PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• This is Day Two of our nine-day study of the Fruits of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
Today, we’re looking at JOY.
I love the word “joy.”
It’s a happy word, but it’s not really about happiness.
Joy is internal, eternal, and present even when circumstances are dire.
Joy is peace and contentment in the face of adversity as well as times of prosperity.
There’s nothing superficial about it.
And the source of true joy is found in the relationship we have with Jesus.
I think part of what makes joy so special is that it’s a deep-seeded trust that is bigger than fear.
With joy, we can have the confidence that God is in control, even when circumstances feel out of control.
It’s the joy of God’s great goodness.
I’ve seen joy in action before and it’s an incredible thing…
It is joy in the Lord that allows a grieving mother to still praise God, even after her son died from a car accident.
She praised Him before her son died, and a year later, she still praises Him.
Because she knows her Heavenly Father has a plan, even if she doesn’t understand it.
Of course she mourns, but her joy is bigger than her personal heartache.
She’s a walking testimony to the power of faith and God’s omnipotence in all situations.
To me—that’s joy in action.
King David wrote Psalm 16, and in verse 11 (NLT), He said, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”
Living for Christ and being indwelled by the Holy Spirit means we can have the “joy of {His} presence” because He is always with us!
We know this because of the promises made in Scripture, including
- Joshua 1:9b (“Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”),
- Isaiah 41:10a (“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.”),
- Matthew 28:20b (“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”), and
- Romans 8:38-39 (“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”)
Being joyful isn’t something we can contain.
The joy of the Lord is a part of what makes Christians different from the world.
It’s not just an emotion, but is a palatable energy and radiance that is visible to anyone because we have a Savior who thought we were worth dying for.
Today, as you pray, praise the Lord who is the source of all joy!
Thank Him for being bigger than fear so we can have confidence in His greatness.
As you pray, ask the Holy Spirit to help you share joy with others. Ask Him for opportunities to let your love and confidence in Jesus shine, wherever you go.
