As we continue to look at the fruit of the Holy Spirit, we come to the second fruit mentioned in the book of Galatians, the fruit of joy. Holy Spirit joy comes from within as we draw closer to the Lord. This special fruit strengthens us in our walk with God.
In the Old Testament, Nehemiah declared this: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8: 10
King David and his court gave praise to God as Asaph, a Levite worshiper and Seer in this court, declared this: “The Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him;
strength and joy are in His dwelling place.” 1 Chronicles 16: 26-27
Where God dwells, strength and joy are present.
Some have asked, “How can we be filled with joy when everything around us may be crumbling?” My answer is, “It’s a God thing!”
Where we position ourselves is very important. If we position ourselves continually to seek the presence of God, we will be blessed with His joy that’s filled with Glory. Peter described it this way: “Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1: 8-9
The joy of the Lord is not only our strength but it’s full of God’s glory; it’s a joy that’s so glorious that it’s hard to describe.
When the church began with the Holy Spirit being poured out, that filling was defined this way: “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13: 52 It seems they are partners.
Jesus wanted to complete His joy in us. He told the disciples, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” John 15: 9-11
Our obedience brings forth joy into our lives. Remain in Him and obey His commands and you will experience his joy.
- Remain in Him when life is difficult.
- Remain in Him when no one else will follow.
- Remain in Him when the enemy lies and tells you it doesn’t matter how you live.
Jesus is full of joy! His love and every fiber of His being just oozes joy. His presence is comprised of pure joy.
So, when we experience those moments in His presence, this joy, full of glory, is tangible. A few years ago, the Lord gave me an acronym for the word joy. It is:
Jesus
On
You.
As we live our Christian life and follow the path that we are to walk on, we have this eternal promise of the intimacy and nearness of Jesus. That promise is: “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16: 11
God has a path for us to journey on that He will make known to us. That pathway into His presence is complete with joy, eternal pleasures, that are at His right hand. Within His right hand is sustainer and protector. This is why we must “Set the Lord always before me because He is at my right hand.” Psalm 16: 8
As I was reading my devotional this morning, I read this: “One touch of His presence, on encounter with His love, and we are never the same. Unexpectedly, our entire lives change, and we begin to yearn for His nearness. We become undone by His love that is stronger than death. Nothing on earth can compare.”
The author continued, “You weren’t created to live a spiritually dull existence. You were designed by God to enjoy Him, hear His voice, and see His face. The veil of separation was torn. He is as close to you as the air you breathe.”
When His joy manifests, we get to enJOY Him.
It is pitiful that we know so much about Christ and yet enjoy Him so little.
Charles Spurgeon said it this way,
“The way to learn a truth thoroughly is to learn it by experience, and the way to learn more is to use what you know.”
We can learn the truth that joy is full of glory by experiencing it! The bride in this verse said, “I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.” Song of Songs 2:3 If Jesus is like an apple tree among the trees in the woods, don’t keep away from Him. Run to Him and sit down under His shadow and taste His fruit.
As far as Jesus is known to you, make use of Him in that measure. His shadow and His fruit can be enjoyed.
One definition for the word shadow is: “An inseparable attendant or companion.”
In 2023, let Jesus be this to you, your inseparable companion.
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