Theme Scripture: Selected Scriptures
In this lesson, we will be discussing the fruit of the Spirit, Joy. We will be answering several questions related to joy. There is no set scripture, but we will be using a variety of scriptures for this lesson. Without further ado, let us begin with the first question.
- What is joy? According to the Full Life Study Bible, Joy is the feeling of gladness based on the love, grace, blessings, promises, and nearness of God that belongs to those who believe in Jesus (i.e. the everlasting feeling of jubilance). It comes from the Greek word chara, which means a feeling of inner gladness, delight or rejoicing. Precept Austin puts it, "Joy in the NT is virtually always used to signify a feeling of 'happiness' that is based on spiritual realities (and independent of what 'happens'). Joy is not an experience that comes from favorable circumstances but is God’s gift to believers. Joy is a part of God’s very essence and as discussed below His Spirit manifests this supernatural joy in His children. Joy is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord." The Hebrew word for joy is simcha, which means to always be in a state of happiness, not just mere happiness. It is constantly. It does not depend on the current situation, it depends on God's faithfulness. And because God is always faithful, joy is everlasting.
- Who gives joy/ Where does it come from? Nehemiah 8:10 clearly tells us who is the source of this Joy. It says "The joy of the Lord..." This clearly states that joy comes from the Lord because whenever something is of something else represents ownership. Joy is owned by God. His grace, mercy, and Spirit is the reason why we are able to receive it. Galatians 5: 22 says "But the fruit of the Spirit is... joy..." Here we see the "of the" again. Since the fruit is Joy and it is of the Spirit, Joy comes from the Spirit of God when he comes into the believer's heart.
3. When do we get joy?
Psalms 30: 5 says this plainly: "...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Joy comes in the morning. Who is portrayed as the morning star in Revelation 22: 16? Christ is portrayed that way. Therefore, joy comes in Jesus! It comes when Jesus comes in our life and makes his abode there. It comes when we believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
4. Is there a difference between joy and happiness?
Yes, there is. Happiness is temporary. You can be happy today and depressed tomorrow. And this is evident in the Bible. Look at David. David was a man of mixed emotions, however his joy was constant. David starts Psalms 21 with "The king shall joy [shall be made happy] in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! He ends that same chapter with "Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so we will sing and praise thy power. However, one verse later David cries saying "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? That is very odd. One minute he is praising and thanking God, the next minute he says that God has forsaken him. Now I am not saying that it happened that quickly, I am just saying that he was filled with mixed emotions. And honestly, we all are. We can get through praising God and the moment a test and trial come we asking God "Why?' We need to do better. God expects us to Praise him through the good and the bad, whether happy or sad. How can you praise him even though the lights are cut off? How can you praise him though I am not doing good in school? How can I praise him though my spouse is threatening divorce or my parents are thinking about divorce? How can I praise him though there is no money in the bank? How can I praise him though I just got out of a relationship? You no what, my associate pastor just preached a message about this same topic. And you know what, the answer is so true. You see, praise should not be effected by the situation. Praise should come from the heart, and the heart is where the source of Joy comes. Since that source is eternal, joy should be eternal. Psalms 34: 1 says "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Sometimes our joy gets buried beneath all the problems, worries, and stresses of this life. However, just because it is buried doesn't mean it isn't there. Joy is a plant: it grows and it will always find itself above the surface.
5. How do I get joy?
As stated above, Joy comes from Jesus. Therefore, if you want joy, you must get Jesus. There is no other way around it. His joy is everlasting and true. The bible says he gives us "...joy unspeakable and full of glory." Do you want him? Do you believe that he died on the cross and rose again on the third day? Do you believe that he is the Son of God, the Christ. Do you want Jesus to come into your heart. If you do, ask him. Ask him to come into your heart and make you his child. Ask him to forgive you of every sin you ever committed. Ask him to change your life for the better. Tell him that you believe that he died on the cross and rose on the third day as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the eternal victor. If you don't know where to start, just pray this prayer:
Dear Jesus, I believe that you died on the cross and that you rose on the third day for my sins. I believe that you are God and that there is no other! I ask you to forgive me of all my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Come into my heart and make me your child. Thank you that I can live with you forever and ever. And that one day, you will come to take me home with you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
If you just said that prayer, you have become apart of God's family, you have been saved, justified, and reconciled with God. Jesus has come into your life and his Spirit lives in you, to help, to lead, to guide, to teach, to pray for, to encourage, and strengthen you. The Bible says the angels rejoice over one sinner who repents. Now, Jesus's blood has covered you and God has forgiven you and doesn't even remember the sins that you have done in your life. I encourage you to find a good church home who teaches and preaches and lives the Bible and nothing else but what is in the Bible. If you need to contact me, my email is [email protected]. If you need prayer or help, let me know. I am here for you. I love you brother and my sister! God bless you and congratulations on taking that first step of the rest of your life with Jesus.
P.S.- We have a lesson about Salvation. If you want to read it, just click the Salvation tab on the home page or just click here to be redirected to the lesson about Salvation.
