Laugh Again: Experience Outrageous Joy

In a world surrounded by heartache and sorrow, authentic joy can often feel out of reach. In this 14-part study of Philippians, Pastor Chuck Swindoll explores how the Apostle Paul found “outrageous joy” even while imprisoned. This series is a refreshing call to reclaim the laughter and smiles that increase our “face value” and serve as good medicine for the soul. Regardless of life’s ups and downs, this abiding joy is available to every believer who anchors their happiness in the person of Jesus Christ.

---

1. Your Smile Increases Your Face Value (A Survey of Philippians)

• Overview: Provides an bird’s-eye view of the entire letter. Chuck introduces the theme that joy is a choice and a byproduct of a mind stayed on Christ, quoting Proverbs: “A joyful heart is good medicine.”
• Key Fact: Joy is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God in the midst of it.
• Scripture: Proverbs 17:22 – “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.”

2. Set Your Sails for Joy (Philippians 1:1–11)

• Overview: Explores the “joy of fellowship.” Paul’s deep affection for the Philippian believers shows that our relationships with other Christians are a primary source of spiritual happiness.
• Key Fact: Gratitude is the “wind” that sets our sails toward a joyful life.
• Scripture: Philippians 1:3 – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you.”

3. What a Way to Live! (Philippians 1:12–20)

• Overview: Addresses the “joy of perspective.” Paul reveals how his imprisonment actually served to advance the Gospel, teaching us to find God’s purposes in our own constraints.
• Key Fact: When our primary goal is the glory of Christ, even our setbacks become opportunities for joy.
• Scripture: Philippians 1:18 – “What then? Only that in every way… Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.”

4. Laughing through Life’s Dilemmas (Philippians 1:21–30)

• Overview: Tackles the ultimate dilemma: life or death. Paul’s “win-win” attitude—“to live is Christ and to die is gain”—removes the fear that typically kills our joy.
• Key Fact: You can only truly laugh at life’s dilemmas when you have settled the issue of your eternal destiny.
• Scripture: Philippians 1:21 – “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

5. The Hidden Secret of a Happy Life (Philippians 2:1–11)

• Overview: The secret is Humility. Chuck explores the “Mind of Christ”—His voluntary downward mobility for our sake—as the blueprint for a life free from the joy-killing traps of pride and rivalry.
• Key Fact: True happiness is found in serving others rather than demanding our own way.
• Scripture: Philippians 2:5 – “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”

6. While Laughing, Keep Your Balance! (Philippians 2:12–18)

• Overview: Discusses the balance between God’s work in us and our responsibility to “work out” our salvation. Joy is maintained by a spirit that refuses to grumble or dispute.
• Key Fact: Grumbling is a “joy-leak”; a balanced life is one that shines as a light in a dark and crooked generation.
• Scripture: Philippians 2:14 – “Do all things without grumbling or disputing.”

7. Friends Make Life More Fun (Philippians 2:19–30)

• Overview: Focuses on Timothy and Epaphroditus. Chuck highlights the “joy of partnership,” showing that reliable, kindred-spirit friends are God’s gifts to keep us refreshed.
• Key Fact: You weren’t meant to carry the load alone; sharing the journey with “kindred spirits” doubles the joy and halves the burden.

8. Happy Hopes for High Achievers (Philippians 3:1–11)

• Overview: A warning against “confidence in the flesh.” Paul lists his impressive religious pedigree and then declares it all “rubbish” compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ.
• Key Fact: Real joy is found in knowing Christ, not in our own religious or professional achievements.
• Scripture: Philippians 3:8 – “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

9. Hanging Tough Together . . . and Loving It (Philippians 3:12–16)

• Overview: Addresses the “joy of progress.” Paul models a life of “forgetting what lies behind” and “pressing on” toward the goal of maturity.
• Key Fact: Happiness comes from the pursuit of Christlikeness, even when we haven’t yet reached perfection.
• Scripture: Philippians 3:13 – “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.”

10. It’s a Mad, Bad, Sad World, But . . . (Philippians 3:17–21)

• Overview: Reminds us that our citizenship is in heaven. Chuck encourages believers to live with an “upward” focus while navigating a world that is often hostile to the cross.
• Key Fact: Our joy is secure because our future is certain; we are citizens of a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.
• Scripture: Philippians 3:20 – “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior.”

11. Defusing Disharmony (Philippians 4:1–3)

• Overview: Practical advice for resolving conflict. Chuck looks at the disagreement between Euodia and Syntyche, showing that unresolved friction in the body of Christ is a major joy-thief.
• Key Fact: Maintaining a “common mind” in the Lord is essential for a joyful church community.

12. Freeing Yourself Up to Laugh Again (Philippians 4:4–9)

• Overview: The “how-to” of mental health. Chuck details the path to peace: rejoicing always, praying about everything, and thinking on whatever is true, honorable, and right.
• Key Fact: You cannot be filled with anxiety and joy at the same time; prayer is the “exchange” that allows joy to return.
• Scripture: Philippians 4:4 – “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

13. Don’t Forget to Have Fun as You Grow Up (Philippians 4:10–19)

• Overview: Focuses on the “secret of contentment.” Whether Paul had much or little, he found satisfaction in Christ’s strength, which allowed him to maintain his sense of humor and peace.
• Key Fact: Contentment is a learned discipline that frees us from the “greed” that kills joy.
• Scripture: Philippians 4:11 – “For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”

14. A Joyful, Grace-Filled Good-Bye (Philippians 4:20–23)

• Overview: The series concludes with Paul’s final greetings. Chuck summarizes the themes of grace and joy, encouraging us to live as people whose lives are marked by the “smile” of God’s favor.
• Key Fact: Grace is the root; Joy is the fruit. When you understand the depth of God’s grace, you can’t help but laugh again.

---

Common Questions: Laugh Again

1. Is “joy” different from “happiness”? Yes. As Pastor Chuck explains throughout the series, happiness is often tied to “happenings”—the external circumstances of life. Joy is an internal quality of the soul that persists even when circumstances are painful, because it is anchored in the “unchanging” person of Christ.

2. How can I “rejoice” when I’m going through a tragedy? Message 12, “Freeing Yourself Up to Laugh Again,” provides the answer. It’s not about ignoring the tragedy, but about “handing it over” in prayer. When you exchange your “anxiety” for God’s “peace,” you create the internal space for joy to return, even if the tragedy hasn’t yet been resolved.

3. Why is “Grumbling” considered such a big deal in the series? Chuck calls grumbling a “joy-leak.” In “While Laughing, Keep Your Balance!”, he explains that a critical, complaining spirit acts as a dark cloud that obscures the light of Christ. You cannot be a “complainer” and a “joy-bringer” at the same time.

4. What is the “Secret of Contentment”? According to Philippians 4:11–13, contentment is learned. It comes from the conviction that Christ is sufficient for any situation. When you believe that you can “do all things through Him who strengthens you,” you are no longer a slave to your bank account, your health, or your status.

5. Why did Chuck name the series “Laugh Again”? The title reflects the practical result of a life in Christ. When we realize that our past is forgiven, our future is secure, and our present is under God’s sovereign care, the natural response is a sense of relief and delight that often expresses itself in genuine laughter.