Joy in the midst of tribulations

1 Joy in the midst of trials of various kinds

James 1:2 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds

2 Joy in great suffering

1 Thessalonians 1:6 

You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

3 Rejoicing because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name

Acts 5:41 

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

4 Those who are tested with Christ, in his suffering, rejoice

1 Peter 4:13 

But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

5 The joy of Christians could not be taken away by the world

John 16:21-22 

21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 

22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

Thoughts 

- If your Gospel isn't touching others, it hasn't touched you!   

- When you do everything you can do, that’s when God will step in and do what you can’t do.

Evangelism:

"Prayer is buried, and lost and Heaven weeps.  If all prayed the wicked would flee from our midst or to the refuge." - Evan Roberts
"Prayer is the midwife of mercy, which helps to bring it forth." - Matthew Henry