1179 - The Fruit of the Holy Spirit - Joy#
1179 - The Fruit of the Holy Spirit - Joy
(JP Text Group - Embroidery Organization)
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for coming before you at this time. Here, we want to receive the blessings that come from heaven. We lay all our worries and problems before you. May you guide me in the following time, and may the Holy Spirit lead each of our hearts so that we can understand your words. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Now we will talk about the fruit of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the fruit of the Spirit is one, but it has nine attributes. Today we will share the second attribute, joy.
Earlier, Paul said a phrase, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice." Do you know the context in which Paul said this? This was written between 61 and 62 AD, while he was in prison in Rome. In the book of Philippians, joy and its synonyms are mentioned as many as seventeen times in just four chapters, urging you to rejoice. Therefore, many biblical scholars refer to this book as the Epistle of Joy.
At that time, Paul was in prison. How could he comfort those outside the prison by telling them to rejoice? Who is lacking joy? Can a prisoner have joy? We might think that there shouldn't be joy! Yet Paul, while in prison, comforted those outside by saying, "You should rejoice." Paul had learned to adapt to his circumstances at any time and to face them with a joyful heart. Thus, bearing the fruit of joy is very important for us Christians because we may face tribulations and trials. Of course, these things do not come from God, but God hopes that His children can face all of this with joy.
What is joy? It is a feeling of happiness and delight. The Bible commands us to rejoice always. The Christian life should not be characterized by mere happiness, but by joy, and today we will share the reasons for this. Why should Christians rejoice always and every day? Because we have many certainties within us; joy and gratitude are evidence of the Holy Spirit's presence with us. True joy is not something that can be faked.
When a person is deeply troubled inside, they cannot show joy on their face. When you are truly joyful inside, your face will reflect a smile. A person without peace cannot express joy, no matter how well they pretend, but it will soon be exposed. So how can Christians bear the fruit of joy?
Let us share the first point, God is a God of Joy.
As children of God, we must know that the God we trust is a God of joy. The scripture says: "Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His dwelling place." Many places speak of our God as being full of majesty, holiness, and righteousness, and full of power, which is often mentioned by people. In fact, God is also the God who gives joy to people.
1 Chronicles 16:27 says, "Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and joy are in His dwelling place."
God did not create joy; rather, God Himself is the source of joy. People often try to create joy and happiness. For example, when work pressure is high and business is tough, people may choose to sing karaoke or dance, sweating profusely, feeling happy at that moment. But when they return home and wake up the next day, the problems are still there. This is joy created by man, and it quickly fades away.
The joy that God gives us comes from within. People seek happiness through music, a song, or other things to make themselves joyful, but God gives us joy from within our hearts. We must know that our God is the source of joy; He created all things and therefore rejoices.
When God created the heavens and the earth, after creating air and sunlight, He said it was good. On the last day, when God created man, He said it was very good. What is the difference? Everything God created in the world is good. So when you are feeling down, when you see all that God has created, doesn't your heart feel joyful? Among all of creation, we are God's greatest joy. You are unique in this world; God's joy culminated in the creation of man, whom He called "very good."
In God's eyes, you are very good. No matter how the world defines you, it doesn't matter. In God's eyes, you are very good; you are the apple of His eye. Here we should know that although God created all things and rejoices, He is most delighted because of man. This is because man bears His image and likeness, which is the happiest thing for God.
"Let all who take refuge in You be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You."
Brothers and sisters, this means that today, all who come to take refuge in our God, God hopes they will be joyful and sing for joy, because God protects them. God surrounds you with a shield every day. In fact, God has always been doing this, so you should rejoice and sing for joy. Those who love Your name may rejoice in You. Today, as you rely on God, what you receive from Him is His joy and a joyful heart. Amen!
Jesus Christ exchanged our sorrows for joy. When God created man, everything was good; all things were good, and man was good, without sorrow. When did man begin to feel discouraged, despair, sorrow, unrest, and fear? It was after man sinned. When Adam and Eve believed the devil's lies and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, death came to Adam, and at that moment, God's judgment began.
The earth was cursed because of Adam. In the past, Adam did not have to sweat to make a living, but now brothers understand that maintaining a family is really difficult. At that time, Adam did not need to worry about these things; the grains of the earth would grow by themselves, and the fruit trees would bear fruit in due season. We do not know what the Garden of Eden was like, but one thing we know is that at that time, the fruits could be eaten freely, regardless of the season.
God did not say to Adam, "Eat peaches in spring, watermelons in summer, apples in autumn, and only winter melons in winter!" At that time, he could eat whatever he wanted without being restricted by the seasons. After Adam sinned, the earth was cursed, and things that should not grow began to sprout, such as thorns and thistles. Moreover, conflicts arose between Adam and his wife, with mutual suspicion, blame, discouragement, despair, and sickness. Joy was taken away.
Because of sin, people fail in their endeavors, become discouraged, and despair. How can one escape from this? No matter how much money you earn, can you guarantee that you will always be joyful? You cannot. Or no matter how high your status is, can you guarantee that you will be joyful every day?
God does not want people to live like this, so God hopes that we are joyful every day. How can people return to a joyful life? Looking back at our lives, what do we have the most? Let us read together.
Psalm 90:10, "The length of our days is seventy years, or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."
Is this scripture correct? In our seventy or eighty years of life, when you look back, what do you have the most? Is it joy? Or is it trouble and sorrow, which occupy more than two-thirds of our lives? God hopes that we are joyful every day, in His love. That is why Jesus came, to save us from a life of sin and to give us joy.
How can He save us from all this trouble and sorrow?
Let us look at Isaiah 53:3-6:
"He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, He was despised, and we held Him in low esteem. Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds, we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."
This is the state of most people: suffering and enduring pain. But there is one person who changed all this; Isaiah 53 refers to Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Why was He despised and rejected? Why did He suffer so much? For us.
Surely He took up our pain; because of the punishment He received, we have peace; because of His wounds, we are healed. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, came to bear these pains for us, to save us and bring us into His rest.
Isaiah 53:10-11
"Yet it was the Lord's will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer, and though the Lord makes His life an offering for sin, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. After He has suffered, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by His knowledge, My righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities."
The word used in parentheses is delight; our God delights in His Son being crushed, delights in His Son suffering. Why? Many of you have become parents; do you want your son or daughter to suffer? Or do you want your son or daughter to live under great pressure every day? No one wants that. But our God, when He saw His Son crushed by sin, when He saw His Son suffering, He delighted.
Because He knows that when His Son suffers these pains, those who believe in Him will no longer suffer this pain. At that moment, we are delighted by God. Before, we were not delighted by God, living in sin, but now because of Jesus, we are delighted by God. Amen!
Now you have someone to rely on, and that is our God, who is willing to be your help at all times.
The will of the Lord will prosper in His hand. Because of the work accomplished by the Lord Jesus on the cross, God will open the way for you ahead, allowing you to enjoy the joy of His word. Amen!
Many people are justified because they know our Lord Jesus. After being justified, one of the things we receive is joy; God gives you His joy.
When we accept Jesus, what do we give to Jesus? What do you give to Jesus?
When we accept Jesus, we give Him all our sins throughout our lives. This includes despair, discouragement, disappointment, unrest, and lack of joy. Jesus takes all your sins from your hands and places them on Himself, bearing them. He died on the cross for our sins. After that, Jesus gives us His joy, peace, and righteousness.
Every time we come before God, what do we give to God? Most of the time, we say, "Lord, I am facing some difficulties now; please help me solve them!" Most of the time, we give our troubles and sorrows to Jesus, but even so, God is very pleased with you doing this because when you pray to Him, you acknowledge that He is your God. Amen!
Unfortunately, many Christians do not pray and are unwilling to give their difficulties to God. In fact, when people pray to God, He gives them His comfort, peace, and joy.
Hebrews 12:3 says, "Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
Brothers and sisters, why could Jesus still have joy while enduring suffering? Because the way the Lord Jesus saves us is by using His death to exchange for our lives. This is the divine exchange on the cross; at that moment, everything is in exchange. All your sins are laid upon Jesus, and Jesus' righteousness, peace, and joy are poured down upon us.
Joy is a fruit, and when God gives the Holy Spirit, joy is included within it. So the Holy Spirit includes not only joy but also peace, gentleness, etc. At the moment you accept Jesus, joy is already within you; you just need to learn to release this joy.
