It Is Joy Unspeakable!!

IT IS JOY UNSPEAKABLE!!

Romans 8:26-28 .

Joy a word small in stature but mighty in meaning

I.JOY - A FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

One of the fruit of the Holy Spirit is joy (Gal 5:22)

Joy is a deep & abiding inner rejoicing which was promised to those who abide in Christ and obey His commandments (cf. John 15:10-11)*.

It does not depend on circumstances because it rests in God’s sovereign control of all things.

John 15:10-11 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

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a. Joy is the byproduct of obedience.

b. Jesus himself is the source of our joy !!

c. Joy a directive a strong basis for the faith of a Christian

II. Joy is the opposite of Happiness!

A.Happiness is the reaction to an action where as Joy

is an action derived from God!

A..What do I mean....

1.Find money that we didn’t remember having -happy

2.Get a new home or a new car - happy

4.Find a new love - happy

5.Get a new job - happy

6.Get out of trouble or find a reprieve from a difficult ) situation – happy

B. If something were to happen to cause the thing that made you happy to expire or dissolve or disappear

1.Such as the new home becomes termite infested -happiness gone

2.New job obtained is terminated due to downsizing happiness eradicated.

3.New Love becomes a big dud --- happiness evaporated....

4.New car breaks down - happiness dissipated.

5.Money you found turns out to be counterfit

C..But joy - the strength provided to believers enables

the face of adversity to endure.

D. Joy allows us to say in the times of trouble....I still have joy...I still have joy....after everything I have been through....I still have JOY!

1. Joy is the result of recognizing that God is Good

even in the midst of a trial.

2.Joy sustains us during difficulties because we realize that though happiness may be fleeting, the Joy of the Lord is our strength.

And since he is the giver of it...nothing can take it away.

E. Joy comes because of our relationship with Jesus. ……….so that when the winds blow and the breakers dash we know our soul is anchored fast and we can shout

Oh I still have JOY……

I.I DON’T LOSE MY JOY BECAUSE OF CIRCUMSTANCES

Rom 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who Love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

A. Life is full of ups and downs; full of all sorts of happenings.

1.One moment you are going full steam ahead, with the wind in your sails. suddenly, You hit a sand bar.

2.Maybe you are confused, maybe angry, maybe discouraged.

3.All you know is that all of a sudden, your Joy is gone.

4.There are a host of situations that can rob us of our joy.

a.It may be the loss of a loved one.

b.It may be the loss of a job.

c.It could be the break-up of a relationship.

d.What about pressures at work

e.It could be a problem in your family

f.You expected to be used in the church in a certain way but this hasn’t happened.

The list is endless:

g.current circumstances,

h.people that have hurt you,

i.concern about the future,

j.even concern about your past ALL THESE CAN BE JOY-STEALERS, JOY ROBBERS!!

These things can distract us from the life that God wants us to enjoy.

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Count it all joy

James 1:2-4: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

IV. Joy involves a choice.

A. Joy involves a choice-A positive ATTITUDE we choose to express.

1.To experience His abundant, overflowing joy involves a choice.

2.IT is a habit of the mind which finds its source in the Spirit of God.

(Songs)-1st “Precious Memories”

2nd” The Joy of the Lord is my strength”

Chuck Swindoll says that joy is "a positive attitude we choose to express! It is a matter of attitude that stems from your confidence in God- The belief that He is at work, that He is in full control----- that He is in the midst of whatever has happened, is happening or will happen."

B. As believers we must be on our guard that we don’t get robbed of our joy because of any of life’s happenings or circumstances, people (relationships turned sour), the future or the past.