Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

Introduction

Galatians 5:22–24 ESV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

How would you define joy?

It is a inner peace and gladness not based on current circumstances, but a future oriented faith

“The secret of joy is Christ in me — not me in different circumstances.” — Elisabeth Elliot

Her husband Jim Eliot died trying to make missionary contact with a tribe in South America, a tribe she would later go back to and minsiter

Read Hebrews 12:1-4

The Setting

Jesus was able to endure the horrors of the cross because of the joy set before him

What was before him?

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 ESV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

The eternal aspect of our faith is what makes our faith so future oriented and allows us to be joyful as it brings our current context into its proper eternal context

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Verse 4 we just read reminds the reader we have not suffered to this point of crucifixion

In other words there is no possible setting you can bein as a believer where joy is not present

Setting Our Sight

Verse 1 gives us several things though we need to take into account in order to walk in joy

the vital part is looking to Jesus

When our joy is fading it is a result of misplaced sight of eyes that have been taken off of Jesus and gets replaced with fear/anxiety

Fear/anxiety is not Jesus sighted but near sighted

When we go back further in verse 1 we see the advice to lay aside every weight and sin

The author was using symbolism of olympic stadium races of that time

Their would have been clear markers of beginning and end and these racers would have trained vigoursly to be in the best shape possible but also would run naked to not be hindered in anyway

So how do we lay aside every weight and sin in order to run with our ours fully fixed on Jesus as we run towards that eternal marker?

With joy being a fruit of the spirit what we ultimatley have to do is welcome His Holy Spirit and cultivate our lifes to allow him to move in us and gift us the joy

One of the first ways worth mentioning in the context of fear/anxiety is 2 Corinthians 10:5

2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Many times a fear/anxiety smoothers our joy because we have not taken a thought captive and becomes like a spiritual fat that hinders us from running our best

We know go to scripture, but get exact with it. When you train for certain sports you do exercises that target certain areas.

So what is your exact fear/anxiety?

What does Scripture say about it?

Ask the question how will my response to this matter in eternity?

Have you done everything you can in a situation?

Romans 12:18 tells us “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

That lets us know their is things in our faith walk despite us doing all we can do will not always have the preferable outcome

And that is ok, in a fallen world things are not going to be perfect, their is going to be bad outcomes, but time and time again God reminds us he is bigger than this world and he is bigger than the issues in it and time and time again works things out in marvelous ways

Genesis 50:20 ESV

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

Looking Backwards

Than almost being counter intuitive we look back in order to look forward more accuratley, and what i mean by that we look at the great cloud of witness, the legacy left by many in the faith on how they ran well

So let us go back further in Hebrews to chapter 11 to the hall of faith and see how we can better orient our lifes to focus our eyes on Jesus to run well and to be filld with his joy

11:4- Abel

Abel and Cain both brought offerings to the Lord, but only Abel’s was accepted. Because Abel’s was of the firstborn of his flock, while Cain’s was just an offering, not the first fruits

Is your worship of God a first fruit or a secondary?

If you only come to church when it is convenient for you, if you pray when it is just convenient to you, if you read scripture when it is convenient to you, you are offering the Lord secondaries and your joy will not be complete

Any time God is second is unacceptable worship to God, scripture reminds us He is a jealous God that requires to be first (Exodus 34:14)

if you are here just because it worked out conveniently with your schedule your presence here is not a pleasant aroma to God, but a stench and he will not bless your presence here with joy

Joy is a fruit of truly prioritizing God first

11:7- Noah

Noah built a huge boat when it did not even make sense to, spent anywhere from 50-100 years working on it

He built it because he had fear of the Lord, He listened to spiritual sense rather than common sense if we are being truly honest

He did not let the voice of a wicked world drown out a Holy God

Joy is found in being counter culture, not in confirming to it

Do you find yourself compromising trying to appease the world?

Look at your theology is you starting place God or the culture, too often today people let culture movements shape their view of Scripture rather than letting scripture shape their view of the world?

Prosperity Gospel

Universalism

Side Note: Methuselah died the year of the flood, scripture does not tell us, but imagine the encouragement he gave through the years to help Noah stay true to what God called him.

Grandparents you have a vital role in helping your grandchildren walk in joy.

How are you helping them walk in the right path?

Do you see the calling on their life?

11:8- Abraham / 11:25-28- Moses

Abraham Left everything behind with not a clear picture of where he was going, just knowing God had called

He left behind family, he left behind financial stability, he left behind the known

Moses gave up presitge, power, comfort. He could have led a very comfortable and culturally impactful life

Joy is found in obedience not comfort or titles

Sometimes running the race well means physically moving to somewhere away from everyone you know, means leaving behind the most financial stable path, means stepping out in faith even when you literally do not know what comes next.

How did that look practically in my life. Moving to Shreveport, 6 hours away for a bi-vocational position with no other source of income lined up.

Joy will never be found in a sum of possessions or money or promotions

Outro

This morning ask yourself what changes do you need to make hindering the joy in your life?

What other lessons can we learn from those in the hall of faith on what it means to run a race well?

1️⃣ Check where your eyes are fixed

Ask yourself daily: Am I looking more at my problems, or at Christ?

Make a habit this week of re-focusing your heart each morning through prayer and Scripture.

2️⃣ Lay aside what is weighing you down

Identify specific fears, anxieties, or sins that smother your joy.

Name them honestly before God and apply Scripture directly to them (2 Corinthians 10:5).

3️⃣ Make worship first, not leftover

Examine your schedule and priorities: does God truly come first, or just when convenient?

Offer God your “first fruits” — your best energy, time, and devotion — not what’s left after everything else.

Remember: joy is a fruit of rightly ordered worship.

4️⃣ Pursue obedience over comfort

Like Noah, Abraham, and Moses, sometimes joy comes from choosing the harder, faithful road.

Ask: Where is God calling me to obey even when it costs something?

Trust that eternal joy outweighs temporary ease.

5️⃣ Think with eternity in mind

When anxiety rises, ask: How will this matter in eternity?

Remind yourself: “These light momentary afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

6️⃣ Leave a legacy of faith

Your choices today shape the faith of those watching you — your children, grandchildren, and church family.

Choose joy rooted in faith so that, like the heroes of Hebrews 11, your life becomes a testimony that points others to Jesus.