Is your joy overflowing? Are the happenings of each day filling your heart with an overabundance of joy, peace and love?
The answers to these questions are relative to how you perceive each day. As the events of the day unfold, many recognize the bitterness and pain each event causes. Our hearts begin to think as Satan wishes we will, sorrow, suffering, pain and anguish. These things bring forth evil thoughts and turn our hearts from what is most important in our spirit. As believers in Christ Jesus, we should be filled with great joy.
Joy comes to us in many different ways. To the world it appears only when the pleasures of life are received, not when things do not go as we would expect or like. To the true Christian, this is the opposite of how our joy can be complete.
Let us examine how our joy can and when it becomes complete.
During life, many obstacles are placed in our way by the world, especially to those who are a believer in Jesus or are becoming a learner on their way to becoming a believer. Satan and the world do not wish for our lives to be filled with the joy of righteousness; only the lusts of the flesh. Believers notice how those of the world seem to be richly blessed with material possessions, friends, wealth, and all the lasciviousness of this world. At the same time believers notice the persecutions the world inflicts upon them for not being a part of their world and participating in their debauchery. So they do their best to take away our freedom to believe; take away our joy.
So what is joy and how does it provide for us as believers in this world so as to make our joy complete?
JOY: Joy is an intense, long-lasting state of happiness, contentment, and deep delight that often stems from inner peace or a sense of well-being rather than just external circumstances. Unlike temporary pleasure, joy is often viewed as a conscious choice, a lasting emotion, or a spiritual gift that persists through difficult times.
Earthly Joy can be derived from accomplishments or relationships one develops with others in this world. It is only a temporary joy because it is a worldly perceived form of happiness. It is truly temporary because it does not last through eternity. One can derive from the true definition of joy that it is not a sustaining joy because it is not a long-lasting state of happiness. A true Christian cannot become content with worldly joy nor obtain inner peace therein.
Where does everlasting joy originate and become the long-lasting joy within a Christians heart?
Turn to John 16:17-20. 17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith. 19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? 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.
Jesus is introducing his disciples to what true joy is and from whence it shall come. Jesus tells them he is going away and the world shall rejoice because it believes it has totally destroyed him and no one else shall ever hear from him again. The power of God shall be forever removed from humanity and Satan’s world. These disciples will be saddened but the world shall rejoice. Even today, if the evils of this world inflict pain and suffering, perhaps even death to a believer, they think they have gained victory over Jesus and God and rejoice in their iniquities. But Jesus is telling his disciples he will forever live; he will return and they shall see him again. Jesus says their sorrow over his physical death and believed removal from life will be turned to joy.
What is this joy? It is the fact they shall see him alive again. To a believer today, we hold to the hope that we shall see The Christ alive in the spirit when Jesus comes in the clouds and gathers us with him to enter into everlasting life in heaven.
Vs. 21 is an example Jesus tells his disciples. From it we can comprehend this joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. The pain and anguish of childbirth can overpower the human mind. At the time of childbirth, this is the only thing the woman feels. Some people have witnessed a mother-to-be squeezing the husband’s hand strong enough to crush it while screaming harsh words at him for believing he is the very sole cause of this pain. But when the child is delivered, the pain goes away and joy for the new child overpowers the emotions of the mother.
Jesus uses this analogy to show the contrast of our joy as believers when we shall see our Lord.
Now he explains this joy the disciples shall feel. Vs. 22. 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. 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. 25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. 26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
The heart of a true Christian shall rejoice with exceeding gladness–joy–which no man can take away because they believe in the power of God and his Spirit to cause us to overcome the world and all its evils to be redeemed into everlasting life.
Our belief that we shall obtain everlasting life brings joy and our joy can become complete therein. This is the ultimate joy of the human heart. But joy can become complete in other ways. Let us examine some briefly.
Fellowship of true believers with new additions to the kingdom of God shall cause our earthly lives to be filled with complete, full joy. Turn to Philippians 2:1-2. 2 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Apostle Paul told this to the brethren at Philippi. All believers whose joy shall become complete as saints in the Kingdom of God on earth will be filled with more joy at the baptism and restoration of an erring believer. These people shall be of like minds. They each shall possess this joy of securing the hope within them. This joy will manifest itself in the saints fellowshipping together and comforting each other having the mind of Christ dwelling in themselves. Notice: Philippians 2: 5-11. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
As we become filled with the joy of The Father through Christ Jesus, our minds shall function just as they. We shall be filled with joy, being like minded, having the same love, being of one accord and one mind which was also in Christ Jesus as he walked upon the earth.
As we face daily trials and temptations, persecutions and sufferings, let us focus upon the joy of Jesus and accept our trials as he. Hebrews 12:1-3. …let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Jesus endured great pain and suffering in this world yet he did all this to make our joy complete. With the world filled with wicked sinners who hated Jesus, and who hate Christians, Jesus overcame. We must suffer because of the name of Jesus so that we can overcome. We do not like chastening and suffering, but the Hebrew writer tells us, 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Chapter 12:11.
Remember also, in this world, he who is first will become last and he who is last shall become first. The world may believe they are first in this life, but they shall become last because they shall not inherit life in heaven. Those last in this world shall have their joy made complete by becoming the first to enter a place of peace, joy and eternal life.
Fill your heart with things which shall bring joy to completeness–the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Believe on him; repent of your sins; confess his name before men and have your sinfulness removed in the waters of baptism. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:16.
Do you wish to make your joy complete today? Come to Jesus as we offer you an invitation to come to the throne of mercy at the feet of God the Father and Jesus the Christ. Make your joy complete.
