The first, and primary, fact to know and understand is that joy is not an emotion. Joy is a God given gift.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:22 NLT
We cannot experience joy apart from The Holy Spirit.
We cannot experience the Holy Spirit apart from Christ.
We cannot experience Christ without faith and without Yahweh.
These are scriptural facts.
If this is not understood or accepted, then nothing that follows will make sense.
Joy is not based on works or actions.
The enemy would have you believe that joy is something that can be obtained through our actions. The enemy would have you believe that possessions, wealth , relationships, children, the latest and greatest, can bring you joy. The enemy will have you believe, “If only I have ____ , then I will have joy”. This simply is not true. We cannot experience joy through anything the world provides, or the world attaches to joy. Chasing or seeking to acquire joy is not the way to experience it.
Yahweh Whispers …
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Galatians 5:22 NASB2020
For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 NLT
[Yahweh] will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of [His] presence and the pleasures of living with [Him] forever. Psalms 16:11
The hopes of the godly result in happiness… Proverbs 10:28
Joy is not circumstantial
Our world feeds on stress, devours conflict, thrives on power. You see it, you read it, you hear it, you talk about it – the latest reality show, political debates, celebrity blogs, and the list goes on. It’s as though the most negative, divisive, abusive areas of everyday life are the only ones highlighted. In a world that seems to thrive on envy, anger, judgement, and excessiveness; how do we experience joy? It may seem impossible…
You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him. Psalms 4:3
Our Heavenly Father has separated those who – in faith – chose Him, and He answers their calls. Regardless of the world around us, we have access to His well of love, peace, and joy found in His presence. In His presence there is always joy. This does not mean we will not grieve, or get angry, or have troubled times. It simply means these low times should not overwhelm us. Why? They should not overwhelm us because …
… despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:37 NLT
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12 NLT
Our faith that Yahweh loves us and ALWAYS has our best interests at heart should overcome all other emotional responses. We are human at the core, so this does not come natural to us. Our human nature is prone to question. God gives us the choice to choose Him and His promises over anything the enemy tells us or the world shows us. Yet…
As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in [God’s] commands. Psalms 119:143 NLT
O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in you. Psalms 84:12 NLT
Many suffer from lack of joy; but for the family of Yahweh, our instruction clear. We are commanded to live with joy because our attitudes and behaviors should provide hope for those without hope.
‘Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do… Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. ‘ Philippians 4:4-7
Finally, for those times when joy seems elusive and impossible to grasp,
… Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise… then the God of peace will be with you ‘ Philippians 4:8, 9
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Our prayer for you…
Dear Heavenly Father, please touch the heart and mind of the our dear reader. Their troubled heart and mind needs rest in you. Their soul needs the joy that only You can bring them. You are all powerful and all knowing. Please touch their heart, let them feel Your presence. Their pain is real and their pain is draining. Give them Your strength. Show them Your peace. Give them Your joy. With praise and thanks, Amen.