Do you see the piano? It is just sitting there, but if we do not know how to play, we cannot pray, "Lord, let it make some sound." The piano will not make sound by itself; someone must play it. Joy is within you; what you need to do is let the joy inside you come out. Let the Holy Spirit work in your heart to guide you, and you will bear the fruit of joy.
Jesus Christ, in order for us to receive the blessing of His joy, restores us to the image God intended when He created man, finding joy and glory in God. Therefore, when He was in suffering, He did not shrink back. Because of the joy set before Him, He knew that after enduring this suffering and these wounds, those who believe in Him will receive healing and peace. So He saw the joy ahead, saw the results of His labor, and disregarded all the shame before the cross, so that we would no longer live in sin. I hope you can live joyfully every day. Amen!
He wants you to know what He has accomplished for you, one of which is that He has placed joy as a fruit within you. He is the author and perfecter of faith. What does this mean? The author is the beginning, and the perfecter is the end. The author of faith is our Jesus Christ, and the perfecter of faith is also our Jesus Christ. When you look to Jesus, God will comfort you in your sufferings. The troubles and sorrows in your heart, Jesus will personally bring comfort to you because He has already overcome the world, sickness, pain, and death. He has already overcome all. So if we are in discouragement and despair, we can look to our God, and then joy will come forth from within.
Isaiah 61:1-3 says,
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor."
This is the translation of the New Version, which is slightly different from the King James Version, but the meaning is completely the same. This passage refers to Jesus. Isaiah 53 mentions that Jesus, for our sins, was like a lamb, obedient unto death. By the time we reach chapter 61, this has all been accomplished.
Chapter 61 begins with, "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me." Jesus once stood in the synagogue in His hometown, and someone handed Him the book of Isaiah to read. He read this passage, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor." After closing the scroll, He said to those listening, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." The people below began to discuss, saying, "How can this man speak like this? How can you say you are the Messiah?"
But this passage refers to Jesus. And this passage is filled with our great blessings. The Spirit of the Lord refers to the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes upon someone, that person receives the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Lord has anointed me; God anoints you with the Holy Spirit and sends you to proclaim good news to the humble or to preach the gospel to the poor.
Those who are spiritually poor, who have no joy, fear, worry, and discouragement, are the ones who are spiritually poor. They need the gospel of Christ. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted. Can the Holy Spirit heal the brokenhearted? So when you are sad, pray to God! The Holy Spirit can comfort your heart and give you joy again.
Those bound by alcohol or some addiction, the Holy Spirit can free you from that bondage.
To comfort all who mourn, the Holy Spirit can comfort all who mourn. When you are sad inside, do not tell people, because they may not give you true comfort. People can only say, "Don't worry, just endure it, and it will pass." The Holy Spirit knows all your pain; the Holy Spirit can comfort all who mourn. Amen!
The Holy Spirit will give you a crown of beauty. God's glory is always upon you; you need to see this glory. When you see it, you will rejoice. The oil of joy instead of mourning. When the Israelites faced great suffering, they would tear their clothes and throw ashes on their heads.
The Old Testament records a man named Job. When he was extremely sad and in great pain, he took ashes and threw them on his head, representing that he was completely defiled, so he sat in ashes and cried out in pain.
When you accept Jesus, God will replace your mourning with the oil of joy.
The devil's food is dust. When God judged the serpent, He said to the serpent, "You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life." So the devil's food is dust. When a person is in great pain, they throw dust on themselves. In fact, they have already been swallowed by pain.
When you feel particularly unwell, when there are many things you cannot understand, you should pray to the Holy Spirit and pray in tongues. It is said, "The garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." The original meaning is that the garment of praise replaces the spirit of despair. When you cannot walk out of a certain pain, God's intention is that praise can replace your sorrow. Some may say, "I cannot pray in tongues; what should I do?" You can use a second method, which is praise, and it can overcome your sorrow.
When you are feeling low, sing some joyful songs. When you sing these songs, the Holy Spirit will begin to work in your heart through those lyrics, bringing you joy.
