3 Things we can do to maintain joy.
1. Don’t Stop Knowing
(Philippians 3:8) “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”
The word that Paul uses for “knowing” in the greek does not have the meaning of head knowledge or even life friendship. It’s the intimate type of knowing. Like “and Adam knew his wife eve and she brought forth a son.” kind of knowing.
He is presenting an idea here that he knew would rattle the religious peoples cages. To them God was something to be feared and obeyed. To Paul, God was his life. He was possessed with this affection and this love relationship he had with God was more valuable to him than anything he had earned in his life or price he had or would yet pay.
That’s why he could write a few verses later…where he shows us the depth of his passion for God when he says….
(Philippians 3:10) “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”
(1 Peter 1:8) “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”
