THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: Joy

Memorial Drive 6/23/19 THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: Joy Various Texts Of all they shared, the most evident of all was their LACK OF JOY! … PARTICIPANTS IN JOY: A Variety of Participants • DIVINE JOY ◦ The Father ◦ The Son ◦ The Spirit • Angelic Joy • Believer’s Joy • Creation’s Joy … OCCASIONS FOR JOY: In Desirable and Undesirable Circumstances • Joy In Anticipation of and At the Birth of Christ • Joy Over the Resurrected Christ and Renewed Hope • Joy In Anticipation of a Significant Reward To Be Gained “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from JOY over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matt. 13:44) • Joy As a Birthright for Those Who Are Part of God’s Kingdom Family “Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 14:16-17) • Joy As An Outcome Of Progressing In Our Faith “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your PROGRESS and JOY in the faith …” (Phil. 1:25) If we stopped with these texts alone we might define joy as the natural and reasonable response to an ANTICIPATED OR ALREADY EXPERIENCED DESIRABLE CIRCUMSTANCE. • Joy When Everything Seems Hopeless “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL BE JOYFUL IN GOD MY SAVIOR.” (Hab. 3:17-18) • Joy In All Circumstances “REJOICE ALWAYS, pray continually, give thanks IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thess. 5:16-18) … JOY’S PROBLEM: Commanded But Impossible By Natural Means • Joy Is Commanded “REJOICE ALWAYS, pray continually, give thanks IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thess. 5:16-18) • Joy Is Impossible By Natural Means Joy isn’t a momentary happiness experienced when things are going well. Joy is a state of mind and an orientation of the heart toward God no matter what. It is a settled state of contentment, confidence and hope, even in the worst of circumstances. “Father, command what you will and grant what you command.” Augustine … JOY ENABLED: A Divine Enablement How can I cooperate with God to see joy become a reality in my life? … LIVE LIFE FROM THE GRACE CONNECTION (James 4:1-8) “Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you THE GRACE OF GOD which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their ABUNDANCE OF JOY and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.” (2 Cor. 8:1-2) • Understand That There IS a GREATER GRACE AVAILABLE! Notice the conflicts from outside and from within! • Understand That I Must COOPERATE WITH God’s Spirit Rather Than OPPOSING His Spirit! If I want “the fruit of the Spirit” to be “birthed” in my life I can’t be working AGAINST God’s Spirit! God has an extreme jealousy that the Spirit that He has made to dwell in every Christian be ALLOWED to accomplish IN and THROUGH us everything for which He was put IN us! • Understand That Humility Begets Grace! “God gives grace to the humble! Therefore it says, ‘Submit to God and resist the devil’” Cleanse your hands! Purify your hearts! Sin, and lies held on to and accepted as truth, will close off the conduit of “greater grace!” Conclusion – A great paradox! “Be miserable and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned into mourning and YOUR JOY to gloom.” For a time, joy is relinquished! To get greater grace! To cooperate with the Spirit and allow the Spirit to give birth to … JOY!