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Printed from https://writing.com/main/books/action/view/entry_id/1013209
Rated: E · Book · Religious · #2245288
Bible studies
#1013209 added July 14, 2021 at 12:20am
Restrictions: None
Fruits of the Spirit - Joy


Dear God,
Help us to know your joy. Help those of us who lack it to know why and help us to learn to have more joy in our lives. We know your joy is our strength.
In Jesus Christ’s name,
Amen

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉


🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉
Garden of God

God is giving me a mental picture of our hearts being the garden of God. Before I get into the subject of joy as the fruit of the Spirit, I want to discuss this a little bit. I apologize if this study goes a little long, but I want to share with you everything God is showing me as I am studying this subject.

Galatians 5:22-23 is the list of the fruits of the Spirit. However, right before this, the works of the flesh are also listed. I want you to picture these if you will as the weeds or thorns or tares in the garden.
Galatians 5:19-21

Bare with me and take a look at the parable of the shower in Matthew chapter 13.
Matthew 13:3-8
Matthew 13:18-23
And here is the next parable Jesus told the disciples.
Matthew 13:24-30

If I am manafesting the works of the flesh, they quench the Spirit of God. Therefore they can hinder the production of the fruits of the Spirit. Another thing, fruit is produced or grown naturally. The works of the flesh are works. They are weeds, and interfere with the good fruit. We need to remove as many of those weeds as possible so that we can have the fruit of the Spirit grow in our lives and hearts.

Jesus is the vine. His Father is the husbandman/gardener. It is like the Holy Spirit shines the Son and the Father waters us with the Word as we remain connected to Christ. When we abide/live in Christ, the fruit is produced naturally by God the Father and the Holy Spirit in us. Our hearts become the good ground in which the seed is planted.
John 15:1-8

It is through the Holy Spirit and the Word of God joy is conveyed to men.
Psalms 119:111
Jeremiah 15:16

 
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Growing God's Precious Garden  Open in new Window. (E)
Are you planting seeds in God's garden?
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What is joy?

Here is the definition of joy.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/joy

Joy Is A Choice

Here is someone’s personal testimony about choosing joy.
BOOK
ruwth is writing... Open in new Window. (18+)
I will be adding stories & reflections as time marches on. Take a gander today!
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The Bible tells us in many places to rejoice. God desires us to be joyful. Rejoice means to feel or show joy or delight.

Our joy is to be consistent, and it is not to be based upon our circumstances. Our joy is a result of being in a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Being in God's presence is what produces the consistency of our joy.

The world seeks joy by dismissing or eliminating sorrow. They fill their lives with pleasurable things. They seek material wealth and items that are only temporary. Sorrows are always going to be a part of life. Jesus even tells his followers that they will have sorrows in their life.

I Googled, “Happiness is a choice.” I have heard this phrase many times in my adult life. Researching this phrase can give you insight into how the world pursues happiness. While there was some interesting information in some of the articles, there were some choice words too. That is why I am not sharing them here. I will sum it up in general. Basically, thinking positive is a big idea mentioned. Another article mentioned 40% of our life is our life activity. We can achieve happiness by making better choices for our life activity. As I read through some of these scientific facts about how our brain works and “happiness” is produced, I can not help but think that these are actually biblical principles worded differently.

Think positively and make better choices about our life activity. Follow Christ! The happiness/joy that comes from the world is temporary. It must be worked for to be obtained. We may have to choose to have the joy of the Lord, but it comes naturally as a gift from the Holy Spirit as we make our focus on Jesus.

Happiness demands a reason. True joy from the Holy Spirit is continual.

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH!

https://youtu.be/h2ourQYqOyU

The joy of the Lord and the joy of our Salvation motivates, strengthens, and satisfies us.
Nehemiah 8:8-12
I have always thought of “the joy of the Lord” as something he gives. It never occurred to me that God is joyful. God is always portraited as angry, serious, and unhappy it seems. Yes, he experiences negative emotions just as we do. We are made in his image. God is Joyful? That's interesting.

Joy of God, the Father


I think it is safe to say, you can not give away what you do not possess. Therefore, I believe it is safe to assume if God the Father gives us joy, he possesses it in order to give it. The kingdom of God is founded upon peace, joy, and righteousness.
Romans 14:17-18

God is our father because he has adopted us through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Any good parent wants their child to be happy and joyful. God is the best possible parent and perfect example of a loving and good father. He wants us to have joy. What pleases God will also bring us joy. Knowing God's will is not as difficult as doing his will. Doing God's will works against the nature of the flesh.

