Philippians 3:1 (NLT) - 1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.

Philippians 3:2-3 (ESV) - 2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh

Paul gives us three places of joy:

1. The joy of TRUSTING Christ

1. Philippians 3:4–7 (NLT) - 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.
2. Paul has perfect: 
   1. PEDIGREE
   2. PREPARATION
   3. PASSION
   4. PERFORMANCE 
3. Paul said that now these things are a total net loss. All humans are on a level playing field because of what Christ has done.
4. What’s the point? There’s joy when we trust in Jesus: 
   1. For our righteousness
   2. For our acceptance 
   3. For our lives today and tomorrow

2. The joy of KNOWING Christ

1. Philippians 3:8–11 (NLT) - 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
2. Paul was going for one thing - KNOWING JESUS.
3. John 17:3 (NLT) - 3 And this is the way to have eternal life-to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.
4. Paul wanted to 
   1. Gain Christ.
   2. Be one with Christ.
   3. Experience the power of Christ.
   4. Suffer with Christ.
   5. Share in the death of Christ.

3. The joy of PURSUING Christ

1. Philippians 3:12–14 (NLT) - 12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
2. Paul presses:
   1. To possess that perfection. 
   2. To reach the end of the race.
   3. To receive the heavenly prize.
3. To do this, you have to cut ties with the past.
   1. Your merits
   2. Your failures 
4. Christ is all in all; He’s all that matters, knowing Him and becoming like Him.

Philippians 3:20-21 (NLT) - 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.