   Have you ever looked for a way to reframe 
your experience in the light of God's love? It 
does not mean you have to deny the hard 
realities. You can be suffering and still see where 
God's mercy meets you. You can be grieving and 
still recognize God's comfort is near. May you 
find courage to rejoice in the Lord today no 
matter where you are or what you are dealing with. 
   When you are discouraged, offended, sad, 
mad - you name it! - make it a practice to add, 
"And still I rejoice in you, Lord!" [365 Days of 
Courage by Sara Perry of Broadstreet Pub] 

COMMENTARY

   Stripped, beaten, placed in stocks, and 
locked in an inner cell in a prison - Paul and 
Silas had every reason to moan about their 
unfortunate situation. Amazingly, they did not. Why? 
Because of the joy that Jesus had given them.  
   Joy is not the same as happiness. You 
will feel happy when everything is going well in 
life; but not so happy when the car needs repairs, 
the bank account is overdrawn, or the medical 
report is not good. You may not be happy, but you 
can still be joyful. Joy comes from deep within, 
from the knowledge that ultimately God is in 
control of all that occurs in your life and he will 
help you through it.  
   Jesus promised his followers: "I have 
told you these things so that you will be filled 
with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!" (John 
15:11). When you are saved, you are given a well of 
joy deep within that can never run dry. Even 
more, that joy bubbles up like a fountain and 
overflows to everyone around you. Just as Paul and 
Silas's joyful response in prison impacted the other 
prisoners and the jailer, so you can impact others. 
[The One Year Bible for New Believers re Acts 
16:25] 

   I will never forget the video a church 
member shared one Sunday after returning from a 
missions trip to Africa. First, he described the 
harsh conditions these believers faced: extreme 
poverty, persecution for their beliefs, and threats 
of violence. Then he showed footage of a 
typical Sunday morning service. These Christians did 
not have a church building; they gathered under 
a tree and sat on the dusty ground or stood. 
Yet they sang, clapped, and shouted praises to 
God as though they didn't have a care in the 
world. The faces of each man, woman, and child 
radiated one thing: pure, unadulterated joy. 
   We often rely on material possessions or 
favorable circumstances to bring us joy. But these 
African believers had none of these things. Neither 
did Paul, who wrote his letter to the 
Philippians while imprisoned in Rome. He had learned the 
secret of true contentment and lasting joy: 
choosing to focus on our relationship with Jesus, not 
on what we lack or what is happening around us. 
Ironically, our material possessions and busy lives 
often steal our joy. 
   There are many things we can rejoice in - 
some good and noble, some trivial. But the 
greatest reason we have to rejoice is that we know 
Jesus and He knows us. What could be a better way 
to start our day than by concentrating on what 
He means to us? This will set the tone for a 
day well-lived and filled with joy. Dianne Neal 
Matthews 
   Faith Step: Jot down all the reasons you 
find joy in Jesus. Each rnorning for the next 
week, choose one item from the list to pray about 
and meditate on throughout the day. [Mornings 
With Jesus 2021 Devotional by Guideposts and 
Zondervan] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 

Philippians 4:4 - CHOOSE JOY!

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20240228-0844.html 

1 Thessalonians 5:16 - How to Be Joyful and 
Rejoice Always. 

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210212-0933.html 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/