FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - JOY

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - JOY

Joy is fruit that is produced from living in right relation with God and the Holy Spirit. While sin in your life depletes your joy, when walking with the Lord gives you joy; it is a direct proportion to the level of joy in your life. The closer you walk, the more you listen, the more joy you have in your life. Robert Dean says it this way, “Joy in the Lord enables people to enjoy everything that God has given them.” Many people, Christians believe the ministry of the Spirit is limited to convicting non-believers or exposing believers of their walk away from Christ. But if we hold such a small view of the Holy Spirit, then do we really need Him in our lives.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy. When we limit His ability and job description, we deprive ourselves and others of the blessings that come from the Holy Spirit. Last week we talked about Love and this week the blessing or fruit of the Holy Spirit living in us is joy.

Having joy does not mean that life is perfect or everything is going will. A believer, a Christian, can still have joy despite being in pain, having trials and sufferings or hardships. Joy is having satisfaction or fulfillment knowing that God is in control, Jesus died for their sins and rose to give them life, and that the Holy Spirit was given to us to comfort, guide, and direct us.

Fruit of the Spirit #2: Joy

“But the fruit of the Spirit is joy” (Gal. 5:22).

Am I living with gladness over what I have or fretting over what I don’t have?

I. THE PLAN OF JOY

A. Christ’s birth brought joy—Christ brought good tidings of great joy to all people.

Luke 2:10 – And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

Matthew 2:10-11 – When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

B. Christ’s life brought joy—Wherever Christ went, He brought joy, through His teaching, ministry, healing, or miracles.

Acts 10:38 – how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

C. Christ’s death brought joy—Because Jesus is the Lamb of God, we no longer need to make sacrifices. Through His death we have full forgiveness.

John 1:36 – and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

D. Christ’s resurrection brought joy—Because He lives, we too shall live

John 14:19 – Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

John 11:25-26 – Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

E. Christ’s ascension brought joy. Note Christ’s words before His ascension and the angel’s words after Christ’s ascension.

John 14:1–3 – “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Acts 1:11 – and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

II. THE POWER OF THIS JOY

He wants our joy to be full John 16:24 – Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

A. Joy in sorrow. Job’s life.

1. Job lost all that he had.

Job 1:21-22 – And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Jeremiah 31:13b – I will turn their mourning into joy;

I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

2. Job had faith in God.

Job 12:15-23 – “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding. If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. He leads priests awaystripped and overthrows the mighty. He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. He uncoversthe deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. He makesnations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away.

3. He knew God was alive.

Job 19:25 – For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

4. When Job was tried, he was as gold in a fire.

Job 23:10 – But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

5. Even in times of sorrow, Christians may find joy in the Lord.

Ps. 30:2-5 – O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

B. Joy in sickness. Paul had a thorn in the flesh. Paul knew that God had a plan and purpose in everyday happenings of men.

2 Cor. 12:7-10 – So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Rom. 8:28 – And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

C. Joy in suffering—Persecution and suffering will come. Paul and Silas were in prison, yet they still sang praises to God.

2 Timothy 3:12 -17– Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

James 1:2 – Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

Acts 16:25 – About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

III. THE PERIL OF THIS JOY

Ps. 51:12 – Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

One may lose the joy of the Lord. David prayed for God to restore the joy of salvation. One may lose this joy:

A. Anger. When one becomes angry, he loses the joy of the Lord.

Proverbs 29:22 – A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger commits many transgression.

Proverbs 15:18 – A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

B. Criticism. Being critical toward others shows the lack of the joy of the Lord.

Proverbs 17:20 – A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 12:20 – Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.

C. Sin. Sin always separates men from God, causing them to lose the joy of the Lord. David is an example.

Psalm 51:8-9 – Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Jeremiah 15:16 – Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.

D. Spiritual pride. This leads to criticism, as well as a fighting spirit.

Proverbs 10:28 – The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

E. Lack of patience. A patient person is a joyful person.

James 5:7-8 – Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.

Hebrews 6:5 – And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 – Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

How do you take time to enjoy what God has given you?

How can you have joy even when walking through trials, hard times, or suffering?

How do you prevent yourself from losing the joy of the Lord?

How has anger and criticism robbed you of joy? How did you/can you restore that joy?

What sin has caused a loss of joy? What have you done to restore yourself after it?

How can you prevent spiritual pride in your life from entering, removing joy and taking its place in your life?