Maintain Your Joy Or, Beware Of Joy Stealers!!

Compiled By: Herman Abrahams (Senior Pastor), Cornerstone Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 740,

Westridge 7802, Rep. of South Africa.

E-Mail:

Mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk

Note to the reader:

If you have been blessed with this sermon compilation, I would be honoured to receive an e-mail from you merely telling me where in the world you are based- I do not need any other information. This is merely so that I can have the pleasure of giving thanks to Almighty God that all over the globe the ministry which he has entrusted to me, is blessing the body of Christ and helping to extend the Kingdom of God. Thank you. Herman Abrahams, Cape Town, South Africa.

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MAINTAIN YOUR JOY or, BEWARE OF JOY STEALERS!! (John 15:10-11)

Introduction:

Undertakers

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., was a member of the U.S. Supreme Court for 30 years. His mind, wit and work earned him the unofficial title of "the greatest justice since John Marshall." At one point in his life, Justice Holmes explained his choice of a career by saying: "I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted so much like undertakers." (Moody Bible Institute¡¦s Today In The Word, June, 1988, p. 13.)

The question is ¡§What happened to their joy?¡¨

1. JOY - A FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

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

¡§Joy (¡¥chara¡¦) is a deep and 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 (cf. Rom. 8:28**)¡¨ [Bible Knowledge Commentary].

* 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.¡¨

Joy is the byproduct of obedience.

Jesus himself is the source of our joy !!

2. I DON¡¦T HAVE TO LOSE MY JOY BECAUSE OF MY CIRCUMSTANCES.

God is working things out for my good.

** 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.¡¨

Life is full of ups and downs; full of all sorts of happenings. One moment you are going full steam ahead, with the wind in your sails, when suddenly, you hit a sand bar. Maybe you are confused, maybe angry, maybe discouraged. All you know is that all of a sudden, your Joy is gone. There are a host of situations that can rob us of our joy.

„X It may be the loss of a loved one.

„X It may be the loss of a job.

„X It could be the break-up of a relationship.

„X What about pressures at work; relationship problems with colleagues or bosses.

„X It could be a problem in your family; the behaviour of your unsaved husband or wife.

„X You expected that promotion and it went to someone else who has only been with the company for half the time that you¡¦ve been there.

„X You expected to be used in the church in a certain way but this has¡¦nt happened.

„X You car was written off in an accident ¡V and now you don¡¦t have wheels.

It could be concerns about the future: ¡V

„X your children¡¦s education;

„X a life partner ¡V will I ever get married?

„X My exam results ¡V what will they be like?

„X Will I get a job when I finish school or college?

The list is endless:

„X current circumstances,

„X people that have hurt you,

„X concern about the future,

„X 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.

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.¡¨

¡¥To persecuted Jewish believers scattered among pagan peoples, James gave the surprising advice, Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Trials should be faced with an attitude of joy. Trials should not be seen as a punishment, a curse, or a calamity but something that must prompt rejoicing. Furthermore they should produce ¡§pure joy¡¨ (lit., ¡§all joy¡¨; i.e., joy that is full or unmixed), not just ¡§some joy¡¨ coupled with much grief.¡¦ [Bible Knowledge Commentary].

3. JOY INVOLVES A CHOICE, A POSITIVE ATTITUDE WE CHOOSE TO EXPRESS.