The fruit of the Spirit is....joy..

[Not me]

Galatians 5:22 (NASB)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

“the fruit of the Spirit is..... joy...”

Joy, being of unmeasurable worth...Is the heart that is free, the heart that is unburdened, the heart that is at rest, the heart that knows nothing against itself. A heart that is as open, and humble, as obedient before God as that heart can find the light to walk in. Is what is required for this joy to be experienced....

Would one want to know joy? Walk in a little more righteousness than you did yesterday and tomorrow a little more than today....Than in a very short order will you know joy....Joy that knows no bounds.

For this joy does build. The more righteousness one walks in, the more of this joy will one taste, experience, and live in. As a permanent resident will this joy make itself known...

Sin and disobedience is that that steals ones joy... As those that have had dealings with God know by experience.....One can get this joy back, but it does take time to build this joy again....For joy, it is the proof of one walking in obedience to the Spirit that dwells in their inner man...If something gives this Spirit a pause. Listen to it, for if not, it will cost you your joy....The heart that has learned this, is a heart that has so blessed itself with something of unmeasurable worth...For being obedient to this that either gives or costs one joy, is a blessing only by experience can one know....

It is this heart that can, will, experience such an inner joy that no outward set of circumstances can move this heart... The heart itself is stayed on Christ... Through thick and thin, in all things has it learned to be content...Knowing to live is Christ, to die is gain...

Oh such high sounding words, but not to the heart that sees but a little of it’s own sin and corruption.....To have our hope not in ourselves, and to put our hope in the One who has called us out of all the disorder we see around us. To live by the faith of our hearts turned to His love and faithfulness and His provisions towards us...

Joy, joy, joy, is what that heart will know in abundance.. May the love and the joy of God be known, experienced by all those that He has called. Who continue to walk in all the light they see....

Be blessed all, as His joy fills our hearts according to the measure of our obedience to the light we see, Not me

 

[Hammster]

One of my favorite verses on joy is this.


fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
— Hebrews 12:2

Jesus knew the cross would be horrible. But He endures it for joy. Joy of pleasing His Father. Joy of saving His brethren. Joy of being in the presence of His Father once again. Etc.

 

[Not me]

One of my favorite verses on joy is this.


fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
— Hebrews 12:2

Jesus knew the cross would be horrible. But He endures it for joy. Joy of pleasing His Father. Joy of saving His brethren. Joy of being in the presence of His Father once again. Etc.

Amen and be blessed as we draw closer to the Author of our joy!...

A fellow servant of His, Not me

 

[Mr. M]

As a permanent resident will this joy make itself known...

What a perfect choice of words!(there were many, I just picked this one) Calling to mind this word that you also referenced...
Romans 8:11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell[oikeo] in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth[enoikeo] in you.
From the Greek [oikos] for home. Have you seen the greek yogurt brand oikos in the supermarket? The name first suggests "homemade", but also consider that they don't have other dairy products. I have not seen oikos cottage cheese. They are "making their house" from yogurt. Like Hershey is a house of chocolate, and Busch built their house with beer. Let us build a house of Joy. There is a church back in my hometown called House of Joy.
So, to get the correct understanding from Paul in Romans, he says 3 times that sin dwells[oikeo] in the sinner, and is thus a resident, and a homewrecker. Now after laying out his argument in chapter 7, he states:
Romans 8:9. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Emphasis on if, if you put to death the sin of the flesh.
I have heard preaching many, many times from romans 8, that if you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells in you. Not what Paul is saying at all! This is not name it, claim it, the Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it faith. He is stating what is the consistent message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the apostolic doctrine, that we must deny our self, DIE to ourselves, that we may live by the Spirit.
In the third instance of Romans 8, a strengthened form is used:enoikeo, which suggests that the Spirit is residing in us in harmony and cooperation.
Most modern translations, including the New King James, does not indicate this the way the Authorized KJV did in Romans 8:11, using 'dwells' in the first instance, and 'dwelleth' in the second.
Colossians 3:16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Somebody just woke up with the Joy of the Lord this morning! Thank You for sharing. This is an inspired and inspiring devotional. May we all carry it through the day! Amen.
James

