February 11, 2025 - Philippians 4:4 - Rejoicing in the LORD

Philippians 4:4

"Rejoice in the LORD alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

Life is full of ups and downs—moments of joy and seasons of struggle. Yet, in Philippians 4:4, the Apostle Paul gives a clear and powerful command: "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

At first glance, this may seem like an impossible instruction. How can we always rejoice when life brings hardships, disappointments, and pain? When Paul wrote to the Philippian church, he was imprisoned in Rome for the sake of the Gospel, awaiting a hearing before Caesar. He had appealed to Caesar after being falsely accused of fomenting an insurgency among the Jews (Acts 25:6-12). His confinement served as the backdrop for his message of joy, perseverance, and reliance on God despite difficult circumstances. In Philippians 1:12-14, Paul describes how his imprisonment advanced the Gospel: "But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."

Paul, writing from a prison house, was not speaking about a shallow, fleeting happiness dependent on circumstances. Instead, he pointed to a deep, unwavering joy found in Christ—a joy revealed by the Spirit of Christ within him. He knew that God had ordained every detail of his life, from conception to his calling by God’s sovereign grace in Christ (Galatians 1:15). When the LORD first drew him to Himself on the road to Damascus, He sent Ananias to deliver this message to Paul: look

"Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake" (Acts 9:15-16). The LORD gave Paul the grace to bow to His sovereign will, and because of that, he could rejoice. He was strengthened by God’s grace in Christ, knowing that everything was from His sovereign hand.

This is what it means to rejoice in the Lord—not only in times of peace but also in seasons of trial. As Romans 8:28 reminds us, "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." This truth helps God's children shift their focus away from temporary struggles and onto Christ, who lived, died, and rose again for His elect. In Him—who is now seated in the heavenly places, having completed the work of redemption, justification, and sanctification—Paul found true joy, peace, and eternal hope. "...for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:18).

No matter what a child of God may face, our joy is secure because it is rooted in the unchanging character of God, in His sovereign will, and in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has paid the sin debt of those He redeemed, and this is why the awakened child in Christ cannot help but rejoice—every moment of every day. Deep within their soul is a rejoicing in Christ Jesus, their Lord and Savior.

As God’s children, we always rejoice when HE causes us to rejoice. Just as He rejoices over each of His elect—those whom His Son has redeemed—rejoice in Him. "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee" (Isaiah 62:5). Because He sings over us, our souls continually sing of Him, as Isaiah proclaimed: "The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing..." (Zephaniah 3:17).