Daily Bread - APR/09/07

John 15:11 - These things I have spoken to you that my Joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.

Jesus was given a joy that superceded all other expressions of joy (Hebrews 1:9). This joy of the Lord is associated with the anointing oil which represents the divine empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Psalms 45:7; Isaiah 61:3). Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary says that joy is the emotion evoked by well-being. And although this sense of well-being is a part of the joy of the Lord, joy goes far beyond just a human emotional response; for it is an expression of God's own nature (Ps 104:31; Deuteronomy 30:9). The joy of the Lord that God gives to His people is announced about 548 times in the Bible. As we grow and mature in the things of the Spirit there is an ever increasing expression of this joy in our lives. One of the great rewards that God has for those who will walk with Him is the "joy of the Lord" (Matthew 25:21, 23).

God so delights in the relationship that He has with us that He expresses that delight with joy, "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save; he will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing" (Zephaniah 3:17). This awesome joy of the Lord is available to God's people all of the time and is realized when we fellowship with Him, "In your presence is fullness of joy At your right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (Psalms 16:11; 21:6; 68:3; Acts 2:28). The praise and worship which we are to express in songs and shouts are to be inspired by the anointing of joy (Isaiah 51:11; 56:7; 65:14-19; Zephaniah 2:10; 1 Kings 1:40; Psalms 33; 95; 42:4 100:1-2; Ecc 2:26; Psalms 4:7; John 7:37-39). In fact, the whole concept of coming before God to worship was established in the Old Testament as a time of great joy and rejoicing (Psalms 95; 98).

The cry of great joy announced in Luke 2:10-11 is a fitting title for the New Testament which is permeated with joy in every book (Zechariah 9:9). Jesus who was anointed with the oil of joy above all others has anointed us with the same fullness of joy (John 15:11; Hebrews 1:9; Isaiah 61:3; Psalms 132:16; Isaiah 35:10; 55:12; 1 Peter 1:8).

This joy that comes from being in Christ is not an occasional joy but a constant overflow (Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Romans 15:13; John 17:13; Psalms 32:11; 1 John 1:4). This constant overflow of joy is the expression and witness that the Holy Spirit's influence resides over our emotions (1 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 14:17; Galatians 5:22) Part of the responsibility of the ministry is to participate in the advancement of the joy of the Lord in the life of God's people (Philippians 1:25). The strategy that God has for us to deal with every situation in life including threats and persecution is to rejoice and be exceeding glad (Matthew 5:11-12; 2 Corinthians 7:4; 1 Peter 4:13; Hebrews 12:2; Colossians 1:24; James 1:2; Acts 5:41; Nehemiah 8:10) However, if we have not learned to yield our members to the joy of the Lord that is brought to us by the Holy Spirit in worship then it will not even be a possibility to experience this joy of the Lord during times of opposition.

Rejoice!

Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
abidingplace.org