Sermon Tone Analysis

Joy Belongs to You

THE LORD GIVES US HIS JOY EACH DAY, BUT THE DEVIL TRIES TO ROB US OF IT EACH DAY.

FOR EXAMPLE, HE WILL MAKE SURE EACH DAY PEOPLE WILL ENTER OUR LIFE THAT TAKE GREAT DELIGHT IN STRIPPING EVERY OUNCE OF JOY THAT THEY CAN EXTRACT FROM OUR LIFE.

THEY SPARE NO EFFORT:

• THEY WILL DRIVE ACROSS TOWN IF THERE IS SOMETHING THEY CAN DO TO MAKE OUR LIFE MISERABLE.

• THEY WILL WALK IN THE RAIN AND SNOW FOR MILES, IF THERE IS SOMETHING THEY CAN DO TO MAKE OUR LIFE MISERABLE.

• THEY WILL SPEND THE LAST DOLLAR THEY HAVE, IF THEY CAN DO SOMETHING TO MAKE OUR LIFE MISERABLE.

ILLUS: LIZARD THICKET A RESTAURANT IN COLUMBIA, S.C. HAVE A LARGE SIGN INSIDE THAT TELLS THEIR CUSTOMERS, “BE NICE OR LEAVE”.

EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS HAD TO ENCOUNTER SUCH PEOPLE.

HOW ARE WE TO TREAT THESE PEOPLE?

WHILE WE ARE HAPPY THAT GOD’S WORD SPEAKS OUT ON SOME ISSUES, THIS IS AN ISSUE WE WISH THE WORD OF GOD WAS SILENT ON.

WHY? BECAUSE GOD TELLS US TO DO SOMETHING, AND IT IS THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO.

LOOK HOW HE TELLS US WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE WHO TRY TO MAKE OUR LIFE MISERABLE.

LOOK AT MATTHEW 5:44, WE READ, “BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU.”

WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MAKE OUR LIFE MISERABLE, MOST OF US FEEL LIKE THOSE DISCIPLES THAT WANTED TO CALL FIRE DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND FRY THEM.

BUT GOD’S WORD TELLS US WE ARE TO PRAY FOR THEM.

WHILE OTHERS MIGHT BE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE OUR LIFE MISERABLE, EACH DAY THE LORD JESUS DOES EVERYTHING HE CAN DO TO MAKE OUR LIFE JOYFUL.

ILLUS: BANK

LOOK AGAIN AT JOHN 15:11, WE READ, “THESE THINGS HAVE I SPOKEN UNTO YOU, THAT MY JOY MIGHT REMAIN IN YOU, AND THAT YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL.”

THE JOY WE CHRISTIANS HAVE WITHIN US IS THE JOY OF THE LORD THAT HE HAS PROVIDED FOR US.

NOTICE, IT DOES NOT SAY HE GIVES US HIS HAPPINESS!

SOME FOLKS THINK THAT JOY AND HAPPINESS ARE THE SAME, BUT THEY ARE NOT.

HAPPINESS COME FROM HAPPENINGS.

ILLUS: SOME DAY WE CAN GET UP.

• THE SUN IS SHINING

• THERE IS NOT A PAIN IN OUR BODY

• EVEN THE DOG THAT NORMALLY TAKES ONE LOOKS AT US AND GROWLS, IS WAGGING HIS TAIL LIKE HE IS GLAD TO SEE US

EVERYTHING HAPPENS TO FALL IN PLACE, AND WE FIND OURSELVES HAPPY!

HAPPINESS COMES FROM WITHOUT, BUT JOY COMES FROM WITHIN

OUR HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON HAPPENINGS, BUT OUR JOY DEPENDS ON JESUS

I MIGHT NOT BE HAPPY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MY LIFE, AND I MIGHT EVEN SHED SOME WELL-DESERVED TEARS, BUT ON THE INSIDE, I CAN BE JOYFUL BECAUSE OF MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

THE LORD WANTS TO GIVE US HIS JOY BECAUSE HE LOVES US, AND HE KNOWS IT IS CRITICAL TO OUR SUCCESS AS A CHRISTIAN.

