No One Can Steal Your Joy

Introduction:

I can only imagine what is going through your mind now…

If there were Balloon thought Bubbles what would they say?

A study at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg documented that

there is a unique pattern of brain wave activity when a person listens to a

joke. By using EEGs to record subjects reactions,

researchers found that during the set-up of the joke, the brain’s left

hemisphere analytical function processes words. Then, activity moves to the

frontal lobe, the seat of emotions; and then to the right hemisphere where

the emotional and analytical information were synthesized to find the pattern

-- to get the joke. In another millisecond, activity moved to the occipital

lobe where sensory images are processed, which triggered the physical

responses identified as laughter.

Why Does Humor work so well? We have seen the sciec on this lets look at the exaples of the reasons jokes work and how laughter is created.

LAUGHTER IS AN EMOTIONAL RELEASE OF

HUMOROUS TENSION, and usually depends on one of three elements:

- surprise

- superiority or

- potential embarassment.

If you think about every joke you’ve ever heard, or anything you’ve ever

laughed at, there is probably one of these three elements that applies....For

example:

Surprise...

What do John the Baptist and Winnie the Pooh have in common?

They both have the same middle name.

Superiority...

- What do you get when you cross The Godfather with a lawyer?

- An offer you can’t understand.

Of course, in this age of political correctness, most of us do not laugh at

jokes based on superiority -- Ethnic jokes or dumb blonde jokes or gender put

downs or, if we do laugh, we are at least so morally well developed we feel

guilty for laughing.

Embarrassment...

How does this effect me you might ask…

Reduces Stress

Lowers Blood pressure

Elevates mood

Boosts immune system

Improves brain function

Connects you with others

Fosters instant relaxation

Norman Cousins … Pain… Laugh 10 min ... sleep 2 hours pain free sleep

Joy is different than Laughter. It is more complex is goes deeper it lasts longer.

How do I warn off Joy thieves?

I. Know where it comes from I Peter 1:8-9

A. From Knowing where your going

i. Great day you get up quick

ii. Happy Cause I going somewhere.

B. Faith is the Key to Joy!

i. “You Believe in him and are filled”

ii. Inexpressible Joy Phil 4:4-8

iii. Glorious Joy Jude 24

C. What the world doesn’t give you it can’t take away

i. “Greater is he that is within me… I John 4:4

II. Becoming Content

A. Hebrews 13:5 …Content with what you have because God said I will never leave you or forsake you.

B. Materialism is a joy killer

C. American Dream

D. Placed in the city that you live in.

E. Phil 1:12-21

i. Paul in chains

ii. Still Joyful

iii. God used him even then

F. CS Lewis Said Do not let your happiness (Joy modify) depend on something you may lose... only [upon] the Beloved who will never pass away.

III. Fall in Love with Jesus John 15:10-11

A. Listen to his words

B. Do what he says

C. Fall in love with the word

D. Then the Joy of Jesus will live in us

E. Complete joy goes farther then happiness.

F. Joy involves a Choice a Positive attitude we Choose to express

IV. Turn Trials into triumph James 1:2

A. I Thes 1:6

B. I thess. 5:16

C. I Peter 4:12-14

D. Never More like Jesus when you suffer

Never Suffer it as a victim anymore

Never more Like Jesus when you serve

Never more like God then when you give

Conclusion:

All Godly men and women have one thing in common, their "Joy" barometer runs on full tilt. There is something glowing on the inside. They want nothing more that to be connected with God’s will for their lives and tap into the love of the Savior.

-I love to be around them because they excite me.

-I feel God’s energy from them.

-I like to be around them because the encourage me.

-I Feel God’s love flow out of them.

-I like to be around them because they challenge me.

-I desire to be more like them.

6. "Joyful" Christians are different.

a. Joyful people think different.

-They don’t allow negative thoughts occupy their minds.

-They’re not going to let the cares of this world still their "Joy".

b. Joyful people act different.

-Their attitude is different - its positive

-Their behavior is different - its God honoring

-Their speech is different - its uplifting

c. Joyful people re-act different.

-They don’t respond harshly but encourage lovingly.

-They encourage not discourage.

-They build up not tear down.