Monday, November 25, 2013

In this segment, we will look at the virtue of “joy” which is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. What we will examine is godly joy not a worldly happiness.

Galatians 5:22–23 (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness [KJV – gentleness], goodness, faithfulness [KJV – faith], ²³ gentleness [KJV – Meekness], self-control [KJV – temperance].

The up, excitable, here one minute gone the next happiness that the world exhibits is not the virtue of joy, which comes from the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit. Happiness is much to subject to ones circumstances to be godly joy. Happiness rarely sees beyond the temporal status of all things. Happiness is almost always based on the external and usually only on the internal as it relates to the external.

Joy is stable, steady, and inwardly resides like a stabilizing foundation of the Spirit Directed Believer. Circumstances rarely affect joy; a Believer can both grieve a loss and have joy at the same moment. Joy understands and is based in an eternal understanding of life and circumstances not a temporal worldview. Joy can be found in all circumstances because it is a manifestation of a virtue found within the fruit of the Spirit.

The definition in the Greek Language for the word “joy” used in Galatians 5:22 is as follows.

5479. χαρά chara, khar-ah´; from 5463; cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight:— gladness, × greatly, (× be exceeding) joy (-ful, -fully, fulness, -ous).

Joy has the air of contentment to it as it manifest in cheerfulness that takes a calm delight in circumstances, the world around it, people, nature, creation, etc. Joy is filled with gladness, a gladness that embraces life and being alive, and a gladness that embraces life as it comes, not as one might wish it came. Joy is found deep within the Spirit of a Believer and though they may suffer distress and difficulty in life that joy continues deep within them.

Here are some examples of how godly joy might be expressed to God, others and self, as well as through service? Joy overflows into thanksgiving and thankfulness to God for His many blessings. Joy takes the time to engage people, even strangers, being polite and loving to them even when we might never see them again. Joy does not allow ourselves to walk about glum and in a state of discontent continually, with oneself and/or ones circumstances. Joy offers the sincere godly word of hope and cheer to someone when they are going through a tough time.

If you are a Believer and you find your countenance a bit downcast today you need to look deep within, locate your joy once again and ask Jesus to bring it back to the forefront of your existence.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

¹¹And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹²for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.