Philippians 4:1-9

This is our Sunday teaching from Alex Lyne. Recorded live at our service in Harris Academy Purley, Croydon on Sunday 20th July, 2025. Below you can find the full talk audio, and a summary article.

Want to lead a Connect Group session on this teaching? The notes are here!

The Joy That Doesn’t Fade
Reflections on Philippians 4:1–9

Where do you go for joy?

It’s a question worth asking—not just where we find moments of happiness, but where we draw joy that’s deep, steady, and secure. The Apostle Paul, writing from a prison cell, insists again and again that true joy is found in the Lord. Not in comfort, not in achievement, not in circumstance—but in a living relationship with Jesus.

In Philippians 4, Paul’s vision of joy is anything but shallow. He’s not writing as someone having a great week; he’s chained, confined, and uncertain of his future. Yet joy pulses through every line. Why? Because for Paul, joy is rooted not in a pain-free life, but in a Person.

We saw three key places this joy grows.

First, there is joy in relationships submitted to God. Paul publicly urges two women in the Philippian church—Euodia and Syntyche—to reconcile. He doesn’t take sides; he simply reminds them that they both belong to the Lord. Joy deepens when we let go of resentment, forgive as we’ve been forgiven, and seek unity—not because it’s easy, but because Jesus is King.

Second, there is joy in depending on God. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything,” Paul writes. That’s not a formula for quick fixes—it’s a pathway to peace “which exceeds anything we can understand.” In a world that idolises independence, God invites us to lean in, to bring our needs honestly to Him—and find not just relief, but peace.

Third, there is joy in submitting our thoughts to God. “Fix your thoughts on what is true… honourable… pure,” Paul says. Our thought life matters. It shapes how we speak, how we relate, and how we see God. When we bring our thoughts into the light—before God and in community—they lose their power to control us.

Joy in the Lord doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy running, meals with friends, or sunny Saturdays. But unlike those fleeting joys, joy in the Lord never erodes. It's not bound to your season of life, your health, or your bank account. It’s an invitation to daily depth, daily dependence, and daily joy.

And that invitation is open today.