"for the joy of the LORD is your strength" (Neh 8:10b ESV)
What is Joy? Is it an emotion, feeling, or a state of mind? Is it the result of pursuing happiness?
INTRODUCTION
We have all experienced joy and want more of it. We have shouted and smiled in delight upon hearing good news about our health or a loved one, accomplishing something meaningful, etc. Surprisingly, there are no explicit theories or research that explain what prompts this kind of deep joy. Most people associate joy with good experiences, relationships, or objects.
The word 'joy' is found over 150 times in the Bible. If words such as "joyous" and "joyful" are included, the number comes to over 200. Its usage is overwhelming spiritual in context. Several Greek and Hebrew words are used in the Bible to convey the ideas of joy. The word 'joy' in the Bible is synonymous with the English words such as happiness, pleasure, delight, gladness, merriment, felicity, and enjoyment.
The Greek word for 'joy' used in the New Testament is 'chara' and defined as a constant and stable emotional excitement, gladness, and delight over blessings personally received or expected for others. It is far more profound than emotional experience because it is rooted in God and comes directly from Him as a by-product of exercising trusting-faith (Psalm 30:11; Rom 14:17, 15:13; Phil 1:25).
Joy is both a divine and human emotion. The Triune God is represented in the Old Testament as susceptible to pleasure and pain and not as a rigid, impervious Being. Joy comes with His presence (1 Chron 16:27; Job 22:21-26; Psalm 9:2; 16:5-11). In the New Testament, His presence is identified as the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52; Rom 15:13; Gal 5:22; Eph 5:18-19; 1 Thess 1:6). God may be conceived of as "rejoicing in his works" and over His people "for good" (Psalm 104:31; compare Gen 1:31; Deut 30:9).
"He will rejoice over thee (Zion) with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing" (Zeph 3:17 KJV).
I have come to understand joy as an enduring and underlying sense of something that is deeper than the emotion of happiness. It involves what holds ultimate significance in our life and is something a person can practice, cultivate, and even make a habit. It is an enduring virtue of deep delight that involves our thoughts, feelings, and actions in response to what matters most and brings meaning to our lives, continuously motivating and directing us.
God wants us to know joy as He knows it (Psalm 104:31; Isa 65:18). Joy is a response to His written Word, His reward to us, and our strength (Psalm 119:14; Isa 65:14; Neh 8:10). It is the fruit of a right relationship with Him. It is not something people can create by their efforts.
The Bible distinguishes joy from pleasure. The Greek word for 'pleasure' is the word from where we get the word 'hedonism' which is the philosophy of self-centered pleasure-seeking (Eccl 2:1-11; Titus 3:3; 1 Tim 5:6). The Bible refers to false teachers as "lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Tim 3:4).
Throughout the Bible, spiritual joy is expressed by the metaphors of feasting, marriage, victory in military endeavors, and successful financial undertakings. The joy of the harvest is used to describe the final victory of the Born-Again Christian over their adversaries (Psalm 126:5-6). The Messiah's coming is characterized by the joy of the harvest and dividing up captured military plunder (Isa 9:2-7).
The Old Testament descriptions for joy are carried over into the New. The birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, was an occasion of joy (Luke 1:14). Shepherds hearing the news of the birth of the Christ was an occasion for great joy for all people (Luke 2:10). The Magi were "overjoyed" when they found the infant Jesus (Matt 2:10). Later on, Jesus joins the joys of marriage and spiritual ones by describing John the Baptist's reaction to His coming as the joy (Gk: chara) of the friend of the bridegroom (John 3:29-30). The Disciples returned with great joy after the ascension of Jesus (Luke 24:52).
THE FOUNDATION OF JOY
"He that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God." (1 John 4:16 KJV)
God is love (Gk: agape) and is the foundation of joy. God's agape love is unconditional, intense, passionate, committed, enthusiastic, tender, and devoted to the good and well-being of another, wanting only the best for them. The genuine joy of agape love is impossible to manifest without the working of the Holy Spirit in a person's heart. There are two kinds of joy - natural and spiritual.