If the lord over the servant here in this following parable represents God the father, this is an interesting comparison. Notice the faithful servants are told to enter into the joy of thy lord. Enter into thy Lord’s joy. (God's joy)
Matthew 25:14-30

In a prophecy about the coming messiah, God the father is delighted in (has joy because of) the Messiah.
Isaiah 42:1

In Luke 15, we find the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. In these stories, the joy of the Father is expressed over a lost sinner turning to him and away from their sins.
Luke chapter 15

God the Father has joy by delighting in his creation, in his children, in his chosen people, in his works, in his laws, in promoting and establishing his people, in giving blessings, in spiritual growth, in loyalty, in love, in justice, in truth, in faithfulness, in goodness and good works, and in righteousness. (Psalms 149:4; 1 Chronicles 29:17; Hosea 6:6; Micah 7:18; Jeremiah 9:24; Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:3-13; Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 11:20; Proverbs 12:22)

Joy of Jesus, the Son


Jesus was also joyful even though he was considered a man of many sorrows.
Isaiah 53:2-5

In Jesus Christ’s prayer to the father in John 17, Jesus claimed to have joy that he wanted to give his followers.
John 17:13

In Psalms 45, the future Messiah is described as being anointed in the oil of gladness.
psalms 45:6-7

In Hebrews 12, Jesus was able to endure the cross because of the joy set before him. This implies there was a greater joy set before him than the suffering he was to endure.
Hebrews 12:1-3

The rest of Isaiah 53 goes on to explain that the joy set before Jesus so he could endure the cross was the Salvation of sinners. It also explains that God the Father was pleased to bruise him for the same purpose.
Isaiah 53:6-12

Jesus talks of giving fullness of joy to his disciples in John 15.
John 15:11

Joy of the Holy Spirit


Since joy is a fruit of the Spirit, it is safe to assume the Holy Spirit possesses joy to give as well as the Father and the Son.

The gentiles became followers of the Lord because of the Joy of the Holy Ghost.
1 Thessalonians 1:6
Romans 15:13

We have joy continually, regardless of our circumstances, when we Have the Holy Spirit living in us.
Acts 13:52

Biblical Reasons For Joy and Rejoicing

When you are persecuted for Christ’s sake
Matthew 5:10-12
Because your name is written in Heaven
Luke 10:20
When God accepts your works
Ecclesiastes 9:7
When the gospel is preached and when someone is led to Christ
John 4:35-38
No man can take your joy away from you
John 16:22
When others rejoice
Romans 12:15
With God's people
Romans 15:10
When someone else receives honor
1 Corinthians 12:26
Rejoice in truth
1 Corinthians 13:6
Rejoice when barren (This one is a difficult one for some women, but the Bible says it.)
Galatians 4:27
When Christ is preached
Philipians 1:18
In the day of Christ
Philippians 2:16
Upon the sacrifice and service of faith
Philippians 2:17-18
Rejoice in Christ
Philippianss 3:3
When suffering for Christ’s sake
Colossians 1:23-24
In the faith of other believers
1 Thessalonians 3:7-9
When you take part in the sufferings of Christ.
1 Peter 4:13
At the marriage supper of the lamb
Revelation 19:7
For the abundance of all things
Deuteronomy 28:45-47

Rejoice in the Lord, Always!


I find it interesting that this is mentioned in the beginning of the same chapter that tells us to think positive (verse 8), to be content (verse 11),that we can do all things through Christ (verse 13), and that God will supply all our needs (verse 19). We are first told to rejoice always.
Philippians 4:4

The lack of joy can lead to sin.
Psalms 51:10-13

Praising and rejoicing in God changes our focus from ourselves and our circumstances to God, what he has done for us, and what he can and will do for us. It also helps activate our faith. The next time you are feeling down, begin praising God from the heart. Continue doing it until you feel his joy and presence.
Isaiah 61:2-3

A merry heart is good medicine. It causes a cheerful appearance. A sorrowful heart breaks your spirit.
Proverbs 17:22
Proverbs 15:13

It is not a sin to seek pleasure within the will and Spirit of God. It is wrong to seek pleasure in sin and to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are able to have joy and rejoice because of the grace of God. God wants us to be joyful. In his presence there is joy and pleasure.
Psalm 16:11

To have the Holy Spirit and to know Christ as your Savior is to have everlasting life full of joy.
1 Peter 1:8

Rejoicing always is even rejoicing through trials and suffering and when things don't go our way. Enduring trials reaps good rewards. Suffering produces and builds endurance. We can know that all things will work together for good.
James 1:3-4
Romans 5:1-6



I’ve got the joy, joy joy down in my heart!
https://youtu.be/xoOyjO1sbXo

Resources


Jesus is my permanent anchor!
A signature for me to use
"I am a Rising Star!" glass image.

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