HOW DID PAUL MANAGE – AGAINST ALL ODDS – TO RETAIN UNQUENCHABLE JOY IN THE MIDST OF THE MOST UNTOWARD CONDITIONS IMAGINABLE ?
Let’s check the Scriptures….

YOU’VE GOT TO DO IT !!
Philippians 4:9 KJV
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

JAMES WROTE TO COUNTER THE GNOSTICS’ (LEARNED, INTELLECTUAL, KNOWLEDGABLE) SHALLOW APPREHENSION OF GRACE.
James 2:14 KJV
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
DON’T LET UNBELIEF SNEAK IN !!

FAITH COMES FIRST, PROOF NATURALLY FOLLOWS
James 2:15-18 KJV
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, [16] And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? [17] Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. [18] Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

PAUL ••LEARNED•• TO BE HAPPY !! . HE APPLIED HIMSELF TO ACCOMPLISH CONTENTMENT.
Philippians 4:10-11 KJV
But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. [11] Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

TOTAL DEPENDENCY ON GOD ==> YOU CAN DO ANYTHING !!
Philippians 4:13 KJV
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

MINISTRATION OF CONDEMNATION
. . . . . Vs. . . . . .
MINISTRATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
2 Corinthians 3:6-9 KJV
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. [7] But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: [8] How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? [9] For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

ARE YOU ALL “THERE” ?
(Dr. Robin Starbuck)
Elijah was told by God to go to where he would be taken care of: he needed to obey God and trust Him for the provision that was promised him. ELIJAH NEEDED TO FOCUS ON HIS GOD-GIVEN DESTINATION WITH ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE. UNLIKE YOU AND ME, ELIJAH SIMPLY GOT UP AND WENT – WITHOUT HESITATION OR DOUBT – TO WHERE GOD NEEDED HIM TO BE !!
1 Kings 17:1-6 KJV
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto [King] Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. [2] And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, [3] GET THEE HENCE , and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. [4] And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to FEED THEE T-H-E-R-E [5] So HE WENT AND DID according unto the word of the Lord : for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. [6] And the RAVENS BROUGHT HIM BREAD AND FLESH in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THE INEFFABLE JOY ELIJAH FELT WHEN HE RAISED THE WIDOW WOMAN’S SON FROM THE DEAD? THE JOY IN HIS LIFE WAS PURELY SPIRITUAL.
1 Kings 17:7-24 KJV
And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. [8] And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, [9] Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. [10] So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. [11] And as she was going to fetch it , he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. [12] And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. [13] And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son. [14] For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth. [15] And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. [16] And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord , which he spake by Elijah. [17] And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. [18] And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? [19] And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. [20] And he cried unto the Lord , and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? [21] And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord , and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. [22] And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. [23] And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. [24] And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.