"These
things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your
joy may be made full.
Insights: Joy is an outflow of the
manifest presence of God in your life.
In other words, as you abide in the Lord and find your satisfaction in
Him, joy is experienced. It is a
bi-product of abiding. In our society we
often times get joy and happiness confused. In fact, many parents believe their role is to
make their children happy. The problem
with this line of thought is that happiness is dependent upon external stimuli. A child gets a toy, they are happy. A teenager rides a roll-a-coaster, they are
happy. A man and woman walk and isle and
get married, they are happy. Let me use
this marriage illustration for a moment.
If they are presently happy, then why do over 50% marriages end in
divorce? It is because we have confused
happiness and joy. Joy is not an
external stimulus, but rather, an internal relationship with a holy God. As one grows in their relationship with
Christ the more joy is a constant aspect of their lives. If they begin to walk away from the Lord,
that joy diminishes. Psalm 16:11 states,
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence
there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” What the psalmist is confirming is that joy
is found in God’s presence only. John
16:22 informs us, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and
your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” So, no person or spirit can take our joy from
us. Then, Beloved, why do we not always
live in joy? It is because we walk away from
the Father’s presence. In Acts 16 we see
the story of Paul and Silas doing amazing work for the Lord and they are
arrested for doing good and preaching the gospel. They are beaten and thrown in to jail
naked. Do you know what the Scriptures
tell us these two men were doing at midnight?
They were singing and praising God because their hearts were full of
joy. What in your life takes you away
from the presence of God? Jesus tells us
He gives us His joy and that it is full.
All that is required is us abiding in Him. If we will abide, we will find satisfaction
in Jesus and know joy.
Questions:
- Is your life characterized as one of joy?
- Are you abiding in Christ and letting His joy be your joy?
Prayer: Jesus, my Savior, You offer me joy and joy to the fullest. Unfortunately, my life is often times not
characterized in this fashion. Forgive
me of my disobedient heart and prune me of anything that would hinder my joy
which is found in You. Let me experience
You to the full. Amen.
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