Joy Killers Distractions and Broken Cisterns Exceeding Joy

Joy Killers, Distractions, and Broken Cisterns Exceeding Joy in God Series [4] Selected Scriptures May 26, 2013 Pastor Paul K. Kim

RECAP: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FIGHT FOR JOY IN GOD? • It means to proactively cultivate our DESIRE for God as the source of our exceeding joy (Psalm 42: 1; 63: 1). • It means to relentlessly pursue our DELIGHT in the Lord each day, seeking to be satisfied by God (Psalm 37: 4; 90: 14). • It means to draw from God’s grace by faith to SEE the glory in God through the eyes of our hearts (Eph. 1: 18; Psalm 34: 8). • It means to fight the good FIGHT AGAINST EVIL—the devil, the world, and the flesh—in order to keep the faith and joy in God (1 Tim. 6: 12; 2 Cor. 4: 4).

11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6: 11 -12

HOW TO FIGHT AGAINST JOY KILLERS, DISTRACTIONS, AND BROKEN CISTERNS 1) Be KILLING ALL KNOWN SIN IN YOUR LIFE everyday before they kill your joy in God. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Psalm 32: 3 -4 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8: 13 Ø Seeing God’s glory awakens our joy; but, sin blocks the sight. Ø Kill your daily sins by surrendering to the Spirit’s power.

Be Killing Sin or It Will Be Killing You Sin will not only be striving, acting, rebelling, troubling, disquieting, but if let alone, if not continually mortified, it will bring forth great, cursed, scandalous, soul-destroying sins . . . Sin aims always at the utmost; every time it rises up to tempt or entice, might it have its own course, it would go out to the utmost sin in that kind. Every unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression, every thought of unbelief would be atheism, might it grow to its head . . . Now nothing can prevent this but mortification; that withers the root and strikes at the head of sin every hour, so that whatever it aims at it is crossed in. . . The mortification of indwelling sin remaining in our mortal bodies, that it may not have life and power to bring forth the works or deeds of the flesh is the constant duty of believers. . . Do you mortify? ; do you make it your daily work? ; be always at it while you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you. - John Owen, 1656

HOW TO FIGHT AGAINST JOY KILLERS, DISTRACTIONS, AND BROKEN CISTERNS 1) Be KILLING ALL KNOWN SIN IN YOUR LIFE everyday before they kill your joy in God. 3 For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. 4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Psalm 32: 3 -4 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8: 13 Ø Seeing God’s glory awakens our joy; but, sin blocks the sight. Ø Kill your daily sins by surrendering to the Spirit’s power. Ø Therefore, confess and put away your sins with “gutsy guilt” as justified sinners (Micah 7: 8 -9).

8 Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. 9 I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication. Micah 7: 8 -9

HOW TO FIGHT AGAINST JOY KILLERS, DISTRACTIONS, AND BROKEN CISTERNS 2) Identify AND GET RID OF DISTRACTIONS that deflect your desire for God. 6 They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah 7 My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Psalm 57: 6 -7 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. Psalm 86: 11 Ø Remember two things: (1) the devil is tricky; (2) he is into seemingly trivial things to redirect your desire to elsewhere. Ø Be watchful against lies of the Evil One, worldliness, your self. Ø Also put away subtle distractions from worry, self-talk, past hurts, rationalizations, and denial.

HOW TO FIGHT AGAINST JOY KILLERS, DISTRACTIONS, AND BROKEN CISTERNS 3) Keep SURRENDERING YOUR BROKEN CISTERNS TO GOD In light of where your heart finds rest as a default. For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. Jeremiah 2: 13 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. . . 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life. . . 28 Come to me. . . I will give you rest. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. ” Matthew 7: 13 -14; 11: 28 -29 Ø Declare that you will choose God as your exceeding joy over all things; in so doing, be watchful for where your heart rests. Ø Our fight is to FIGHT TO REST IN GOD as the source of our joy. Ø In so doing, keep surrendering your heart desires to God!

HOW TO FIGHT AGAINST JOY KILLERS, DISTRACTIONS, AND BROKEN CISTERNS 4) Arrange YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE FOR JOY IN GOD before your life arranges your desire and delight elsewhere. 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies. . . are new every morning. . . 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. Lamentations 3: 22, 23, 25 8 I have set the Lord always before me. . . 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? Psalm 16: 8 a; 42: 2 Ø Our fight begins with the faith-declaration of our Treasure. Ø Learn to arrange your daily life around this faith-declaration for the joy in God deliberately. Ø Do this as an ongoing good fight to treasure Christ as your exceeding joy above all other joys.

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1. What sin or attitude in my life must I kill before it kills my joy in God? How do I practice “gutsy guilt” in fighting for joy? 2. What broken cistern do I need to surrender to God before it becomes my default place of rest rather than Christ? 3. What distraction do I need to get ride of in fighting for joy? In so doing, how will I arrange my everyday life for joy in God?