• AS CHRISTIANS, ALL KINDS OF BAD THINGS MIGHT HAPPEN TO US THAT ROB US OF OUR HAPPINESS!

WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER OUR HAPPINESS

• AS WE FACE THESE MANY DIFFICULT TIMES IN LIFE, WE NEED THE JOY OF THE LORD! WE HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR JOY!

ILLUS: REMEMBER WHEN NEHEMIAH WAS REBUILDING THE WALLS IN JERUSALEM?

HE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF OPPOSITION IN THIS ENDEAVOR.

HE LITERALLY HAD PEOPLE MAKING FUN OF HIS ABILITY TO DO SUCH A JOB. THE MEN THAT HELPED HIM HAD TO FACE THIS RIDICULE ON A DAILY BASIS.

BUT NOTICE WHAT NEHEMIAH SAID TO THEM.

IN NEHEMIAH 8:10, WE READ, “THEN HE SAID UNTO THEM…FOR THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH.”

DID YOU GET THAT?

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH!

ONE REASON WE HAVE SO MANY WEAK CHRISTIANS TODAY IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALLOWED THE DEVIL TO ROB THEM OF THEIR JOY

• ONE REASON TODAY WE HAVE SO MANY CHRISTIANS WHO CANNOT INFLUENCE PEOPLE TO COME TO KNOW CHRIST, IS BECAUSE AS THEY LOOK AT THE MISERY IN THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE, THEY ARE AFRAID IF THEY ACCEPT THE LORD THEY WILL BE THE SAME WAY

THEY HAVE TAKEN A DOUBLE HIT.

THE HAPPENINGS OF THE WORLD HAVE ROBBED THEM OF THEIR HAPPINESS, AND THE DEVIL HAS ROBBED THEM OF THEIR STRENGTH.

YOU AND I CAN ONLY BE EFFECTIVE FOR CHRIST IF WE HAVE THE JOY OF THE LORD.

BASED ON THE WORD OF GOD, WE KNOW THAT IT IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR HIS JOY TO REMAIN IN US.

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ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE FACED WITH TODAY IN THIS WORLD IS THE LACK OF JOY.

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WHAT’S EVEN MORE TROUBLING IS THAT, THE LACK OF JOY IS COMING FROM CHRISTIANS.

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ALTHOUGH WE KNOW THAT WE DON’T RECEIVE JOY FROM THIS WORLD, THERE ARE THINGS OF THIS WORLD THAT SEEM TO KIDNAP OUR JOY FROM US.

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LET’S SEE IF I CAN MAKE THIS REAL……..DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOU….

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DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNINGS….GIVE A BIG SIGH ….AND THINK ABOUT YOUR TROUBLES OR PROBLEMS….INSTEAD OF WELCOMING THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD?

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DO YOU RUSH AROUND ANXIOUSLY ….GOING ABOUT YOUR DAILY ROUTINE ….GRUMBLING AND COMPLAINING…..INSTEAD OF BEING THANKFUL FOR THE GOODNESS OF GOD?

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DO YOU FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE INSTEAD OF REMEMBERING THE GREATNESS OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER?

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DID YOU COME INTO CHURCH THIS MORNING…..PUT ON YOUR HAPPY FACE….CLAIM THAT YOU ARE “BLESSED” TO THOSE WHO ASKED YOU HOW YOU WERE DOING….WHEN YOU REALLY DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU ARE “BLESSED”

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IF ONE OR MORE OF THOSE DESCRIBE YOU MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS……I’M HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU THIS MORNING……TO JOY BELONGS TO YOU.

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YOU HAVE TO BE BOLD AND NOT ALLOW THE PROBLEMS AND TRIALS OF THIS WORLD TO TAKE YOUR JOY.......YOU HAVE TO JOY BELONGS TO YOU

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NOW…..WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JOY AND HAPPINESS….

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HAPPINESS COMES AND GOES.

HAPPINESS IS DEPENDENT ON OUR CIRCUMSTANCES.

HAPPINESS DOESN’T HELP US THROUGH THE DIFFICULT TIMES OF LIFE.

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WE WILL ALWAYS FIND MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS DURING A TOUGH TIME, BUT THAT HAPPINESS WILL NOT LAST.

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JOY IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

TRUE JOY IS A GIFT FROM GOD.

