Mitthayo Barry

Mitthayo Barry · Tidal Church Shediac · October 4, 2026 · Joy Anyway series

Mitthayo Barry walks through Philippians 1:18-30, showing how Paul kept rejoicing in prison and trusted God through hardship. Our suffering can become a testimony that helps others, so we can live with integrity and smile because we are saved, loved and equipped.

More from Mitthayo Barry · The Joy Anyway series

Topics: Joy, Purpose, Suffering

Transcript

[0:00] Dear Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning. Just thanking you for this opportunity. Just thanking you for everyone who was able to make it this morning. Even bless you for those who weren't even able to make it this morning, O God. I pray that the words that I speak, O God, that it be an encouragement to someone, O God, that it would uplift their spirits, O God. Lord, you know what they came and held with, O God. So Lord, I'm going to allow you to take full control of me, O God. I pray that I would decrease and you would increase, O God, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Can you put the Scripture up for me, please? I always find myself going to a restaurant to eat. And I would study the menu every single time just to order the same thing.

[0:52] And my wife would look at me and she would say, what does it matter? Like, why are you looking at this menu when you know that you're going to order the same thing? Okay, okay, okay. That might not apply to you. Let's try something else. I was a teacher for five years. I would leave the room and as soon as I walk out of the door, the kids would have a party. But as soon as I come back, nothing. So it dawned on me, it's like, what does it matter? Because I would put rules in place and I would tell them that you are not to leave your seat. And I would tell them that you are not to talk loudly to the shop of the students. But I would come back and I would watch them.

[1:37] They would be dancing and they would be doing all sorts of stuff. And I said to myself one day, I said, what does it matter? Now, let's get into the text. Philippians chapter one, verse 18. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice. Paul is trying to remind us today that whether you might look at someone and say that they do not look like they possess the Holy Spirit, they may have a message for you.

[2:24] Don't worry about how the person look on the outside because what they are carrying on the inside might be just what you need. See, oftentimes we often categorize people and we say this is what a Christian should look like. This is what a believer should look like. But I am here to encourage you today that you don't look at how a person look on the outside. Because what they are carrying on the inside, they may be a singer. They may have the best voice ever. Unfortunately, that's not me. They may be the best dancer ever. Unfortunately, that's not me. But someone else may be carrying that anointing. And here's the good part about it. Your breakthrough, your blessing might be wrapped up in their singing, in their dancing, or even an encouraging word.

[3:20] See, I am here today just as a simple reminder. Because when you go on to the next verse, here's what he said. I want you to pay attention to this. Look at the next verse. There you go. For I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I'll read it again for you. For I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

[4:10] Now, see, when I read the Bible, I always try to put myself in it. I want to put myself as if I was there. And I thought about losing my aunt. Then I thought about losing my grandmother. Then I thought about losing my brother. Then I thought about losing my cousin. Then I thought about losing my best friend. All months apart. And people looked at me and they were saying, why are you still smiling? How is it that you are still happy through it all? It's not that I didn't grieve. My wife can tell you, I was broken. I felt like I had nothing left to give. Everything that was in me, it felt like it just left.

[4:57] I didn't even want to live anymore. But when I went out into the world, no one knew what I was going through. My wife experienced it. Mr. Pender experienced it because they came. My sister and my brother, they experienced it. They're here today, thank God for them. They experienced it. But what I'm trying to tell you is that the reason why I had the strength to go out there as if nothing happened was because of the strength of God. See, I can tell you, I can sit there and I can rehearse scripture. I can tell you that Isaiah 41 verse 10 says that the Lord will renew my strength. I can tell you that those who opened the Lord, that God will renew their strength. I can tell you that Nehemiah 8 and 10 say, do not grieve because the joy of the Lord is my strength.

[5:46] I can sit here and tell you that. But during that time, I was broken. During that time, I didn't even want to live. During that time, I didn't even want to come out of my house. But what I can tell you is, but what I can tell you is that, but God, but God. So what I understood is that the blueprint is, he says that through prayer, so praying is important. And he said, here's the next thing that he said, he said that the provision of the Holy Spirit, and what stood out to me was that we know that Paul was locked up during his time, but he never allowed that to stop him from proclaiming the Word of God.

[6:43] Yes, I may have lost all of those loved ones, but it never stopped me from proclaiming the Word of God. Yes, when I was seven, the doctors had given up on me and 70% of my body was burnt, but I didn't allow that to stop me from proclaiming the Word of God. So what I'm trying to tell you today, church, I am yet to remind you that although things may not look as if it is going good, although things may look like your back is against the wall and you don't see your way out, but what I'm here to encourage you today is that God is always with you. See, remember now, when Peter was in the boat, God was with him, but that didn't mean that the storm didn't come.

[7:34] So what am I trying to say? It's not that God won't show up on time because God is right there with you, but the mere fact is that he's trying to see if you're going to put your trust and if you're going to put your hope in him. Go to the next verse of me, please. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now, as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. This radio really spoke to me.

[8:19] Because if we are reminded that in Romans 1 verse 16, it said that I am not ashamed of the gospel. So for him to say that I could eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, it's like, okay, if you kill me, you kill me. If you talk bad about me, you talk bad about me. If you're going to hate me, you're going to hate me. If you're going to fire me, then you're going to fire me because I serve a one and true and living God. And it is him why I receive my blessings. Go to the next verse of me, please. This right here, if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.

[9:07] Now my question to you is, what is fruitful labor to you? Does it mean coming to church more often? Does it mean praying for someone? Does it mean calling someone to give them an encouraging word? Does it mean checking on someone who is sick? But what does fruitful labor mean to you? See, the good part about it is that he said that this what makes it so good. He said that even if I was to live, that I can still carry out the work of God. Some of us, we go through situations in life. That cause our faith to waver.

