“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith…” (Gal. 5:22). One of the fruits of the spirit is joy. There are occasions when everything seems bleak. Remember the old Hee Haw song, “Gloom, despair and agony on me. Deep dark depression excessive misery. If it weren’t for bad luck I would have no luck at all…” It seems there are times when that it is. However, the Christian can have joy at all times because our joy is not based on outward circumstances. There are certain things that cause this joy.
Worship on the Lord’s Day causes joy. When the saints assemble together as we are commanded to do (Heb. 10:25) and lift up our voices in song, in prayer and commune around the Lord’s Table, and hear a message from the Holy Word of God it lifts our spirits. Scripture declares, “God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24). While our worship is to God we are beneficiaries of that worship.
Fellowship with saints causes joy. When we have the opportunity to be with our brethren it brings joy. Why? Because we have a common spirit. Paul told the Romans that he longed to see them (Rom. 1:11) and among other things wrote, “That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me” (Rom. 1:12). Isn’t it great to be with brethren and discuss the Bible, the church and be uplifted by the good things that happen in our life? Brethren, unfortunately, have gotten away from visiting one another. We are too busy going to and fro that we just don’t schedule time to visit one another.
Knowing that we are saved causes joy. Paul’s words to Timothy encourage us when he wrote, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto against that day” (2 Tim 1:12). “The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God” (Rom. 8:16). The word of God says, “Do this” and my spirit says, “I have done that.” “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 Jn. 1:7).
The Christian can be joyous. If we are not joyous perhaps we need to investigate our relationship to God and Christ.
Larry