Now we have a word in English, we have the word happiness. Happiness. And sometimes we use it
interchangeably with joy. It's not, and I may do that even here. But, the word happiness says
something here because it's revealing something, because the word happiness is linked to a root
word, hap. You may say okay but what does that mean? Hap, like in it just happened to happen.
Happenstance, happening, haphazard, hapless, hap. You know what it means? Luck. So we say happiness
is actually linked to luck or chance. Happenings, things that happen to happen and that's how much
of the world sees joy that, or happiness. It's based on what happens to you. If it
happens to me that I get all sorts of money I'll be rich. I'm happy. You happen to be successful
in the world then I'll be happy. If I happen to find the right one and get married I'll be happy.
Even as believers this is a view that comes, that's in our flesh. It's an error, that joy is
linked to your circumstance. Of course we want nice circumstances. Of course you get a little,
it's nicer than not having that. But that's not the secret of joy. If my circumstances
can change I can be joyful. I get the job I have joy. If I get this, I get this, I get the Ministry
I have joy. This idea is actually linked to the lack of joy not joy. You see because if you're
always saying if I get this, I get this I'll be happy what you're saying is I am not happy now
and I, and my happiness is dependent on getting on the other side of the fence where the grass
is always greener. It comes from the Garden. ... the Garden and there's no, there's no
garden that's greener than the Garden of, that God gave and yet they were looking for the,
what they didn't have. But in Hebrew the words are different for joy and it's also revealing.
Revelation. The word for joy, one of the words for joy is gil. Say it. You know when it says
shout for joy, rejoice daughter of Zion, gili, gili! Rejoice. Another word is simcha. Try it.
Means joy. But it also ... gil means joy, but also means rejoice. Simca means joy but also
means rejoice. The third word is the word sason. Try it. It sounds like a fashion designer but it's
from Hebrew. Sason means joy but it also means rejoicing. Now note how different that is from
our English word happiness. Happiness based on if it happens I can be happy but, I can have joy. But
here it's not about that. Each one in some way is linked to a verb or ... rejoicing. Rejoice.
So ... in, in, in English it's just a noun, happiness. So I have to get this, it's a noun,
it's a thing I have to just get. Or I don't have or I have. But in Hebrew it's linked to a verb
meaning it's something I can do. If I can do it I can choose it. If I can do it I can choose it.
I can have it at all times. In some way. In some way. That means I can start rejoicing right now.
I can have joy right now. Because it's not just joy. It's not that it's going to happen.
I can rejoice and then it already is there. Philippians 4. Turn to Philippians 4 for a moment.
What Paul said at the, near the end of his life, he is in jail when he said it.
Philippians. At the end of his life he writes really, the secret not only of emotional health
the, the whole chapter Philippians 4 is amazing. You want emotional health? You want, you want, you
want well-being in your heart and emotions? It's all there. But here one verse from it, Verse 11.
Not that I speak from want. Meaning, not that I speak from not having. I have, for I have learned
to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means. I also
know how to live in prosperity. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret
of being filled and going hungry. Both of having abundance and suffering needs. And
then he adds I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Now this is the same person
who said, rejoice always. Now he's saying I have learned the secret of being content in all things.
I have learned it. Now you say, well this is Paul speaking. Paul is saying this in prison. So how
much more powerful is it? He's in prison and he's saying I've learned the secret of being content
in all things. And he's the same one who says rejoice always. And he didn't say I've learned
how to make a lot of money, I've learned how to be great at ministry, I've learned how to do all
that. He didn't say that. He said I've learned how. He didn't say I've learned how to confess
whatever I want and therefore I'm not in prison anymore because I confessed it. That's not what he
said. He's in prison. He said I have learned the secret, secret, of being content in all things.
He didn't say I learned how to change the circumstance. He said I learned how to be content
within it. I've learned it. Meaning, I didn't know it before. Paul is saying I had to learn
it and we have to learn it too. I, I took time is what he's saying because I had to learn it.
It was not a matter, joy isn't a matter of hey, I just got this, I got this or I just happen to
be a joyful person. I mean some people seem to be a little bit more pro, you know more easily
rejoicing or enjoy other people. No, there are different natures but it doesn't matter!
I'm not naturally joyful. It doesn't matter. The good news is joy can be learned.
Joy can be, can be practiced. You see you're a disciple. Paul was a disciple. You're a
disciple if you're born again. A disciple in Hebrew, the word means, talmid ... talmidin,
it means you are a learner. You're always, you're going to be learning what you didn't
know before. And one of the things the disciple is to learn is joy.
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