Course: The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
The Fruit of the Spirit: Lesson Three
Lesson Outline
Lesson Title: Joy
Lesson Goal: …that the student will understand that
the fruit of joy is constant in the believer and is not affected by
circumstances.
Text:
'But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law,' Galatians 5:22.
Theme: Joy in the Lord Jesus Christ is the
mark of the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Introduction:
Joy (Greek
chara) means delight or joy.
Joy is love
overflowing with the delight of knowing Jesus.
·
The
evidence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church is joy. In His presence there is fulness of joy
(Psalm
·
Joy
comes through a close relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The church is often excited about testimonies
of miracles or revivals. People are
often moved by nice music and singing, and seek after the things that give
temporary benefits, but have little or no excitement about knowing Jesus.
Introductory Story:
·
The
joy of the Holy Spirit has no relationship to circumstances. It is a joy that rejoices in the Lord. The supernatural nature of joy, the fruit of
the Spirit is most clearly evident in unfavourable circumstances. A person who has very favourable
circumstances will rejoice. This is a
natural response to a good situation.
Question: Why do Christians suffer? Is a question that
has been asked throughout history. But
if Christians never faced unfavourable circumstances the power of the Holy
Spirit in their lives would not have the opportunity to be seen. Joy looks beyond the circumstances and
rejoices in the Lord.
Personal Testimony: The joy of knowing Jesus.
When I first went to the
·
When people have drunk from the well of salvation then the
joy of the Lord will be seen on their faces, Psalm 104:15. Joy is a wonderful evidence of salvation. Isaiah 12:3
'Therefore with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation.'
Exposition:
Joy is the
Fruit of the Holy Spirit, which is a supernatural joy that rejoices in the
Lord, and empowers the Christian.
1. Joy is essential in every area of the Christian life, 1 Thessalonians 1:6. The
Thessalonians received the word in much affliction but the joy of the Holy
Spirit remained constant.
2. It is joy that rejoices in the Lord. Philippians 4:4.
3. It is the joy of the Lord that is the believers' strength. Nehemiah 8:10 ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength’. The Hebrew word for strength is 'maoz' meaning a place of safety or protection, a refuge or a stronghold. The joy of the Holy Spirit brings strength. When we are troubled then we are weakened and have little strength.
Illustration: Times when we have been worried it drains our energy. We are weak when we are anxious and worried, and quickly become very tired.
·
The
strength to have joy in trials. The
fiery trial (Greek purosis) meaning 'to set on fire'. Trial by fire as gold is refined. The trial is for the purpose of refining the
gold of the 'new nature in Christ'.
1 Peter 4:12-14, ‘Beloved, think it not
strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange
thing happened unto you: But rejoice,
inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall
be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. If you be reproached for the name of Christ,
happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you: on their part
he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. Paul gloried in tribulations. He gloried because the tribulation through
outward experience brought out the godly nature of the inward work of God in
the life of the believer. ‘We
glory in tribulations also’
Romans 5:3. The believer was to rejoice because he
or she is an overcomer in Christ. John
16:33 ‘In the world you shall have tribulations but be
of good cheer; I have overcome the world’.
·
The
strength to have joy in service.
Deuteronomy 28:47-48. ‘Because you serve not
the LORD your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the
abundance of all things; Therefore shall
you serve your enemies which the LORD shall send against you, in hunger, and in
thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of
iron upon thy neck, until he has destroyed you.’ Serve
the Lord with gladness Psalm 100
Conclusion:
1.
Joy
is essential in every area of the Christian life. It must seen in our daily lives, in our
fellowship with other believers and our prayer life must always be with
joy.
2.
Joy
is founded upon the Lord. The Christian
rejoices because Jesus is alive and we are one with Him. The greatest joy comes from having a personal
relationship with Jesus Christ.
3.
It
is joy that gives the believer strength to face trials, and persecution. It provides strength so that we can serve the
Lord.