Joyjitsu

Hiyaaaa! (In my best sensei voice) What is Joyjitsu, you ask? Well let’s break it down.

Jujitsu is a Japanese martial arts where “Ju” means flexible and “jitsu” means technique. Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Put em together and you get (da da da): Joyjitsu.

Joy is one of our greatest weapons against the pressures coming at us from the outside and the pressures building up in the inside.

Let’s take a look at Philippians real quick:

12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard[b] and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.[c] 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

When you read Philippians, can’t you almost just smell that island breeze and taste the coconuts? You can almost believe the writer (Paul) is enjoying a vacation from an island in Bahamas. He’s not, he’s in jail! He was actually shackled to roman soldier! But yet he exudes joy and rejoices in his chains. Why? How could Paul find hope in his situation?

Col 1:27 says 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Paul had hope in his prison because Christ was in him. If Christ is in you, you can respond the same. Each of us will go through personal prisons in life just like Paul.
– Children that won’t listen
– A cold, unloving marriage
– You may feel no one wants to talk to you
– Financial setbacks
– Physical problems

Turn your setback into a sermon.

Paul was a man who was pumped about going to Rome to preach, and boy did he get his wish! You can’t ask for a more captive audience than a roman soldier shackled to you! What we need to do is turn our setback into a sermon.

We need to perceive God’s purpose and participate in His will. There was purpose in Joseph’s prison, in Daniel’s den, God shut the mouth’s of lions. We need to focus not on what’s happening to us, but how we’re happening/acting in our situation. Sometimes our greatest testimonies happen out of our countenance and joy God gives us in “hopeless” situations.

Perceive the purpose of the prison.

There are two types of people: those who are going through a personal prison right now and those that will in the future. When you are going through it, what we need to do is do like Paul did: Perceive the purpose of the prison.

If you believe that joy is determined by what happens to me, you’re done. Joy needs to be what Christ is doing in me and through me. So when the world throws a punch at you, practice Joyjitsu on it! Hiyaaaa! Preach in your prison with your life and how you handle the situation.

Questions for you to ponder: How does your life move the Gospel of God forward?