INTRO: There are questions on why I brought dough up on stage a couple of weeks ago because the word around is he only sings about as good as me. Reason: Because of the joy and enthusiasm that radiates from him. It’s exciting to watch people who are enthused about something. I watch people worshipping God from my standpoint because I can see you all.
TIThE: Secret of Abiding Joy
TEXT: Habakkuk 3:17,18
I. Christian has joy!
A. Background - Habakkuk was a prophet who worked in the temple of the Lord.
-Man saw great reforms under Josiah, tremendous revivals. Lord blessed.
-Nation was falling apart, corrupt. God’s laws were not being followed.
-Violence to the righteous and weak were standard practice.
-People in open, willful sin. Thumbing nose at God.
-Habakkuk questions God - “When are you going to do something about this!”
-God’s response (1:5) - “I’ll do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told.” (Babylon to destroy Judea).
1. Habakkuk’s strength – torn, he wanted to see justice but not total devastation. God has given him his answer. The prophet’s heart was probably on the verge of breaking, but Habakkuk still rejoiced in the Lord!
Illustrate: Dr. Torrey was one of the great Bible teachers of the past generation. He and his wife
went through terrible heartache when their 12-year-old daughter died. Funeral was gloomy.
Watching as they lowered her into the ground Mrs. Torrey said, “I’m so glad Elizabeth is with the
Lord and not in that box.” Their hearts were still broken.
Dr. Torrey said the next day changed him. He was thinking about all the loneliness that was ahead
(empty house, no more playing together). Burdened with all this, he looked to the Lord for help.
Just then this fountain of joy broke forth in his heart, and Dr. Torrey said that was the most joyful
moment in his life!
B. Christianity - Not a bunch of do’s and don’ts, not a system of melancholy where you walk around
depressed all the time. This makes for a dry, boring religion.
1. God’s will for us is joy - John 15:11 - “I have told you this so that my joy may be complete.”
a. Joy follows conversion - God wants us to be joyful.
Q: Parents, do you not want your children to be joyful?
1. How much more then would Christ want the same for us His children!
-Sometimes we view God as this vengeful beast who demands us to take our young, virgin girls and throw them into the volcano in order to appease Him, or a God who does not want us to have any fun.
C. Christian joy is their strength - stronghold.
1. I believe it’s one of the most effective spiritual weapons God gives us. The enemy hates it. The devil hates it when you’re joyful.
ex Star Trek, my experience on a baseball team.
a. Joy of the Lord helps us overcome temptation - James 1:2-3 (READ)
-Joy in trials because it develops maturity, but also this joy will help you overcome your temptations and trials.
ex Steel girders hold building, NORAD giant springs (Missile attack would survive).
1. Enemy shoots missiles and hits. We don’t have the springs of joy and our world comes crashing down (devastated, depressed, negative).
D. L. Moody said, “God never uses a discouraged person. Why? Because they’re so easily defeated by the enemy and end up doing more harm than good for the kingdom of God.”
Q: Are we a joyful Christian today. Are we making a positive effect on other’s lives? This joy is not only very important in doing the works of God but also in strengthening us.
ex Peter and John, Jesus was murdered, Holy Spirit came. Peter and John healed the crippled beggar, brought before the religious leaders (rebuked), continued healing people in the name of Jesus. Captured and thrown in prison, angel releases them. Out again in temple preaching and healing people. Taken in front of the Sanhedrin again and given a flogging.
Acts 5:41 - “The Apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name.”
II. This Joy is in the Lord
A. Joy in the Lord - Not in ourselves, not in others, not in things. It’s from the Lord and His strength and power.
1. Joy implies knowledge - Usually a relationship starts by - “What do I get or what can I get out of this?”
Salvation - what can God do for us or what do I get (selfish). As a Christian matures and his knowledge grows (spiritually and intellectually), he learns about God discovering His personality and His character.
ex Dating relationship - blind date (are they good looking, rich, popular) Early stages: It’s still
-“What are you going to do for me?” (physical, emotional, spiritual).
-Tremendous hazard of marriage is the person goes in taking rather than giving. Think if each would give there would be no need for taking!
-If this principle (giving & taking) in a marriage works, how much more will it work spiritually (aren’t we the brides of Christ?)
Reason why there are so many joyless marriages and reason why there are so many joyless
Christians is because they’re still in a selfish relationship. (Attitude: “What can I get out of this.”)
