Joy, a Fruit of the Spirit
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START WITH HEART
Lord, as You speak please help me listen with my whole heart and Holy Spirit please meet me today and make me more like Jesus.
Galatians 5:22,23
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”
The Amplified Bible expounds the above verse even further. It says that the fruit of the Spirit is the work which His presence within accomplishes.
How is this done? John 15:4, “Dwell in Me and I will dwell in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me”
When we abide in Him and love Him with all our hearts then the fruit of joy grows, as do the other fruit.
What can we do when our joy levels are low? We need to spend more time with Him and enjoy His Word. Psalm 16:11 says that in His presence is fullness of joy.
Intimacy with God, drawing near to Him increases our joy in Him. We are encouraged in James to draw near to God and He will draw near to us.
The Word of God revives and brings His joy to life within our hearts.
Jeremiah 15:16, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words were to me a joy and rejoicing of my heart.”
Why are we encouraged to be joyful? James 1:2 encourages us to “consider it joyful whenever we encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.”
Joy is much more than a positive attitude, it causes us to rise above our circumstances and focus on God even in sorrow and suffering.
Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25-34 sang praises to God in prison and look what happened! An earthquake shook the prison and the prisoners’ chains fell off them.
Joy places things in God’s hands in trust and puts us in a place of rest. Philippians 4:6 says that we must not fret or have any anxiety, but in every circumstance by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, continue to make our wants known to God.
His joy within us is a lifestyle free from worry and fear.
Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.” His joy in us enables us to go through the storms of life without succumbing emotionally and mentally to life’s knocks.
I will end with an acronym of JOY
J – Jesus
O – Others
Y – Yourself
Luke 10:27 says that we are to love the Lord with all our hearts, soul, strength and mind and to love our neighbours as ourselves. When we obey this commandment then we discover His joy.
JOURNALING QUESTIONS:
- Is joy a choice?
- Can we be joyful even when circumstances are difficult? Why?
Thank you Lord for the power of your Word. Lord help me to be joyful even when circumstances are difficult. May Your joy in me be my continual strength. Thank You that in Your presence there is fullness of joy.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
WORSHIP SONG:
God I look to You, Jen Johnson Bethel Church
by Joy Potter