Natural Joy
Natural joy does not always come naturally, especially when faced with such challenges as a global pandemic, national unrest, financial hardships, and strained relationships. We must focus on those things, activities, relationships, and beliefs that are life-giving as we learn to make joy a habit.
1. When joy is moderate, it is called gladness.
2. When we limit our desires by our possessions, it is contentment.
3. When our desires are raised high and yet accomplished, that is called satisfaction.
4. When our joy is derived from some comical occasion or amusement, it is entertainment.
5. When we overcome opposition in the pursuit of the good we desire, it is called triumph.
6. When we rejoice over any good others obtain, it is called sympathy or congratulation.
Spiritual Joy
One afternoon sitting at my kitchen table desperately seeking God's face. I was feeling numb from all the pressures and uncertainty of life without my wife, who was in the hospital and near death's door. Amid my deep, heavy sorrow and the apprehension of uncertainty, I unexpectedly felt the desire to praise and worship God. It poured over me like oil, wrapping me in the warmth of joy. I just wanted to praise Him, amazed that this great joy was flooding my spirit!
Then, a verse came to memory, "I will give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" (Isa 61:3 KJV). God’s presence gave me the strength to face all that I was going through.
Joy and sorrow are deeply connected. Both are a response to those things that matter the most to us. Joy is our delight when we experience, celebrate, and anticipate the manifestation of those things we hold the most significant such as a child's birth.
Sorrow is our response to the violation, destruction, or deterioration of our cherished and sacred things. However, this complexity also informs us how we can experience joy and sorrow at the same time, how true joy is tied to our potential to grow as an individual and relate and give to others, and how our values can endure in the face of loss and suffering. The secret is to stay connected to those things that deeply matter in the face of adversity and loss.
[Adapted from the article “What Is Joy and What Does it Say About Us, by Dr. Pamela King, Psychology Today 7/28/20]
Joy Belongs to the Supernatural Realm
Joy is not something we do but something we receive and to which we respond. It comes by way of the Holy Spirit as a gift of grace.
"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places." (Hab 3:17-19 ESV)
The joy of the Born-Again Christian is specifically a joy in God (Rom 5:11; Phil 3:8; 4:10). It is associated with both faith and hope (Acts 8:39; 16:34; Rom 15:13; 2 Cor 1:24; Phil 1:25; 1 Peter 1:8). Joy should be an object of our prayers (Rom 15:13)
Joy is most often conjoined with the presence of the Holy Spirit. He produces joy due to His inherent character, so that to be found in the Holy Spirit and being filled with joy become synonymous (Acts 2:46; 13:52; Rom 14:17).
1. Angels rejoice at an unbeliever's conversion (Luke 10:20).
2. The Bible presents four parables together in which God, in two instances with the Angels, rejoices at the redemption.
a. Upon finding the lost sheep, the shepherd rejoices (15:3-7).
b. The woman rejoices upon finding the lost coin (15:8-10).
c. The prodigal son's return brings rejoicing (15:11-32).
d. The parable of the man who sells his assets to purchase the treasure hidden in the field teaches us
that God has joy in bringing about the atonement (Matt 13:44).
3. God's kingdom is described as "righteousness, peace and joy" (Rom 14:17).
4. The certainty of salvation is a cause for joy, and we are commanded to "rejoice that your names are
written in heaven" (Luke 10:20).
5. Fellowship with Jesus brings continuous joy (John 15-17).
The Bible tells us that Joy is:
1. Something that fills a person (Psalm 4:7; 16:11)
2. Frequently associated with the heart (Psalm 4:7; 19:8).
(Adapted from Bakers Evangelical Dictionary]
"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart" (Prov 15:30).
Joy is one of the three great ingredients of the Kingdom of God (Rom 14:17).
1. It receives the second place in the list of the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22; cf. 1 Thess 1:6);
2. The descriptions of the Christian life frequently refer to it (Acts 2:46; 8:39; 13:52; 16:34; Rom 12:12; 2
Cor 1:24; 6:10; 8:2, (Phil 1:25; 1 Peter 1:8).
