Philippians 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!
God is calling us as Christians to be happy, not to be tied down in dread or depressed about things, but to be happy. How can we be sad if we believe in God and His promises?
The only way to be unhappy as a Christian is to decided not to believe. If we decide not to believe and to worry instead then it will show. Instead of showing the joy we could have because of the promises that are there for us, we will carry around disbelief, depression, a false characteristic of Jesus!
We won’t be showing the Father as we should, and then those who don’t know the Father will look at a Christian as not any different than they are. Looking at a Christian as not having any more hope than they.
Philippians 4:5 Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon].
Jesus showed the Father. He said if you have seen Me you have seen the Father. As Christians, as followers of Jesus, we too then should be displaying the Father. Jesus was an attraction of hope and happiness, and goodness, we should be that same witness. We should be a witness showing that God’s way is the ultimate way of life. His way is good and for sure, eternal and not wishy washy. A Christian doesn't live by chance, but by faith.
Living the world's way is living by chance, and is completely different than living blessed in the Kingdom of God, and that is the truth we should be portraying.
How do we live like that? By a decision to believe and then by the action of our belief, feed ourselves the Word of God. Thinking on those things that are true.
Romans teaches us faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word. Therefore we have to devour, meditate the Word, get it down on the inside of us.
Doubt comes the same way, depression comes the same way, hearing and meditating on lies instead of the true knowledge of God. As Christians then we don’t let the doubt in, we don’t listen to just anything.
What we hear the most of is what we will believe and what we believe is what we will live.
If you hear all your life as a child you are not worth anything, that is how you will see yourself and how you will live. If hear the Word all your life, if you put it in your heart and focus on it, you will hear you are loved and and of importance to God. You will believe you are valued and then live that kind of life.
Philippians 4:6 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.
How much easier can it get when we are tempted to worry? All we have to do is bring our definite requests to God and then thank Him. Thank Him ahead of time for taking care of our care. If we believe He will and we can believe He will when we know the Word (the Word is God) and have meditated His truth, they we can have that peace, that assurance that we can rest in Him.
Philippians 4:7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Knowing God will take care of you allows you to carry His presence, and carrying His presence will show your faith in Him. Your happiness, knowing God is going to come through for you is the witness you are called to.
Meanwhile, while God is working things out for you, keep your faith by thinking faith thoughts. Think on these things, whatever is a happy faith thought.
Philippians 4:8 For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. 9 Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.
Doing what Paul is teaching us here, is how to be happy and show the Father as we are called to do!