[9:56] And we try to see if we should continue to go on for God. And we try to see if this God thing is making any sense. But I am here to remind you today that despite what Paul ran through, see, you got to understand Paul was Saul. He was persecuting Christians. So for him to tell you that whether I live, I'm going to still serve God. Whether I die, I'm even going to be happier because I get to be with my God. Go to the next verse. This right here, this is our memory verse for the week. Philippians chapter 1, verse 21. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

[10:49] Can you repeat it for me, please? Philippians chapter 1, verse 21. For if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know. I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far. Let's stick up in there. He has two options. Yes, I love Randias. But more importantly, I love KFC. However, Popeyes, they also make chicken.

[11:34] But guess what? Mary Brown is by far the best chicken and fries I've ever had. So what I'm trying to tell you is that he said that yes, I'm living and I'll be able to carry out my godly assignment on my purpose. But he said that even if I was to die, it's going to be far better because you got to understand he's going to be there, looking at God's face every single time. Get to sing all day. Get to dance. Oh my god, I can imagine. Could you imagine the excitement? Could you imagine the excitement to get to be with the one who's ex-nohilo, the one who created the world out of nothing? Could you imagine that?

[12:19] So I could just think about the excited, like just like, oh god, I'm just excited just talking about it because what this meant for us is that despite what Paul went through, despite what we've gone through, despite what we are going through, despite what we will go through, that the main goal is always to get to heaven to be with our Lord. Go to the next verse for me, please. But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith.

[13:07] See, what I love about Paul, he wasn't selfish because he could have said that, you know what, let me just die. Let me just be with God. But he said, you know what? I'm going to stick around because I understand the importance of me being here. The same thing applies when I was telling you the story about my kids. Yes, when I was there, well-behaved. Soon as I go, the teachers would call me, Mr. Bari, your kids are making noise. Mr. Bari, this one is running out of the classroom. Oh, my God. Like, even though I have rules in place, what I'm trying to tell you is that if Paul was there, they were ready and able to tackle their purpose.

[13:55] But the minute he was away, because what you have to understand is when he wrote this letter, he wrote this letter 10 years after forming this church. So it was just a simple reminder to let them know that yes, if I die, I get to be with God, but I won't leave you. I'm going to be there to support you. And what it brought to my mind was new believers coming into the church. Sometimes we come into the church and we don't have any support. So where does that leave us? We have to figure this out on our own. But what I like about Paul as a leader, he still sent a letter.

[14:41] He still let them know what he expects of them. Go to the next question, please. Almost done, almost done. Don't fall asleep on me yet, almost done. Whatever happens, conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel. Whether I am here or whether I am absent. The only thing that matters if you continue to lift and proclaim the name of God. The name of Jesus Christ. Now, my question to you is, how is it, how is your life when it's not a Sunday?

[15:35] How is your life when you're not at prayer, meeting, or Bible study? What are you doing? Are you still proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ? Are you still proclaiming the word of God? If I was to go on your workplace, are they going to give me the same report as if you were in church? Something to think about because water was studying and it came to my mind it's like, you know what? Will people say the same thing about Bari? No matter where he goes, whether I'm in the Bahamas, whether I'm in Canada, no matter where I am, will people say the same thing? So, the only word that came to my mind was integrity.

[16:22] What you do when no one is watching. And the next word that came to my mind is character. What traits make you different? What traits or characteristics make you a Christian or make you a believer? Something to think about as we go throughout this week. Will they have the same report of me as my pastor will? The last three verses. Please. There we go. Okay, last two verses. Without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you, this is a sign to them that will be destroyed.

[17:09] But that you will be saved and that by God, for it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him but also to suffer in Him. We all like when things are going good. Oh, God blessed me with a new job. God blessed me with a business. God blessed me with a promotion. But what about the suffering that he put through? What if the suffering that I went through, the suffering that you went through, the suffering that Brian went through, the suffering that Dave went through, what if that suffering was to help someone else get through their breakthrough?

[18:00] See, think about Paul. He wasn't selfish. He said, you know what? Yes, I want to be with the maker. Yes, I want to be with God. But I'm still going to stick around to be there for support for you because I know as long as I am here, the name of God will be proclaimed. But we love it when things are going good. Oh, yes, me too. But what about those testing times? What about when I got burned and I didn't even want to live anymore when I was thinking about suicidal thoughts? What about when my brother, my aunt, my grandmother, my cousin, my best friend, what about when all of them died months apart? Oh, yeah, I was broken.

[18:45] Oh, yeah, I didn't want to live anymore. Oh, yeah, I wanted to give up. But all of that was a part of my suffering. And all of that is a part of my testimony to help you get through whatever you're going through. And despite it all, joy, and it is. And as I conclude, the first thing can come up. No matter what you went through, no matter what you are going through, no matter what you will go through, always smile. The S, I want you to smile because you are being saved.

[19:31] The M, the M is for mature because you are not the same person you were three months ago, six months ago, even a year ago. The I, you can intercede not only on your behalf but you can even pray for your family and your friends. The L, I want you to smile because you are loved. And E, I want you to smile because you are equipped. Whoever God has called, we all have a purpose. God has a plan for every one of our lives. But will you walk in it despite what you went through, despite how you were grown up? Will you smile because you are saved? Will you smile because you have matured? Will you smile because you can intercede not only on your behalf but you can even pray for your family and friends?

[20:19] Will you smile because you are loved not only by your family but by God? And will you smile because you are equipped because whoever God has called, he will most definitely equip. So God bless you and God keep you. This is my prayer. Amen.