 

[Not me]

What a perfect choice of words!(there were many, I just picked this one) Calling to mind this word that you also referenced...
Romans 8:11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell[oikeo] in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth[enoikeo] in you.
From the Greek [oikos] for home. Have you seen the greek yogurt brand oikos in the supermarket? The name first suggests "homemade", but also consider that they don't have other dairy products. I have not seen oikos cottage cheese. They are "making their house" from yogurt. Like Hershey is a house of chocolate, and Busch built their house with beer. Let us build a house of Joy. There is a church back in my hometown called House of Joy.
So, to get the correct understanding from Paul in Romans, he says 3 times that sin dwells[oikeo] in the sinner, and is thus a resident, and a homewrecker. Now after laying out his argument in chapter 7, he states:
Romans 8:9. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
Emphasis on if, if you put to death the sin of the flesh.
I have heard preaching many, many times from romans 8, that if you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit dwells in you. Not what Paul is saying at all! This is not name it, claim it, the Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it faith. He is stating what is the consistent message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the apostolic doctrine, that we must deny our self, DIE to ourselves, that we may live by the Spirit.
In the third instance of Romans 8, a strengthened form is used:enoikeo, which suggests that the Spirit is residing in us in harmony and cooperation.
Most modern translations, including the New King James, does not indicate this the way the Authorized KJV did in Romans 8:11, using 'dwells' in the first instance, and 'dwelleth' in the second.
Colossians 3:16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Somebody just woke up with the Joy of the Lord this morning! Thank You for sharing. This is an inspired and inspiring devotional. May we all carry it through the day! Amen.
James

Hi, thanks for your insight, words and your blessing.... If I might offer a thought...Many believer, including myself, has questioned many times, what exactly is “walking in the Spirit” for they see that in this walking is to be found all the blessings of the new creation.. May I propose that “walking in the Spirit” is the same thing as “living by faith”..

Something to ask God about, and ponder before Him..

Be blessed in Him, a fellow servant of His, Not me

 

[Mr. M]

Hi, thanks for your insight, words and your blessing.... If I might offer a thought...Many believer, including myself, has questioned many times, what exactly is “walking in the Spirit” for they see that in this walking is to be found all the blessings of the new creation.. May I propose that “walking in the Spirit” is the same thing as “living by faith”..

Something to ask God about, and ponder before Him..

I Will, Today. [I also like the term 'Abide']

 

[Not me]

I Will, Today. [I also like the term 'Abide']

Be blessed in the asking. I too like the word abide for there is so much peace in that command....

If I might put forth the scriptural confirmation, that (I believe) the Lord opened up to me to confirm in my heart, what my heart was speaking concerning “in Spirit” and “in faith”

In Galatians we read;

“having begun in the Spirit”

So whatever the Galatians did at first was “in the Spirit”

So what was it they did at first?

They simply believed, i.e. had faith...

This is how I believe the Lord ministered this truth to my heart.

But as with all truth they must be born inwardly to be in possession of them.. So..

To the growing closer to Him be the desires of our hearts.

A fellow believer, Not me

 

[Mr. M]

Be blessed in the asking. I too like the word abide for there is so much peace in that command....

If I might put forth the scriptural confirmation, that (I believe) the Lord opened up to me to confirm in my heart, what my heart was speaking concerning “in Spirit” and “in faith”

In Galatians we read;

“having begun in the Spirit”

So whatever the Galatians did at first was “in the Spirit”

So what was it they did at first?

They simply believed, i.e. had faith...

This is how I believe the Lord ministered this truth to my heart.

But as with all truth they must be born inwardly to be in possession of them.. So..

To the growing closer to Him be the desires of our hearts.

