“Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves], That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world” – Philippians 2:14-15 (AMPC)
LIGHT FOR NOW: The recreated human spirit of the born again is joyous in expression as it is joyous in nature.
We saw in previous study that the believer is not supposed to make Thanksgiving an occasional event – something he does occasionally. It is rather a feature of our newfound life in Christ. We have joy as a fruit of salvation; hence, rather than murmuring, complaining, and grumbling, we rejoice in thanksgiving to God. Let’s hear from Paul in Philippians 4:6 “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God”. The word “be careful” was translated from the Greek word “merimnao” which implies to be anxious (it speaks of anxiety). Paul, in essence, was addressing anxiety. He was saying, “Be anxious for nothing…”
The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition puts it this way “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God” (Philippians 4:6). The Passion Translation gives and amazing rendition of this verse “Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life”. So when King James Version said “Be careful for nothing”, it was a statement that addressed:
• Anxiety and
• Worries
A believer is thus not expected to live life in worries and anxiety, no! The believer is a joyous being and, thus, must rejoice in thanksgiving. Glory!
INSTRUCTION: You have the joy of the spirit, rejoice!
CONFESSION: I rejoice always; I don’t complain and murmur because joy is the nature of my spirit, in Jesus’ Name, Amen
QUOTE: The believer rejoices always because he or she has the joy of the spirit, which is the nature of his spirit.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 4; EVENING: MATTHEW CHAPTER 6
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 