Joy in the Midst of

Trials
James 1:2-4

WARNING:
You may
experience new
trials after this
message

1 James, a servant of God and of the

Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes
in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, 3 for you know
that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness
have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.
James 1:1-4

Who is James?

Is not this the carpenter, the

son of Mary and brother of
James and Joses and Judas
and Simon? And are not his
sisters here with us? And
they took offense at him.
Mark 6:3

For not even His

brothers believed
in Him.
John 7:5

Then He appeared
to James, then to
all the apostles.
1 Corinthians 15:7

"...and when James and Cephas

and John, who seemed to be
pillars, perceived the grace that
was given to me, they gave the
right hand of fellowship to
Barnabas and me, that we
should go to the Gentiles and
they to the circumcised."
- Apostle Paul (Galatians 2:9)

1 James, a servant of God and of the

Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes
in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, 3 for you know
that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness
have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.
James 1:1-4

What was
happening
during the time
when James
wrote?

"Dispersion"
==
scattered
abroad
==
"diaspora"

1 About that time Herod the king

laid violent hands on some who
belonged to the church. 2 He
killed James the brother of John
with the sword, 3 and when he
saw that it pleased the Jews, he
proceeded to arrest Peter also.
This was during the days of
Unleavened Bread.
Acts 12:1-3

4 And when he had seized him,

he put him in prison, delivering
him over to four squads of
soldiers to guard him, intending
after the Passover to bring him
out to the people.
Acts 12:4

Was it easy or
hard during
the time when
James wrote
this epistle?

1 James, a servant of God and of the

Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes
in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, 3 for you know
that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness
have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.
James 1:1-4

Count it all joy

What does it
mean to
count?

To count is:
- To consider
- To evaluate
- To accept as
- To see it as
- To choose

if (Trial == Joy)
1 Trial = ?
1 Trial = 1 Joy
2 Trials = ?
2 Trials = 2 Joys
3 Trials = 3 Joys

What is joy

"Joy is the settled assurance

that God is in control of all the
details of my life, the quiet
confidence that ultimately
everything is going to be alright,
and the determined choice to
praise God in every situation."
- Rick Warren

"Joy is the settled assurance

that God is in control of all the
details of my life, the quiet
confidence that ultimately
everything is going to be alright,
and the determined choice to
praise God in every situation."
- Rick Warren

"Joy is the settled assurance

that God is in control of all the
details of my life, the quiet
confidence that ultimately
everything is going to be alright,
and the determined choice to
praise God in every situation."
- Rick Warren

"Joy is the settled assurance

that God is in control of all the
details of my life, the quiet
confidence that ultimately
everything is going to be alright,
and the determined choice to
praise God in every situation."
- Rick Warren

1 James, a servant of God and of the

Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes
in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, 3 for you know
that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness
have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.
James 1:1-4

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __,
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __,
__ __ j __ __ __ __ __

Why We Can Be Joyful

in the Midst of Trials
1) We are already totally surely ________!
2) God is producing good __________ in us.
3) God is __________ over trials.
4) Jesus has already _________ the world.
5) God is ____ ___.

1 James, a servant of God and of the

Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes
in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, 3 for you know
that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness
have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.
James 1:1-4

Testing of
your faith

your faith

You're
already
saved!

Why We Can Be Joyful

in the Midst of Trials
1) We are already totally surely saved!
2) God is producing good __________ in us.
3) God is __________ over trials.
4) Jesus has already _________ the world.
5) God is ____ ___.

It's just
a test!

Trials are
temporary.

Our
relationship
with God is
eternal.

Why We Can Be Joyful

in the Midst of Trials
1) We are already totally surely saved!
2) God is producing good __________ in us.
3) God is __________ over trials.
4) Jesus has already _________ the world.
5) God is ____ ___.

1 James, a servant of God and of the

Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes
in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, 3 for you know
that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness
have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.
James 1:1-4

Why We Can Be Joyful

in the Midst of Trials
1) We are already totally surely saved!
2) God is producing good character in
us.
3) God is __________ over trials.
4) Jesus has already _________ the world.
5) God is ____ ___.

Steadfastness
= Endurance
= Perseverance

1 James, a servant of God and of the

Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes
in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it
all joy, my brothers, when you meet
trials of various kinds, 3 for you know
that the testing of your faith produces
steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness
have its full effect, that you may be
perfect and complete, lacking in
nothing.
James 1:1-4

God is
committed to
mature you.

Growing in
Christ
Fellowship

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __,
__ __ j __ __ __ __ __

__ __ n __ __ __ r __ __,
__ __ j __ __ __ __ __

Why We Can Be Joyful

in the Midst of Trials
1) We are already totally surely saved!
2) God is producing good character in
us.
3) God is __________ over trials.
4) Jesus has already _________ the world.
5) God is ____ ___.

Why We Can Be Joyful

in the Midst of Trials
1) We are already totally surely saved!
2) God is producing good character in
us.
3) God is sovereign over trials.
4) Jesus has already _________ the world.
5) God is ____ ___.

The Supremacy
of Christ

Why We Can Be Joyful

in the Midst of Trials

1) We are already totally surely saved!

2) God is producing good character in
us.
3) God is sovereign over trials.
4) Jesus has already overcome the
world.
5) God is ____ ___.

We are on the
winning team!

Why We Can Be Joyful

in the Midst of Trials

1) We are already totally surely saved!

2) God is producing good character in
us.
3) God is sovereign over trials.
4) Jesus has already overcome the
world.
5) God is for us.

God is on our
side!

__ __ n __ __ __ r __ __,
__ __ j __ __ __ __ __

__ __ n __ w __ r __ __,
__ __ j __ y __ __ __

How to Be Joyful

1) Don't ______
2) _______ in the Lord
3) ______ for joy
4) Push ________

How to Be Joyful

1) Don't worry
2) _______ in the Lord
3) ______ for joy
4) Push ________

How to Be Joyful

1) Don't worry
2) Trust in the Lord
3) ______ for joy
4) Push ________

How to Be Joyful

1) Don't worry
2) Trust in the Lord
3) Fight for joy
4) Push ________

How to Be Joyful

1) Don't worry
2) Trust in the Lord
3) Fight for joy
4) Push forward

"Just keep moving,

until you're done
with what you're
doing."
- Ethan Geoffrey Yu

__ __ n __ w __ r __ __,
__ __ j __ y __ __ __

D __ n __ w __ r r __,
b __ j __ y f __ __

D o n t w o r r y,
b e j o y f u l.

How to Be Joyful

1) Don't worry
2) Trust in the Lord
3) Fight for joy
4) Push forward

D o n t w o r r y,
b e j o y f u l.

Joy in the Midst of

Trials
James 1:2-4