By Rev. David
S. Calcagno
Senior Pastor of Christian Life
Church
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He
who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me
you
can do nothing. - John 15:5
. . . Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peaceby those who make peace. - James 3:13-18
Jesus calls us to live God-pleasing lives. The following are fruits in our lives that are to be pleasing to God the Father.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, . . . - Galatians 5:22,23
The second fruit metioned here is joy. Why is it so important for us to have and maintain joy? What can joy do for you and I?
1. Joy brings strength in the face of adversities such as persecutions, tests and trials.
Nehemiah 8:10 - ". . . for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
Jesus is our ultimate example in everything. Infact the Word says to follow in His steps (I Peter 2:21). So lets see how He endured adversity with joy.
John 12:12, 13
John 18:39-19:6
We see here in these verses that at the beginning of the week the people in Jerusalem are welcoming Him in to the city. They are singing praises at His arrival saying "Hosanna, Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"
Then things quickly change. By the end of the same week, these same people who where six days earlier praising Him are now yelling "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"
How did Jesus respond to all of this?
Hebrews 12:2, 3 - looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
I want to point out three points here in these two verses.
1. Who for the joy. You see Jesus faced every adversity including the cross and all that it intailed spiritually, emotionally, and physically with joy.
2. It was joy that enabled Him to endure.
3. Lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. It is joy that will cause you and I to endure and come through the other side of the adversity in victory.
Someone may say, "How could Jesus have joy knowing what He was about to go through for humanily?" That's just it. He knew something. He knew how it was going to turn out. Joy comes when you know the final outcome. If you and I would stay in fellowship with the Father and abide in His Word, and follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, we too can know how the adversities in our lives will turn out. Then we can face every circumstance with joy, and endure it through to victory.
2. Joy brings healing to our physical bodies.
Proverbs 17:22 - A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.
It is healthful to be cheerful. The Lord is for the body, and has provided for it, not only meat, but medicine, and has here told us that the best medicine is a merry heart.
The sorrows of the mind often contribute very much to the sickliness of the body: A broken spirit, sunk by the burden of afflictions, and especially a conscience wounded with the sense of guilt and fear of wrath, dries the bones, wastes the radical moisture, exhausts the very marrow, and makes the body a mere skeleton.
3. Joy will change your outlook on life.
Proverbs 15:13, 15 - A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
Proverbs 12:25 - Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.
A good word from God, applied by faith, makes life full of joy, and will change your outlook on lifes adverse circumstances. CLC
*All Scripture References
where
taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville,
Tennessee:
Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982. Electronic Spirit - Filled Life Library
CD-ROM
*All quotes used in this article, are used only by
permission.
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