When you open your mouth to praise God, the Holy Spirit will pour the oil of joy upon your head. Amen! Replacing sorrow with praise, and God also tells us that He will call us righteous. This righteous tree is planted by God, and the devil cannot uproot it. Today, you have been justified by God, as long as you are willing to live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Joy will often fill your heart.
When you accepted Jesus, the Holy Spirit already dwells within you. Jesus did His work, and the Spirit of God was upon Him, showing many signs and wonders.
The second point we share is Jesus is the source of joy.
In John 20:19-20, it says,
"On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you!' After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord."
At the beginning, Jesus told the disciples many times that the Son of Man would be killed on the cross and would rise again on the third day, but the disciples did not understand. After Jesus died, the disciples were very afraid, hiding in a room to pray.
Brothers and sisters, when you are afraid, you can pray to God. Do not say you are already scared enough and stop praying. When you encounter problems, always choose not to leave God but to draw near to God in prayer. Even if you say you have no strength, it doesn't matter. Try listening to some sermons to restore your faith and strength.
At that time, did the disciples have strength? They had no strength. They were still very afraid while praying. Suddenly, Jesus stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Did they have joy then? No, at that time, there was no joy. But when Jesus stretched out His hand and showed them, they rejoiced. Because they were certain that Jesus had risen from the dead.
This represents something: from then on, Jesus would never die again; He had risen. The one we believe in today is this resurrected Lord. Nothing can defeat our Lord Jesus. Today, all authority in heaven, on earth, and under the earth has been legally reclaimed by Jesus. So you need not be sad or sorrowful anymore because all authority is in the hands of our Lord Jesus. When you see the Jesus who died and rose again, your heart will rejoice.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of joy, so the more time you spend with the Holy Spirit in prayer, the more joy you will have. You will find that when you sing those joyful songs, your mood will also become joyful. This is God's work; this is also the work of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 14:17 tells us, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit."
The kingdom of God refers to the place where God is supreme. What Jesus cares about is not eating and drinking but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. When a person's heart is joyful, everything else becomes better. If the heart is bitter, even eating and drinking will taste different.
Today, many people's joy is based on material things. For example, if you just bought a 50-inch LED TV, how long can you be joyful? On the first day you get home, you turn on the TV and say, "Wow! It's beautiful. It's much better than my old TV. Amazing! Technology is great!" How long can this joy last? After the novelty wears off, this joy will disappear. Joy based on material things is very short-lived.
When you build your joy on our Lord Jesus, it is everlasting joy because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of joy. Today, our joy is built on our correct faith; this is God's joy. When you understand that you have been completely forgiven by God, accepted by God, that God no longer remembers your sins, and that God protects you every day, no matter where you go, He is with you, this joy surpasses circumstances and transcends material things. Even when circumstances are terrible, you still know, "Yes, my God is still with me! Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me."
Luke 10:17-20
The seventy returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
Rejoice because your names are written in the Book of Life; this is the true reason we should rejoice.
Brothers and sisters, knowing that your name is in the Book of Life is the greatest joy. Life is short. Even if you encounter suffering, failure, and setbacks, after this brief suffering, God will give us an incomparable glory in the future, a joy that no one can take away. What you will enjoy in the kingdom of heaven is an eternal inheritance. Therefore, all the labor you do for the Lord on earth is not in vain. So do not look at how terrible the environment is; in terrible circumstances, you should pray to God and ask Him to give you strength to overcome this environment.
Psalm 4:7 says, "You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound."
The poet means that the joy God gives him far exceeds that of those who have abundant grain and new wine.
Many people can earn money but cannot enjoy what they earn. What benefit is there in that? The book of Ecclesiastes gives us many such examples. Today, you should look at what God has given you, not at what God has not given you. Just because God has not given you something now does not mean He will not give it to you later. So, you should focus on the blessings God has already given you. When the Israelites were in the wilderness, they often complained because they did not see that God was with them and that they lacked nothing. Their focus was only on what they did not have, so they lost joy.
For example, when the Israelites were in Egypt, they had leeks, onions, and garlic. They complained about why they did not have them in the wilderness. But the manna God provided was far better than those leeks and garlic. Look at what God has given you today. Look at yourself; God's health is upon you, God's joy is in you, and God's love is upon you. This is something that others cannot take away.
