A study on joy directly from God’s word. The Bible speaks for itself on the subject.
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Introduction: A). Each verse has a link to Life Bible. And if desired, the app can be downloaded here. B). Also, this article can be download as a PDF. After downloading the PDF to your phone, email it to yourself, then “open with” a PDF reader or Kindle.
A numbered synopsis of each verse is above the verse itself …
1. We bring joy to Jesus when we ABIDE IN THE VINE and keep his commandments. It brings Him joy and in turn makes our joy complete.
John 15:9-11 CSB
“As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. [11] “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
2. There is joy in living in the Kingdom of God (the sphere of salvation where God rules in the hearts of those He has saved*) It brings us joy in the Holy Spirit.
* MacArthur Study Bible
Romans 14:17 CSB
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
3. Ask for Joy! We are encouraged by God to pray for joy and peace. “Dear God of hope, please fill me with all joy and peace that I may abound in the hope You offer me, by the power of the Holy Spirit. I determine to believe and trust in You fully for these, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Romans 15:13 CSB
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
4. Walk by the Spirit. Allow yourself to be LED by the Spirit, by keeping in step with Him. Allow joy to be fruit of the Spirit in your life.
Galatians 5:16,18,22,25 CSB
[16] I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [25] If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
5. Determine To:
☞ Be filled with the knowledge of his will |
☞ Bear fruit |
☞ Grow in the knowledge of God |
☞ Be strengthened |
☞ Give thanks joyfully for your inheritance |
Colossians 1:9-14 CSB
For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, [10] so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, [11] being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully [12] giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. [13] He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. [14] In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
6. There is joy in seeing the work of Christ in his church and how the saints respond to him. Paul repeatedly mentions this in his letters.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 CSB
For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? [20] Indeed you are our glory and joy!
Philemon 1:7 CSB
For I have great joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
7. We should rejoice in (have joy in) our Gospel inheritance, and as we inevitably go through trials, it proves the character of our faith-resulting in praise, glory, and honor.
1 Peter 1:4-9 CSB
and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. [5] You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. [6] You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials [7] so that the proven character of your faith-more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire-may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. [8] 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, [9] because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
8. Joy will be ours when Jesus returns to Earth!
John 16:20-22 CSB
Truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. [21] When a woman is in labor, she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. [22] So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy from you.
Image credits: Joy with balloons image by Petra from Pixabay, Vine image by Gutife from Pixabay, Castle image by Brandy Umfleet from Pixabay, Painting by George Henry Grenville Manton “Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All” courtesy Pinterest, Fruit Basket image by congerdesign from Pixabay, Folded hands on bible image by reenablack from Pixabay, Rejoicing choir image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay, Shepherd and lamb image by Jeff Jacobs from Pixabay, Clouds image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay