Ps. 13:1-6

1  How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
2  How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3  Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4  lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5  But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6  I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Most of us can relate to the prayer raised to God in vs. 1-4. There are times in life when it seems like that God has forgotten us and he has hidden himself from us.

Consider for a moment the times when you have doubted God, when you have not seen evidence of God in your life, when you have been utterly alone. What was happening in your life? What were the circumstances you were facing? What was your disposition? What did you do to fill the void, to address the pain, and to bring yourself relief?

The Psalmist says that he overcame an enemy by trusting in the steadfast love of the Lord. Is that what you did? If yes, how did you apply the conviction of that trust to your situation? Did you survive or overcome?

The Psalmist also says that he rejoiced in God’s salvation. Rejoiced! Really? What is it about salvation that inspired joy he speaks about?

Unfortunately, many of us who have received God’s saving grace do not respond to our trails with trust, joy, rejoicing and/or a song.

Yet, a fruit of the Holy Spirit is “joy.” Galations 5:16-25

What is this “joy” that the scripture speaks about?

The bible speaks of this joy as the inspiration for running a race – a difficult race – with a great reward for those who finish.

“THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us.” Heb. 12:1.

Jesus ran the race perfectly. While it cost Him his life, he gave his life willingly and without reservation because he was inspired by something the bible calls “joy.”

“Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:2.

Notice this important point: The greatest trial anyone has ever faced was overcome for “joy.”

What inspires you as you walk through difficulty and trials? Is it joy?

As a fruit of the Spirit, joy is a visible expression of power working inwardly and invisibly, the character of the “fruit” being evidence of the character of the power producing it, Mat 7:16. As the visible expressions of hidden lusts are the works of the flesh, so the invisible power of the Holy Spirit in those who are brought into living union with Christ (Jhn 15:2-8, 16) produces “the fruit of the Spirit,” including the fruit of joy.

This joy is not something that can be produced through human will or effort or discipline or work.  Joy is not a “work of the flesh” but rather a product of the Spirit of God living in us and working through us.

Therefore, one who is led by the Spirit, and walking by the Spirit, will be someone filled with much joy in his or her life! It is a joy that can abide and remain, even when circumstances seem terrible. Paul knew this joy personally; he could sing when manacled in a dark prison dungeon! (Acts 16:25)

Barclay examining “eirene” the Greek word for joy, explained: “It is not the joy that comes from earthly things, still less from triumphing over someone else in competition. It is a joy whose foundation is God.”

Likewise, Charles Spurgeon once wrote, “Believers are not dependent upon circumstances. Their joy comes not from what they have, but from what they are; not from where they are, but from whose they are; not from what they enjoy, but from that which was suffered for them by their Lord.”

So, is God expressing his joy through your life?

If he is, consider some examples of God’s joy being expressed in and through you.  Praise Him for the good fruit he is producing in and through you.

If he is not, what is preventing you from walking in the fullness of His joy.  Doubt? Unbelief? Circumstances?

Maybe you have had a day, an hour or a moment when you were filled with his joy, but such joy, for you, was fleeting?

Whatever your experience, God wants to inspire, to grow and to express joy in your life.  I believe that “The joy” spoken about in scripture will become a expression of God’s life in us when we:

1) Have a clear revelation of who Christ is;
2) Have a clear revelation of who we are in Christ; and
3) When we abide in Christ.

 

1) Revelation of Who Christ is . . .

 
a. The effect of receiving revelation of who Christ is always joy:

 
i. Example #1 – Matt: 28:8, “So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.”

 

 
ii. Example #2 – Luke 24-53: Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. 46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise[h] from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem[i] until you are endued with power from on high.”50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and[j] blessing God. Amen.[k]

 

 

2) Revelation of Who we are in Christ . . .

 
a. God says that we are his joy

 
i. Matt. 13:44, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

 

• You and I are the treasure of the living God! He gave everything He had, even his own Son, to have an eternal relationship with us.

 
ii. Matt. 13:45-46, “Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and [p]precious pearls, Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.

 

• You and I are the pearl of great price!!

 
iii. Luke 15-7; 10, “I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. . . . Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

 

• We are the “one(s)” who bring joy to heaven through our repentance.

 
iv. “He, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb. 12:2.

 

• Jesus endured the Cross for you and I. You and I were the “joy” set before him. It brought God pleasure to save us!!!

 

3) Abiding in Christ – John 15:1-11

 

1″I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.