Rather, they should have the attitude - “What can I give?”
B. Mature Relationship - I Peter 1:8 - “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”
Christ is like a friend who always uplifts you and you get joy from being around Him.
III. The Joy of Salvation - Joy comes from a knowledge of God that He saves us from eternal damnation.
A. Joy, because we are forgiven. Names are written in the Lambs Book of Life.
1. Punished - actions deserve punishment, but rather than getting punished, we get rewarded.
ex Someone having an affair, comes back and asks forgiveness, person not only is not punished but gets to go on a honeymoon. This is how far grace is above mercy.
God wants everyone to come to a saving knowledge of who He is.
ex Jonah, prophet of God, told to go to Ninevah, preach repentance. Refused, ran from God, boards a boat, storm comes. Thrown overboard, swallowed by a big fish, seaweed wrapped around him, says this - “But I with a song of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.”
-Jonah realized God not only loves Israel but also the gentiles. God wants everyone to know about salvation.
2. Joy of salvation - my experience (ton of bricks).
B. Losing salvation - Psalm 5 1:12 (READ)
1. David sinned - becomes King of Israel. Saul out of the picture. Takes an interest in a married woman. Husband out fighting. He spends the night with her. She becomes pregnant.
-David plans his death (Uriah worst part of fighting) works, gets off scott-free.
a. God knows - sends the Prophet Nathan to confront, and finally David realizes his foolishness.
2. Let’s look at how sin ruined David’s joy - effects of this sin.
a. Ear can’t hear - v. 8 (READ) sin deafens the ear so we can’t hear God’s small, quiet voice. There’s no joy because you can’t hear from the creator.
ex Mother’s voice when you’re hurt or scared.
b. Guilt - v. 14, 15 (READ) Blood guilt, sin that led to the death of an innocent man.
ex Mafia hit man, cold as ice (overcome guilt or go crazy).
1. Guilt binds our tongue - something about sin and guilt. It locks our tongues. We have trouble praising Him. David saying, “Take this guilt from my heart” (tremendous burden and I will sing to you).
2. Guilt over sin shuts our mouths - God unlocks our lips by way of our heart.
-Sometimes we don’t want God’s help - sounds strange. Called:
C. Spiritual price - attitude: “I can do it myself.” Never coming down to an altar, too concerned with what others think.
1. Altar means a place of sacrifice, come down to ask God to help you with a struggle or a need (Sacrifice your flesh and will).
Illustration: Laborer who was a mature Christian, solid testimony, Boss said, “You know, what ever you got, I want. You have such a joy and contentment.”
(L) Go home, put your best suit on, and come work in the mud with us.
(B) I could never do that. I’m the boss. That’s beneath my dignity.
Boss came back a couple months later and asked same question (How can I get).
(L) I told you put on your best suit and come and work in the mud with us.
Boss walked away furious! Finally, the boss came back in desperation and said, “I don’t care what it takes, I’ll do anything!”
(L) Will you go home and put on your best suit, and come work in the mud with us?
The boss agreed that he would even do that.
(L) “You don’t have to.”
Point: Laborer knew what was standing between the boss and Christ (pride). Spiritual pride will stand between us and Christ and the joy He can give us.
IV. Joy is independent of earthly possessions.
A. Difference between happiness and joy.
-Joy depends not on what we have, but what we are: not on circumstances, but on communion with Christ.
-Happiness depends largely on happenings.
ex Black slave, never unhappy, “When all of you are saying this is my house, my cotton field, I just look up and say there is my house, and there is my Savior and when I have the Lord, I have everything!”
-Joys of this world are like a rocket, glares for a moment and then it’s gone.
B. Joy should not be influenced by possessions.
ex Rich Wilkerson, story of missionary lady. On bag! Angry about God’s servant owning just bag on her back.
(G) Rich, more treasures than you will ever know. Joy radiates from this woman.
(R) Supporting her $150/month. She so excited, told Rich, “praying all these years that I would be able to support a missionary.”
Joy is not in what we own, it’s what we are in Christ.
CONCLUSION: (Q) How many want the joy of the Lord?
The secret of abiding joy, according to me, is tasting and seeing that the Lord is good.
1. Doing God’s will, working at the things of God. Doing the works in the house of the Lord. There are many ministry opportunities.
-Changes you, giving of yourself, getting out of self and when we start making steps in these areas, God starts working in our lives!