A fellow believer, Not me

Psalm 37:4. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Careful, I am going to be a little tricky here. This does not say that the Lord will give you the desires of your heart, He says I will give you the desires of your heart. What? James, you are talking in circles.
He will not give you your desires, which many would prefer. No, He will give you right desires. The righteousness of God in Christ is that we undergo a heart change, that the desires of the flesh and the world fade. As you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give you the desires of your heart, and you will find rest for your soul.

 

[Not me]

Psalm 37:4. Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Careful, I am going to be a little tricky here. This does not say that the Lord will give you the desires of your heart, He says I will give you the desires of your heart. What? James, you are talking in circles.
He will not give you your desires, which many would prefer. No, He will give you right desires. The righteousness of God in Christ is that we undergo a heart change, that the desires of the flesh and the world fade. As you delight yourself in the Lord, He will give you the desires of your heart, and you will find rest for your soul.

Me likes that, never heard it put like that before, but quite interesting...Something for me to take before God and ponder..

Be blessed in the pondering, Not me

 

[TLSITD]

Galatians 5:22 (NASB)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

“the fruit of the Spirit is..... joy...”

Joy, being of unmeasurable worth...Is the heart that is free, the heart that is unburdened, the heart that is at rest, the heart that knows nothing against itself. A heart that is as open, and humble, as obedient before God as that heart can find the light to walk in. Is what is required for this joy to be experienced....

Would one want to know joy? Walk in a little more righteousness than you did yesterday and tomorrow a little more than today....Than in a very short order will you know joy....Joy that knows no bounds.

For this joy does build. The more righteousness one walks in, the more of this joy will one taste, experience, and live in. As a permanent resident will this joy make itself known...

Sin and disobedience is that that steals ones joy... As those that have had dealings with God know by experience.....One can get this joy back, but it does take time to build this joy again....For joy, it is the proof of one walking in obedience to the Spirit that dwells in their inner man...If something gives this Spirit a pause. Listen to it, for if not, it will cost you your joy....The heart that has learned this, is a heart that has so blessed itself with something of unmeasurable worth...For being obedient to this that either gives or costs one joy, is a blessing only by experience can one know....

It is this heart that can, will, experience such an inner joy that no outward set of circumstances can move this heart... The heart itself is stayed on Christ... Through thick and thin, in all things has it learned to be content...Knowing to live is Christ, to die is gain...

Oh such high sounding words, but not to the heart that sees but a little of it’s own sin and corruption.....To have our hope not in ourselves, and to put our hope in the One who has called us out of all the disorder we see around us. To live by the faith of our hearts turned to His love and faithfulness and His provisions towards us...

Joy, joy, joy, is what that heart will know in abundance.. May the love and the joy of God be known, experienced by all those that He has called. Who continue to walk in all the light they see....

Be blessed all, as His joy fills our hearts according to the measure of our obedience to the light we see, Not me

Another essential key to having and keeping that joy is trust: Faith in God's love for us and good purpose towards us in all that He causes and allows as we walk in obedience to Him, which is our love for Him; trusting and believing what He says about Himself and what He will and will not do and why---and not allowing doubts or our feelings, or thoughts planted in our heads by our spiritual adversaries, to entice us toward unbelief, discontentment, fear or anger.

 

[Noxot]

It would be nice to create Joy in this world but most things are going to be subjugated to necessitarian freedoms that human survival is concerned over. sure it can become a spiritual practice to have joy while in the dead things of life that humans busy themselves with, but in my estimation it would have been better to create new systems in the world which facilitate the high ideals of Christianity. We were put in this world to act, but why should we function in so much baggage that has to do with making a name for yourself in the world and obtaining the goals of the flesh. But now the world and myself has become a stage of tragedy for me and I don't mind because tragedy with God is better than the so-called life this world thinks it has, though admittedly the world partakes of God as much as it is actually good. I don't think I would trade my wretched condition for some supposedly idealistic world, due to what God might make of me.

 

[Lizgee]

Amen! Happiness is fleeting, but joy..joy is eternal and available by abiding in Christ. How sweet it is to be in His presence.

Thank you all for the encouragement in this thread! Keep joy in your heart and continue being a blessing to others.

lizgee