Author: Gary Witcher

Christian Walk: By the Spirit - Joy

     As we saw last time, one of the stepping-stones along the Christian walk is love.  Looking once again at the list of the fruits of the Spirit given in Galatians 5:22-23, we learn that another aspect of this walk is joy.
     It is amazing that, in a land of bountiful blessings, there seems to be such a lack of joy.  Could it be that most people are looking in the wrong place?
     If what we read, hear and see in advertising is correct, joy should be found in money, possessions and an irresponsible lifestyle.  Solomon, the wisest and one of the richest men who ever lived, fell for this line of thinking.  What was his conclusion when all was said and done?  Solomon described this attempt at finding joy as "futility" and "striving after wind."
     What, then, is the correct pathway to genuine joy?
     "And when they saw the star," Matthew 2:10 records, "they rejoiced exceedingly, with great joy."
     What's so exciting about seeing a star?  We see lots of stars nearly every night.  But this particular star was not the source of joy.  The joy was tied to what the star was announcing.  It was heralding the presence of Jesus.
     In Acts 2:25-28 Peter quotes David's reference to the Messiah from Psalm 16:8-11.  "Thou hast made known to me the ways of life;" Acts 2:28 says, "Thou wilt make me full of gladness with Thy presence."
     The presence of Jesus is a source of genuine joy.
     Romans 15:13 gives us another source of joy.  "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
     The God of hope supplies us with joy, and notice how well He does it.  Does God ever do something half way?  No, He FILLS us with ALL joy.  Compare this with what the world delivers.
     The reference to peace in this verse brings to mind another source of real joy: peace and agreement among brethren.  Paul points this out in the second chapter of Philippians where he tells the church in Philippi how they can give him joy.
     "Make my joy complete," Paul writes in verse two, "by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose."
     Do the peace and resulting joy that are referred to here depend upon everything going smoothly?
     "But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith," Paul adds in verses 17-18, "I rejoice and share my joy with you all.  And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me."
     The reaction to many to these words of Paul may be that we should ignore doctrinal errors and unscriptural practices of others so that we can live together in peace and harmony.  No, the peace that Paul is talking about is one that is caused by agreement on sound doctrine.  In fact, another source of joy, according to the Holy Spirit through Paul, is seeing brethren remain faithful to the truth.
     In the first two chapters of 1 Thessalonians Paul praises the Christians in Thessalonica for their faithfulness.
     "You also became imitators of us and of the Lord," Paul states in chapter one verse six, "having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit."
     "For who is our hope of joy or crown of exultation?" Paul asks in chapter two verses 19-20.  "Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?  For you are our glory and joy."
     Real joy is found in the presence of Jesus.  It comes from the God of hope.  It results from peace and agreement between faithful brethren.  But, even knowing all this, we have to admit that we cannot do much to arrive at this joy on our own.  It can only come from God's help in walking the Christian walk.
     "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it," Paul says in Colossians 1:9-14, "we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience, JOYOUSLY giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
     "For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
     Now THAT'S a source of real joy!

     The God of hope fills us with all joy as He helps us walk the Christian walk.  The presence of Jesus fills us with joy as we see faithful brethren living in peace and agreement.  What are some of the things that accompany this joy?
     "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking," Paul notes in Romans 14:17, "but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
     An interesting thing about the Christian walk is that each step helps us in making the next one.  Not only do righteousness and peace lead to joy, they also accompany it.  This means that we are already on our way to the joy found in the next step.
     Another thing that goes hand-in-hand with joy is prayer.
     "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you," Paul observes in Philippians 1:3-4, "always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all."
     There are various examples of joy in the New Testament.  Let's look at a couple of these in Matthew 13.
     "And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places," Jesus teaches in verse 20 as He explains the parable of the sower, "this is the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy."  So receiving the word causes joy.  But, unfortunately, the joy does not last in this case.  We read in the next few verses that this person soon falls away.
     What is missing?
     "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field;" Jesus states in verse 44, "which a man found and hid; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field."
     The difference here is that this man is motivated to act.  In fact, he dedicates himself entirely to what he has found.  In Matthew 7:21-27 Jesus says clearly that one must hear AND do the words of the Master in order to have eternal life.  The example for us is that joy comes from hearing and doing the word.
     Acts chapter eight contains an example of what we are discussing.  In verses four and five we note that Philip goes to Samaria to preach the word.  So the people are hearing it.  Verse eight says there was much rejoicing in that city.  This is because the hearing is accompanied by the actions we find in verse 12.
     "But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus," this verse says, "they were being baptized, men and women alike."
     Compare this with the story of the Ethiopian in verses 29-39 of the same chapter.  After hearing the word and being baptized, the Ethiopian goes on his way rejoicing.
     If finding genuine joy is so simple, then why don't more people have it?  It's because they still insist on looking in the wrong places.
     Whether the world wants to admit it or not, real joy is not found in material possessions.  In 2 Corinthians 8:2 Paul speaks of a group of Christians who have an abundance of joy in the midst of their deep poverty.
     "For you showed sympathy to the prisoners," Hebrews 10:34 comments about a group of Christians, "and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one."
     The only things that can be taken from us are those that we try to hold on to.  The only things that can never be taken away are those that we give away.  Joy is not found in material possessions.
     Nor is found in having an easy time.  Yes, the world makes another claim.  But the world lies a lot.
     "Be glad in that day," Jesus says in Luke 6:23 of those who are hated, ostracized, insulted and spurned for His sake, "and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven."
     "Consider it all joy," James 1:2-3 advises, "when you encounter various trials; knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."
     "I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction," Paul states in 2 Corinthians 7:4.
     "But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith," Paul writes in Philippians 2:17-18, "I rejoice and share my joy with you all.  And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me."
     How will we react to the joy that is offered in Jesus?  In Matthew 28:8 we notice that those who first saw the empty tomb of Jesus departed quickly with fear and great joy.  The empty tomb offers the same to us.
     But, sadly, most will continue to seek the lie of the world.  Only a few will accept the truth that will set them free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission."