Fearlessly Courageous
11/25/2022
Desk of Dennis Piller
The Promise of Joy by God
What is true joy?
The biblical definition of joy says that joy is a feeling of good pleasure and happiness that is dependent on who Jesus is rather than on who we are or what is happening around us. Joy comes from the Holy Spirit, abiding in God's presence, and from hope in His word.
So how does the Holy Spirit give joy?
Joy comes as He works in our hearts. We experience deep joy as the Holy Spirit makes the work and knowledge of Jesus become a greater reality in our hearts. And real joy prospers and grows as we grow in our faithfulness to Jesus. As we grow in our humility toward him and our neighbor. None of this has anything to do with your current situation. The knowledge of Jesus is joy. The thought of who he is and what he did seeds joy in a Christian's heart because we are slain for our unworthiness. We are humbled by our unworthiness. We are lifted up because the Holy Spirit brings that reality to us. Regardless of who you are or what you have done.
Isaiah 35:10 ”and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be on their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy".
Meaning, the redeemed of the Lord, all Israel, all the Gentiles, you and me, we will have everlasting joy”. That is God's promise to you and for you. Not after we go to heaven. Not after the crisis has passed, but there is joy in the midst of the calamity or illness or even a catastrophe because Christ is our all and all. Our time here is but a millisecond in eternity.
Galatians 5:22-23 lists out the fruit of the Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law." "Fruit" here means "the result of labor." The laborer is the Holy Spirit. So what Galatians 5:22-23 really describes are traits characteristic of a believer who has yielded to the Holy Spirit's work in his or her life. One of these character traits is joy.
I think daily of Pastor Brooks sitting in the hospital believing he will get well and come home to resume his call in ministry. His fight with pneumonia and cancer is certainly less than joyful. But, James 1:2 says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" (see also 1 Peter 1:6). In trials, joy is not found in the immediate situation but in the promise that God's Kingdom will be revealed through the situation. First Peter 1:7-9 says that current trials bring an assurance of faith, making the future joy even greater when Jesus returns. Similarly, James 1:3-4 says that trials will strengthen our character.
We can rejoice in that trials point to a future gift.
True joy is found only in Jesus (John 15:11). If we look for God's work and gifts in our lives, we will always have joy. That is what Pastor Brooks is doing right now. I guarantee you, that as he keeps pressing into God’s presence his Joy grows…His peace grows… and he can literally, like Paul, rejoice in the prison of his health until the Holy Spirit opens up that jail cell and calls him out.
If we get caught up in temporary hardships and worldly desires, our joy will be fleeting and weak. Even in hardship, our joy should remain because it depends on God and His promises: "And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away" (Isaiah 35:10).
If there was ever a promise of joy. Ever a promise to encourage us to read the final chapter. This is it. What will you do with it?
Pray for Pastor Brooks and the Holy Spirit will lift you up.
"WE RISE" | Live from Carolina Worship Nights | Jonathan Helser & Cageless Birds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVYk54clsIA
