JOY THE SECOND FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
Come let us study the second installment of the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT. We will study all nine of the fruit. This study is second fruit: JOY. Often we see the goal of “I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY!” Happy is external. JOY is internal.
**JOY IS THE INFALLIBLE SIGN THAT GOD INHABITS THOSE THAT PRAISE AND EXERCISE LIFE IN GREAT JOY.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
FOR THE RECORD THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS SINGULAR NOT PLURAL. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS ONE, NOT MANY. THE FIRST RECORD OF FRUIT IN THE BIBLE IS FOUND IN GENSIS 1. WE FIND FRUIT IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS TO REPRESENT CHOICES… THERE IS A DIVINE IMPERATIVE GIVEN BY GOD TO BE FOLLOWED MY MAN --- BE FRUITFUL.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
JOHN 15 RECORDS THERE ARE SEVERAL LEVELS OF BEARING FRUIT: 1. NO FRUIT; 2. FRUIT; 3. MORE FRUIT; 4. MUCH FRUIT. Any increase in production of real fruit comes from God.
John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
*FRUIT: anything that contains seeds for reproduction, come from the flowering part of the plant, the sweet, fleshy produce of plants that contain a seed,
*VEGETABLE: edible part of a plant leaves, stems, rots, bulbs.
Let us look at the 2ND fruit of 9, JOY.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF TREES: 1. FIREWOOD TREES; 2. FRUIT TREES. WE MAY NOT JUDGE BY THE EXTERNALS ALONE, BUT WE WILL BE KNOWN BY THE FRUIT THAT WE BEAR.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
THE SECOND FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS JOY. NO JESUS, NO JOY! KNOW JESUS KNOW JOY! JOY BEGINS WITH GOD, JOY ENDS WITH GOD. THERE ARE GOOD BENEFITS IN HAVING JOY.
Joy destroys stress! Joy strengthens one’s immunity systems. Joy builds strong families. Joy promotes praise. Joy brings singing, leaping, laughter and dancing to the camp of God.
JOY: long lasting calm, delight, gladness, cheerfulness, a feeling of great pleasure or happiness that comes from trusting God, a sense of well being.
JOY IS A CHOICE. YOUR JOY HINGES ON NO ONE BUT YOU.
John 16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
JOY COMES FROM BEING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT. HOPE AND JOY RUN ON THE SAME TICKET.
Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
JOY IS FROM THE SPIRIT, THE HEART AND THE SOUL. JOY IS INTERNAL. JOY DOES NOT DEPEND ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. HAPPINESS IS ON THE FACE, WHEN THINGS ARE GOING GOOD. HAPPINESS IS IN THE MOMENT.
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
YOU HAVE BEEN DESIGN SPIRITUAL TO OPERATE WITH A FULL JOY TANK AND THAT YOUR JOY REMAIN, LASTING.
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
GOT JOY? LOST JOY? GOD HAS A PLAN. GOD KNOWS HOW EASY IT IS TO LET YOUR GUARD DOWN AND LOSE YOUR JOY. THEREFORE GOD HAS MADE PROVISION FOR HIS JOY TO BE RESTORED… NEGATIVISM TRIES TO KILL YOUR OPTIMISM.
Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
LET US LOOK AT THE 50TH BOOK OF THE BIBLE: THE EPISTLE OF JOY: PHILIPPIANS… PAUL WROTE THIS BOOK FROM A ROMAN PRISON. THERE ARE FOUR CHAPTERS, 104 VERSES, 2,002 WORDS
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4 (MSG) Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!
As Paul writes this small book he has a truth to share. He says we can be TRIUMPH IN SUFFERING. The THEME OF JOY-REJOICE… JOY AND REJOICE IS MENTIONED 16 TIMES IN 4 CHAPTERS. While in prison for preaching Paul demonstrates thankfulness and JOY! Paul taught us we can have JOY WHILE SUFFERING AND FACING TRIALS.
TO REAP JOY WE MUST SOW THE RIGHT SEEDS…
Psalm 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Psalm 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
THERE IS A WONDERFUL GARMENT THAT ONE SIZE FITS ALL… THE GARMENT OF PRAISE.
PRAISE WILL ALWAYS REFLECT JOY!
Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
CONCLUSION: Can you imagine a guitar with no strings? How about an envelope without a stamp? A flashlight with no batteries? How about a car with no tires? How about a family with no joy? WITH OUT JOY LIFE IS REDUCED TO: DO I HAVE TO… MAKE ME! REAL JOY MAKES ME LOVE TO… I WANT TO HELP YOU…
** HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE HAPPIEST OF THE 149 COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD? There are 6 categories they measure happiness by… 1. Finland; 2. Denmark; 3. Iceland; 4. ISRAEL; 5. Netherlands …
THE TWO UNHAPPIEST NATIONS ARE AFGHANISTAN and ZIMBABWE…
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAN IS RANKED THE 15TH IN THE HAPPIEST NATIONS IN THE WORLD YET SHE HAS SOME OF THE RICHEST AND EASIEST LIFE STYLES. PONDER WHY?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)