3. Joy must be constantly cultivated (2 Cor 13:11; Phil 3:1; 4:4; 1 Thess 5:16; James 1:2; 1 Peter 4:13).
The Bible reveals what the Nature and Properties of Joy are:
1. It is or should be constant (Phil 4:4)
2. It is unknown to people of the world (1 Cor 2:14)
3. It is unspeakable (1 Peter 1:8)
4. It is permanent (John 16:22)
The Objects of Joy are:
1. God Himself (Psalm 43:4; Isa 41:10)
2. Jesus (Phil 3:3; 1 Peter 1:8)
3. God's promises (Psalm 119:162)
4. The administration of the Gospel and Gospel decrees (Psalm 89:15)
5. Sharing the Gospel (Acts 15:3)
6. The exceeding happiness of spending eternity with Jesus (Rom 5:2)
[Adapted from Bucks Theological Dictionary]
EXAMPLES OF JOY
[Adapted from Holman Bible Dictionary]
The joy of the Triune God came to focus in human history in Christ Jesus. The note of joy and exultation runs through the entire biblical account of the coming of Jesus (Luke 1:14,44; Matt 2:10). Jesus spoke of His joy and of the fullness of joy He had come to bring to others (John 15:11; 17:13). He illustrated the kingdom of Heaven by telling of the joy of a man who found treasure (Matt 13:44).
Joy surrounded the birth of the Messiah. The unborn John, the Baptist, leaped for joy in his mother's womb (Luke 1:44), and the Angels proclaimed "good news of great joy" (Luke 2:10).
Jesus broke out in ecstatic joy in praise of the Father, who revealed things to "little children" (Luke 10:21). It is the joy of the shepherd who finds his lost sheep (Luke 15:6) or of the woman who finds her lost coin (Luke 15:9).
Jesus invoked a heavenly scene of Angels rejoicing at the repentance of just one sinner (Luke 15:10). After the seventy returned from a mission of victory over demonic powers, Jesus shifted their attention from their rejoicing over casting out spirits to rejoicing that their "names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20). That joy will not be fully realized until the Great Day (Matt 5:21; Jude 24). In the meantime, the Born-Again Christian is "joyful in hope" (Rom 12:12).
As Jesus' death approached, He told His followers that soon they would be like a woman in labor, whose sorrow would be turned into joy (John 16:20-22). Later they understood when the dark sorrow of the Cross gave way to the joy of the resurrection (Luke 24:41). Viewed from this perspective, they eventually realized the Cross itself was necessary for genuine joy to become real (Heb 12:2). Because of His victory and the promise of His abiding presence, we can rejoice just as the Disciples could rejoice even after the Lord's ascension (Luke 24:52).
The Book of Acts tells how joy continued to characterize those who followed Jesus. After Philip preached in Samaria, the people believed, and "there was great joy in that city" (Acts 8:8). After the work of Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia, "the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 13:52). Paul and Barnabas reported such conversions to other Believers, "and they caused great joy unto all the brethren" (Acts 15:3 KJV). After the conversion of the Philippian jailer, he "rejoiced, believing in God with all his house" (Acts 16:34 KJV).
PART TWO - THE BENEFITS OF JOY
C.S. Lewis wrote that genuine joy "must be sharply distinguished both from happiness and from pleasure." He also wrote, "Joy bursts in on our lives when we go about doing the good at hand and not trying to manipulate things at times to achieve joy." "Joy is never in our power, and pleasure often is." C.S Lewis found joy because he found Jesus as its source. At the end of his autobiography, he captured the essence of joy both as a by-product of earthly life with Jesus and as a foretaste of the Born-Again Christian's eternal life with the Him.
Joy is a by-product of life with God and is not found by seeking it as an end. He must give it (Job 8:21; Psalm 4:7; 36:8). It is received by faith with the gift of salvation (1 Sam 2:1; Psalm 5:11; 13:5; 20:5; 21:1,6; 33:21; 35:9; 40:16; Isa 12:1; 25:9; Hab 3:18; Luke 1:47; 2:10).
It is the fruit of love and the energy of life. Spiritual joy is what the Bible calls a "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:22), "the joy of faith" (Phil 1:25), and "the rejoicing of hope" (Heb 3:6). Joy refers to the extreme happiness with which the Born-Again Christian contemplates salvation and the bliss of the afterlife. Unexpected benefits from God are expressed in terms of shared experiences.
