What Happened to My Joy?
"In your presence is fullness of Joy and in your right
hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psa. 16:9-11)
hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psa. 16:9-11)
What Ever Happened to My Joy?
In John chapter 15: 1-11 Jesus taught a number of things.
The conclusion of which John 15:11 states “These things have I spoken unto you, that
my Joy might remain in you, and that your Joy might be full. We see that Joy is a product
of salvation. David prayed in Psalm 51:12 “Restore unto me the Joy of thy salvation.”
David wrote, "In your presence is fullness of Joy and in your right hand are pleasures
forevermore." (Psa. 16:9-11)
Romans 14:17 states that “For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost”.
It is clear from these scriptures that Joy should be evident in our lives as Christians. The
Joy of salvation! What a glorious Joy we should be experiencing on a daily basis, living
for God and His kingdom. However, as much as this should be our experience, its not
the experience of many. While there may be several reasons for this, I would like to bring
our attention to a few reasons why we may not be experiencing as much Joy as we
should in our walk with the Lord. So let's look at the things that He said in some of the
previous verses and examine what will cause His Joy to remain in us and the Joy to be
full.
Are you bearing fruit?
John 15:1-2 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
What kind of fruit are we talking about? Are you bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God?
Are you using your gifts and talents for His Kingdom? Are you living your life for His
glory or are you living for yourself? One day we will all give account to Him for what He
has invested in us. Are you a true witness, are you growing in the fruit of the Spirit, or are
you so earth and flesh bound, that no one knows you are a Christian?
Galatians 5:22-23 (K.J.V.)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ephesians 5:9 (K.J.V.)
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
John 15: 4-5 (K.J.V.)
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the
vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
What does it mean to abide? Greek term = meno: To dwell or to lodge, to remain in one
place, the word is in the form of a command and is a must for Christians.
Jesus is calling us to stay in contact with Him, it is this contact that brings fullness to life,
the tense also indicates that it is an ongoing act, not just a one time thing, just as with
the Spirit - a one time filling does not set us for life.
What frustration trying to do things without abiding in Him! The message is clear, for
without Him you can do nothing. We have to stay and live in Him 24 hours a day. Our
focus should be “For in Him we live and move, and have our being. Acts 17:28
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit; it cannot be manufactured by human effort. Paul wrote, "The
fruit of the Spirit is love, Joy…(Gal 5:22-23)
Are you Keeping His Word?
John 15:7-10 (K.J.V.)
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be
done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my
Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
We need to not only be hearers of the Word of God but doers of the Word to live a joyful
life. These things have I spoken unto you, (bearing fruit, abiding in me and keeping my
Word) that my Joy might remain in you, and that Your Joy might be full. So here are a few
things we need to do if we want His Joy to remain in us and the Joy to be full.
Let me just remind you that Solomon wrote about the medicinal properties of laughter in
Proverbs 17:22 A JOYFUL HEART IS GOOD MEDICINE, BUT A CRUSHED SPIRIT
DRIES UP THE BONES. Let’s judge ourselves on these things. The Lord is gracious and
ever ready to help us live a Joyful and victorious Christian life.
In John chapter 15: 1-11 Jesus taught a number of things.
The conclusion of which John 15:11 states “These things have I spoken unto you, that
my Joy might remain in you, and that your Joy might be full. We see that Joy is a product
of salvation. David prayed in Psalm 51:12 “Restore unto me the Joy of thy salvation.”
David wrote, "In your presence is fullness of Joy and in your right hand are pleasures
forevermore." (Psa. 16:9-11)
Romans 14:17 states that “For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost”.
It is clear from these scriptures that Joy should be evident in our lives as Christians. The
Joy of salvation! What a glorious Joy we should be experiencing on a daily basis, living
for God and His kingdom. However, as much as this should be our experience, its not
the experience of many. While there may be several reasons for this, I would like to bring
our attention to a few reasons why we may not be experiencing as much Joy as we
should in our walk with the Lord. So let's look at the things that He said in some of the
previous verses and examine what will cause His Joy to remain in us and the Joy to be
full.
Are you bearing fruit?
John 15:1-2 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
What kind of fruit are we talking about? Are you bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God?
Are you using your gifts and talents for His Kingdom? Are you living your life for His
glory or are you living for yourself? One day we will all give account to Him for what He
has invested in us. Are you a true witness, are you growing in the fruit of the Spirit, or are
you so earth and flesh bound, that no one knows you are a Christian?
Galatians 5:22-23 (K.J.V.)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ephesians 5:9 (K.J.V.)
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
John 15: 4-5 (K.J.V.)
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the
vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same
bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
What does it mean to abide? Greek term = meno: To dwell or to lodge, to remain in one
place, the word is in the form of a command and is a must for Christians.
Jesus is calling us to stay in contact with Him, it is this contact that brings fullness to life,
the tense also indicates that it is an ongoing act, not just a one time thing, just as with
the Spirit - a one time filling does not set us for life.
What frustration trying to do things without abiding in Him! The message is clear, for
without Him you can do nothing. We have to stay and live in Him 24 hours a day. Our
focus should be “For in Him we live and move, and have our being. Acts 17:28
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit; it cannot be manufactured by human effort. Paul wrote, "The
fruit of the Spirit is love, Joy…(Gal 5:22-23)
Are you Keeping His Word?
John 15:7-10 (K.J.V.)
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be
done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my
Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
We need to not only be hearers of the Word of God but doers of the Word to live a joyful
life. These things have I spoken unto you, (bearing fruit, abiding in me and keeping my
Word) that my Joy might remain in you, and that Your Joy might be full. So here are a few
things we need to do if we want His Joy to remain in us and the Joy to be full.
Let me just remind you that Solomon wrote about the medicinal properties of laughter in
Proverbs 17:22 A JOYFUL HEART IS GOOD MEDICINE, BUT A CRUSHED SPIRIT
DRIES UP THE BONES. Let’s judge ourselves on these things. The Lord is gracious and
ever ready to help us live a Joyful and victorious Christian life.
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By His Word................John 1:1
Brenda Cassman Ministries Teachings: "What Happened to My Joy?"
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