What is Joy?

Here are some of the main points from my sermon Sunday. It was part of our Engage Series based on the Fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. I asked(and tried to answer) 4 questions: What is Joy? What does Joy look like? What does Joy sound like? Can anyone/anything steal my Joy?

First, Joy is expressed through emotion, but it is not emotional. It is an anchor for our soul that keeps us steady in good and bad times. Where as, happiness is based on circumstance, joy is based on what Christ has done for us. The opposite of happiness is sadness, but the opposite of joy is fear. As long as we have fear, our joy can not be complete.

Secondly, Joy is seen is obedient action. Our joy will either: bring out the joy in other believers or attract others to Christ in us. Without Jesus, there can be no joy. Without obedient action, there can be no joy. It takes something on our part, or a response on the part of others to complete our joy. Joy is seen in the steadiness of character in uncertain times. I also feel that one can have true joy despite suffering from depression and that Christians should seek Godly counseling and medication when necessary. Some Christians I know have experienced the grace of God that allowed them to live with their depression without treatment. Others I know would not have been as productive in life or faith without it. I don’t see suffering from depression as a lack of faith or an absence of joy.

Thirdly, Joy is heard in our praise to God and our testimony to others. It is heard in our prayer requests and praise reports. The some mouth that rejoices in what the Lord has done can not also participate in the cursing of others. We either speak words of life or words of death. What kinds of words do people hear us using? Do people hear us and think,”wow, he sure is rejoicing in the Lord” or “wow, I didn’t know you could put those 2 words together?” Show me someone with a foul mouth and I’ll show you someone lacking in joy.

Finally, I don’t believe God would go to the trouble of letting His Son suffer and die if, after all was said and done, there would be loophole by which Satan could take away what has been given to the believer by the Spirit. No one can steal our joy, but we sometimes hand it over too easily. Sometimes, it’s like we leave our car unlocked, give the keys to a stranger, and say,”my car’s right there. It needs a little gas, but it runs just fine.” We don’t protect our joy from the situations around us. If you feel like someone stole your joy, it’s because you are giving it to them!

I think a lot of us have allowed Jesus to come into our hearts, minds, and lives, but we’ve never let him unpack. He’s like a roommate we are forcing to sleep on the couch. We can never experience or bear the Fruit of the Spirit until Christ is allowed to fully unpack His stuff. That may mean some of our stuff has to go. It may mean giving up more space than we planned. This whole process can be painful, but the joy that grows from it is worth it.

By no means is this meant to be the be all, end all on joy. They’re just the thoughts the Lord laid on my heart for the past month or so. How’s your Joy?