Without the primary fruit of love, the gifts become corrupted. Love is THE gift. Without it, joy doesn't work; peace doesn't come, patience isn't bearable, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are arduous work to maintain. When love has its free course, it always expresses itself in a joy whose roots lie in Jesus.
The good that produces life-altering, enduring joy is:
(1) Growing in authenticity and living more into one's strengths
(2) Growing in the depth of relationships and contributing to others
(3) Living more aligned with one's ethical and spiritual ideals
Joy is not just an individual pursuit but one that profoundly involves our connections with others. People discover and experience the most joy when doing those things they love to do, growing in intimacy or providing for others.
[Adapted from the article “What Is Joy and What Does it Say About Us, by Dr. Pamela King, Psychology Today 7/28/20]
Heaven is the Joy of the Lord
"His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." (Matt 25:21 ESV)
Joy is the business of Heaven because it is a place of exhilarating joy and celebration (John 6:38). That should be incentive enough to draw most of the planet to seek it through Jesus. The first and paramount experience in Heaven will be the joy of seeing the face of Jesus.
The day of Pentecost was a day of celebration and great joy. The people saw the joy, and once convinced it was real, many of them decided it was what they wanted for themselves.
"And the lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47 NIV)
Human beings can't understand the whole nature of Heaven. John the beloved made an eloquent attempt to describe it in the book of Revelation, but the reality of Heaven is beyond the ability of finite human beings to explain. The Bible declares:
"That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Cor 2:9 NIV)
The primary object of Heaven is eternal intimacy with God Himself as He is. The central core of Heaven is that every Born-Again Christian will be with Jesus forever! That is why there will be no marriage in Heaven because they are married to Jesus and belong to Him forever (Rom 7:1-4).
The Bible says that Heaven is immeasurable. That is because the love of God is immeasurable! (Jer 31:37) Heaven is holy because Jesus IS the Holy One! (Psalm 20:6; Rev 15:5)
In Heaven, there is the joy of perfect contentment and rest because no one will desire anything else but Jesus alone. To live in Heaven is "to be with Christ" because the Born-Again Christian lives "in Christ," which is the true nature of Heaven (Phil 1:23; cf. John 14:3; 1 Thess 4:17).
AFFLICTION, PERSECUTION, AND SUFFERING
In the story I shared previously, I revealed one of the many paradoxes of Christianity that genuine joy prevails in the midst of afflictions. We can live joyfully in a fallen world, during the most intense persecution and through the worst pain and sorrow. Examples of this were Paul and Silas when they were in a Philippian jail, praying and singing hymns of joy at midnight (Acts 16:25).
The Bible describes the "deep power of joy" and reveals it to be more powerful, more constant, and more enduring than adverse circumstances (John 16:20-32; Acts 16:25,34; Rom 14:17; 2 Cor 6:10; 7:4; 8:2; 12:10; Phil 4:4).
The Bible urges us to be joyful when suffering persecution for being a Christian because it identifies us with Jesus (Luke 6:22-23; 1 Peter 4:13). Every trial is an opportunity for joy because it furthers our daily progressive sanctification (James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:8). The Bible not only exhorts us to find joy in suffering, but it also says that God will give joy at the end of difficulty as a foretaste of our final redemption (Psalm 30:5,11,12; 51:8; 53:6; 85:6; 126:5,6; Isa 35:1,2,10).
The joy and gladness of the Lord is our strength, refuge, and protection in times of affliction (Neh 8:10-12; Psalm 28:7). This parallels Jesus, who with joy "endured the cross, scorning its shame" (Heb 12:2). Also, for every Born-Again Christian, trials and persecution are occasions for joy (James 1:2 NIV).
Peter and John found their beating with whips was an opportunity for "rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name" (Acts 5:41). Paul speaks of his joy in affliction (2 Cor 7:4-16). It is a part of faith (Phil 1:25). Suffering brings joy as every Born-Again Christian is united with Jesus in His suffering (1 Peter 4:13-14).