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JOY COMES WHEN WE ARE AWARE OF GOD’S GRACE AND PRESENCE, WHEN WE KNOW WE’VE EXPERIENCED GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS IN OUR LIVES.

JOYS COMES WHEN WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

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AND IT’S AVAILABLE TO EVERY PERSON WHO PROCLAIMS FAITH IN JESUS AS LORD AND SAVIOR.

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THINK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JOY AND HAPPINESS.

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HAPPINESS IS A STATE OF MIND.

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JOY IS A MIND-SET / OR YOU CAN SAY CONDITION OF YOUR HEART.

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HAPPINESS IS TEMPORARY.

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JOY IN THE LORD IS A CONSTANT.

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HAPPINESS IS DEPENDENT ON WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW.

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JOY IS NOT DEPENDENT ON CIRCUMSTANCES.

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WE CAN BE JOYFUL REGARDLESS OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

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WE KNOW THAT EVERYDAY WON’T BE SUNNY….AND SOMETIMES THE RAIN COMES OUR WAY……

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I WANT TO REMIND YOU TODAY MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO GROW…..EVERY NOW AND THEN……THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE RAIN THAT COMES YOUR WAY.

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BUT EVEN DURING THE RAIN…..I’M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN STILL EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF THE LORD.

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JAMES TELLS US “CONSIDER IT PURE JOY, MY BROTHERS WHENEVER YOU FACE TRIALS OF MANY KINDS…BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH DEVELOPS PERSEVERANCE…”

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THERE ARE THINGS OF THIS WORLD THAT WILL TRY TO HIJACK US…… OF THE JOY THAT GOD DESIRES FOR US TO HAVE.

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I CALL THEM JOY JACKERS… THINGS THAT HIJACK YOU OF THE JOY IN YOUR LIFE…..

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YOU MAY KNOW THEM AS WORRYING…….CONFLICT……..FEAR……DISSATISFACTION…….LIVING IN THE PAST…..NEGATIVE PEOPLE……AND SIN……..JUST TO NAME A FEW.

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BUT I’M HERE THIS MORNING TO ENCOURAGE YOU …..JOY BELONGS TO YOU.

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YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS…..THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HIJACK US OF THE JOY GOD WANTS US TO EXPERIENCE IN OUR LIVES.

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I’M HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU THAT JOY BELONGS TO YOU.

WHY DO I SAY JOY BELONGS TO YOU? WELL I’M GLAD YOU ASKED……..BECAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS…….

AS A CHILD OF GOD……THAT HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLING INSIDE YOU….

YOU HAVE THE JOY OF THE LORD INSIDE OF YOU…….BUT YOU HAVE ALLOWED THE JOY JACKERS……TO KIDNAP…..TAKE HOSTAGE…….AND STEAL THE JOY YOU ALREADY HAD……

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BUT I’M HERE TO PROCLAIM …… JOY BELONGS TO YOU……

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HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THOSE WEBSITES WHERE YOU CAN GO TO AND RECLAIM LOST PROPERTY OR MONEY THAT MAY BE OWED TO YOU…… YOU

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SEE…..IT WAS ALWAYS YOURS…....THE PROPERTY WAS ALREADY YOURS…….THAT MONEY BELONGED TO YOU……YOU JUST HAD TO THE

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WEBSITE…..PUT IN YOUR INFORMATION…….SHOW PROOF THAT IT BELONGS TO YOU……GET A NOTARY….TO VERIFY THAT IT’S YOUR

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SIGNATURE……..AND THEN SUBMIT….YOUR CLAIM…….TO RECLAIM…..WHAT ALREADY BELONGED TO YOU……

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AND JUST LIKE YOU CAN RECLAIM THAT PROPERTY OR MONEY……..

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I’M HERE AT 201 WAYNE STREET TO SOUND THE ALARM…….AND TELL YOU……JOY BELONGS TO YOU….

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BUT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS……THE JOY……THAT ALREADY BELONGS TO YOU…….YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO TO A WEBSITE AND PUT IN YOUR INFORMATION….

YOU SIMPLY NEED TO ASK…….

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THE WORD OF GOD TELLS US…….IN

JOHN 16:24