…these things I have spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be made full (John 15:11).
The words of the Master above help us understand that the life of joy stems from a life of fellowship with the Lord. Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” A life of righteousness, peace, and joy is the result of our fellowship with the Holy Spirit, and His glorious Word.
Nehemiah 8:10 says, “…the joy of the Lord is your strength”; this refers to the joy that fellowshipping with the Lord inspires in your heart. The Apostle Peter describes it as joy unspeakable and full of glory: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).
As we fellowship with the Lord, though we don’t see Him with our optical eyes, our hearts are knit with Him in joy: the joy of knowing Him, the joy of serving Him, the joy of being called by His Name, and the joy of being made partakers (associates) of the God-kind. This joy transcends physical circumstances and emotions; it’s what keeps us standing on God’s Word, counting it all joy, even when we go through diverse tests (James 1:2). The people of the world can’t explain why we’re able to maintain a joyful spirit in the midst of unnerving and trying circumstances; it’s because the joy of the Lord is our strength.
You were born into a life of rejoicing; therefore, refuse to allow anything make you sad, discouraged or downcast. You don’t need a humourist or jester to make this happen; the joy of the Lord is in your spirit; you can stir up joy from within through fellowship with the Word, and the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Dear Father, I thank you for bringing me into union with you, and for ordaining me to be fruitful and productive in every good work, joyfully bringing forth fruits unto righteousness. I yield my heart to your Spirit today, in fellowship; in the process, your joy abounds in my heart, and I bear much more fruits, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
John 15:5-6
1 John 1:6-7
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
