Joy

The angels came to the Shepherds and said many things today I want to focus on one of the words they said “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

It is the season to have joy.  But what is this Great Joy?

Google describes Joy – a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

“tears of joy”

Just imagine Great Joy being all of the above 100 fold more. That is the Joy God is offering us in life.  Joy is not happiness. Paul was able to have joy in the midst of his persecutions and sufferings.  (“In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy” 2 Corinthians 7:4), can you say that when your going through a hard time? Ironically in the Bible it also says that….“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV).

How does this joy work in our lives? Firstly you must have invited Jesus to become the Lord and Saviour of your life. One man who really understood this great joy was the Apostle Paul because …… when you have joy in your life you can go through anything. Nehemiah 10:8 says “the Joy of the Lord is our strength”. When you go through hard times and your strength is failing you must find Jesus who gives us a Joy unspeakable. This will give us the strength we need to face the strongest storm and the darkest hours in our lives.  For example when we lose a loved one suddenly and we are in shock and can’t cope with the loss, what do we do? The Joy that the angels talked about gives us a reason to go on. How? Even though we may not see that loved on here on earth anymore, if they had made Jesus their Lord and Saviour they are surely in heaven with the Lord.

Read the scriptures that Paul refers to in the book of Philippians, it’s interesting that there are so many on joy….

1.  1:4: Paul prays with joy for the Philippian Christians, because of their partnership with him in the gospel.
2. 1:25: Paul says that he will remain (i.e. live and not die) so that he can “continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith.” Paul wants these Christians to grow in joy.
3. 2:2: Paul wants the Philippians to “complete his joy” by being united together.
4. 2:28-29: Paul is eager to send Epaphroditus back to the Philippians, that they may rejoice at seeing him again, and so he tells them to receive him with “all joy.”
5. 4:1: Paul says that the Philippians church is his “joy and his crown,” that is, this church brings Paul joy.

It is incredible just how much of JOY is referred to in this Epistle. In conclusion everyone of us can experience this if we only have a walking talking right relationship with God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. Become a Disciple of Jesus and you will experience great Joy.