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DAILY JOY
1. It is essential to take the time to get clear on what brings you life-giving joy.
2. Reflect at the end of a day or the end of the week when you experienced the most joy or when you felt most alive.
3. Take some time to reflect on your life. What seasons, memories, or elements of your life brought you the most joy?
4. Consider how your beliefs may provide hope for the future and be a source of anticipated joy.
5. Spark joy in other people. Be intentional about how you can encourage others to grow in their strengths. When you see your spouse, children, co-worker, or friend light up and or do something well, affirm them for that.
6. Encourage others to do things with and for other people. Set an example for your children of spending energy and time not just with others but for others.
7. Pursue joy, especially in stressful times. Joy can be a great resource if you allow deep positive emotions and the convictions about what matters to energize and direct you.
[Adapted from the article “What Is Joy and What Does it Say About Us, by Dr. Pamela King, Psychology Today 7/28/20]
CONCLUSION
QUOTE – "What is our life without joy? Without joy, we can do nothing: we are like an instrument out of tune. Without joy, we are like bones out of joint. We can do nothing well without joy and a good conscience, which is the ground of joy." (Richard Sibbes)
QUOTE – "Lightning and light may suitably illustrate the difference between the joy of the sinner and the saint. The one is like lightning - short, hurried, transient, scorching; the other is like light - lasting, healthful, beautiful, and healing." (Unknown)
Joy is the appropriate response of the Born-Again Christian to the "good tidings of great joy" which the Gospel is made of (Luke 2:10). Joy is the state that results from knowing and serving God and is exemplified daily in a transformed life and a person's character. Church ministry must be offered where people can be committed to find their identity in Jesus (personal) with others (through activities) and with themselves (where they can grow).
Joy is experienced through God's means of grace in the midst of life.
1. Knowledge of God's Word produces joy (Psalm 19:8; 119:16,111,162,165; Jer 15:16)
2. Worship evokes it (Psalm 42:4; 43:4; 46:4; 71:23; 100:1; Luke 24:52; James 5:13)
3. Obedience discovers it (Psalm 32:11; 64:10; 68:3; 69:32; 87:1-5; 97:11; 119:1; Prov 10:28; 13:9; 29:6)
4. Work fosters it (Deut 12:18; Ezra 6:22; Eccl 2:24,25).
Joy in the Christian life is in direct proportion to our everyday walk with Jesus and is a fruit of a Spirit-led life (Gal 5:22). We can rejoice because we are in the Him (Phil 4:4). Joy in the Lord enables us to enjoy all that God has given. We rejoice in our family (Prov 5:18), food (1 Tim 4:4-5), celebrations (Deut 16:13-15), and fellowship as we share with other Christians the joys and sorrows of life. The discovery of the true treasure of life brings joy (Matt 13:44). Missing the mark caused by sin robs a person of joy (Psalm 51:8,12).
In Jesus, we rejoice "with joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8). The Greek word translated as unspeakable is ‘abeklalaytos’ which means it is something that words are inadequate to express. The Greek word translated as “glory” is ‘doxazo’ which means splendor; to reflect God’s divine honor and reputation. When we are filled will joy we reflect the glory of God that will attract the lost like a moth to the flame. His joy which is beyond human comprehension or understanding. The "joy of the Lord" is the reward of faithfulness (Matt 25:21,23). Jesus confers His peace that passes all understanding and allows us to share in His permanent fullness of joy, in contrast, to transient earthy sorrows (John 14:27, 15:11; 16:22, 33,24, 17:13).
Both joy and hope that are derived from the human senses are no joy or hope at all. Hope does not disappoint when it is based upon the reality of God's love and built on the firm foundation of His written promises (Rom 5:5). Christians are not to depend on people or circumstances to find their joy because those are constantly changing, and God never does (Mal 3:6).
The joy of the Born-Again Christian is the result of overcoming adversity and trying circumstances, which, instead of hindering, actually enhance it (Acts 5:41; Rom 5:3; James 1:2,12; 5:11; 1 Peter 4:13; compare Matt 5:11-12).
Beloved, remember this great truth - Jesus, "for the JOY that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame" (Heb 12:2 NIV – emphasis mine).