Many people are indeed financially well-off. But if every day at home is cold and devoid of love, you would not envy such a family.
Proverbs 15:16-17
"Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil. Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred."
The joy and peace in a person's heart are the most important. Just think, even if a person owns hundreds of houses, can they stay in all of them in one night? Lying down only takes up about two meters of space, but when a person's heart is unsatisfied, they will focus on these things and continuously pursue them, ultimately falling into the devil's snare.
So, we should not learn from the world. Because of this, people will lose their joy. You should see the blessings God has given you today, and regarding the future, God will give you according to your needs!
The Bible says that unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. At first, I did not understand why being like a child was so important. One characteristic of children is that they can find joy in any place you put them.
As people grow up, they find that these joys seem to fade away. Therefore, God hopes that we become like little children, so that your heart solely relies on God, and no matter where you are placed, you can find joy. Enjoy the joy that God has given you.
Habakkuk 3:17-19 says,
"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. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to tread on the heights."
In life, not everything goes as we wish. Sometimes, we do face unfavorable circumstances. But look at how the prophet Habakkuk faced difficulties. How bad was the environment he faced? I think you have not faced it to that extent.
The fig tree does not bud, which means there is no food. The grapevine does not bear fruit, meaning there is no wine. The olive tree does not produce oil, meaning there is no oil. There is no grain, new wine, or oil.
Grain, new wine, and oil refer to the essentials of our lives. When these basic things are gone, it is not just that; it also says there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls. In such a situation, what will you do? Most people would feel discouraged and despair in such an environment.
But look, Habakkuk, in this environment, actually had joy! Though the circumstances were so terrible, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The joy that God gives has already transcended the environment. Some say, "If I spend two dollars and God lets me win five million, I will definitely be joyful." This kind of joy is something everyone can achieve. The key is, can you be joyful when the situation is not good? This joy comes from God because this joy will help you overcome all the sorrows and troubles in life.
Tribulation produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame. God hopes that we can be joyful in any environment. Although the environment is terrible, God is our joy.
If the fig tree does not bud, can God make it bud? Yes. Because the authority is still in the hands of our God. When the grapevine does not bear fruit, our God can change the grapevine. In other words, even when there is no grain, new wine, or oil, you still need to see that God is still with you. These difficulties are only temporary; do not let these difficulties take away your joyful heart because you can still rejoice in God.
God can help you smoothly get through difficulties; the Lord is your strength. You cannot build joy on grain, new wine, and oil. If these are gone, your heart will be troubled. If you have them, your heart will be happy. This kind of joy is unstable. God hopes we possess the fruit of the Holy Spirit, true joy.
Then it says, He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. This means that today your feet will be kept by God. The feet of a deer run very fast but do not slip. Today, God will keep your steps from falling. Even if the environment is terrible and dangerous, God says, "I will keep you walking through it smoothly."
If it were not for God breathing into Adam's nostrils and giving him the Holy Spirit, what would Adam be? He would just be a piece of dust. But God delights in Adam and sees him as a treasure.
Now, God has given His Holy Spirit to you; you have already been lifted up by God. You are a treasure in God's eyes, loved by God. This is our reason for joy. Many people, when praying in tongues, are also singing. Originally feeling very bad and sad, during the prayer process, they unexpectedly start singing. What is happening?
Because the Holy Spirit does not want you to be in sorrow; He does not want you to be in sadness. He has replaced your sorrow with joy. Thank the Lord, so you already possess the most precious resource. Pray more with the Holy Spirit. Let His joy fill you every day.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You. God does not want us to live in sorrow and depression. Therefore, You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to take our pain, our sorrow, and our troubles. When Jesus was on the cross, all my diseases, pains, and sorrows were replaced by Jesus; Your oil of joy replaced my mourning.
Holy Spirit, please help us, renew me, let me focus on Jesus' victory and provision every day, so that I can transcend my circumstances and enjoy Your joy. Lord, I thank You for loving me so much. You also hope that I can enjoy Your joy every day because You are the God who gives joy.
May Your joy be poured upon me every day, and I am willing to be a witness of that joy, helping more people to walk into the joy of Jesus Christ. Thank and praise the Lord; all glory belongs to You. In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!