Complete Joy

Complete Joy

1 John 1:4 (AV) — 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

– Charles Dickens wrote the novel "Nicholas Nickleby", about a young man who must support his mother and sister after his father dies. He wants to be rich but his Uncle Ralph, thinks Nicholas will never amount to anything, is antagonistic

> “[Joy] is a gift and the trick is not to expect it, but to delight in it when it comes.”

1. Life's Little Irritations

- The joy of hiking

- Beauty where ever you look

- The smells & sounds of the forest

- Then a grain of sand gets into your boots

- You ignore it at first

- Now it is irritating

- The joy is replaced by pain

- If the sand is not removed the hike is ruined

2. Possibility of Joy

- Is there sand in your joy?

- Or is there just a few drops in the bottom of your cup

- How about fullness of joy?

- Reason for writing:

1 John 1:4 (AV) — 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

- Jesus speaks of joy right before the cross

He is repeating what Jesus has said

> John 15:11 (AV) — 11 These things have I spoken

unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

> John 16:24 (AV) — 24 Hitherto have ye asked

nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

> John 17:13 (AV) — 13 And now come I to thee;

and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

3. Fullness of Joy

> Note scripture "that our" OR "that your"

> Psalm 135:5 (AV) — 5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

Paul writes:

> Philippians 1:9 (AV) — 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

> Philippians 1:26 (AV) — 26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ ......

> 2 Thessalonians 1:3 (AV) — 3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, .....;

4. Joy Robbers

> Sins if we tolerate them

> Circumstances if we worry over them

> People if we let them

- Complete Joy comes through the Word

> 1 John 1:4 (AV) — 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full

5. Restoring Joy

Psalm 51:12 (AV) — 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; ......

> Confess Your Sin

for sin removes your joy,

> 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

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> Count Your Blessings,

Psalms 68:19 "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah."

Again, in the New Testament,

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

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> Consider Trials As A Source Of Building Joy

> James 1:2 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations."

- As odd as this sounds, a person can have joy in trial if he will let the trial work in his life that which God is wanting to accomplish.

6. Dump the Sand

- Failure, Disappointment, Pain, Loss, will irritate life

- Choose now to dump the sand out

- Or life will cripple you

- Enter into complete joy

> Habakkuk 3:17–19 (AV) — 17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

> 18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. ......

Isaiah 61:10 (AV) — Is 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.