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 16:11).  If we know the presence of the Lord we will know joy.  Joyfulness and singing always accompanies revival.

·        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 Philippines I saw that many people would raise their hands to receive Christ but there was no evidence of salvation on their faces.  One time I was at an outreach and saw a woman and her son at the meeting.  Their faces shone with the joy of the Lord.   I saw such a difference between them and the others at the outreach.  The others did not have this joy.  When I spoke with the lady I found out that she was the wife of a pastor and involved in Christian ministry.  The point is that I knew they were different before I had an opportunity to speak with them.  

·        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. 

  • The outward evidence of the Holy Spirit is joy, Romans 14:17  'For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.'    If we are filled with the Holy Spirit then we will be filled with joy. 

 

  • Joy of the Holy Spirit will be seen in our fellowship with one another.  The early church were filled with gladness in their fellowship with one another.  They were single minded because their hearts desired only the Lord.  They did not have 'the love of the world'.     Acts 2:46-47  'And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.    They were anointed with the oil of joy,  Isaiah 61:3 '…the oil of joy for mourning'.

 

  • Joy of the Holy Spirit is essential in prayer .The joy of the Holy Spirit must be evident in our prayer meetings.    Isaiah 56:7 ‘Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.’  The prayer meeting should be full of excitement and joy that is founded upon relationship with the Lord.  The meeting that reveals clearly whether a church is moving in the Holy Spirit is the prayer meeting.     

 

 

2.      It is joy that rejoices in the Lord.  Philippians 4:4.

  • The foundation of joy is in the Lord.    The Epistle to the Philippians is known as the Epistle of Joy.  Paul stresses the need for the Philippians to 'rejoice in the Lord', (Philippians 3:1; 4:4).  The word meaning joy or rejoice occurs at least 15 times in the epistle.  Yet Paul was a prisoner when he wrote the epistle.  He rejoiced not in comfortable circumstances, but he rejoiced in the eternal plan and purpose of God.  His joy was in the Lord who controlled his circumstances.  His joy was the fruit of the Holy Spirit that flowed out of his innermost being.  'Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.  Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.  For the same cause also do you joy, and rejoice with me.’ Philippians 2:16-18    The joy of the believer is not in changing circumstances but in the Lord.  The Lord is unchanging.    'Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever' (Hebrews 13:8).

 

  • The resurrection of Christ is the reason for the believers' joy.   After the resurrection Jesus greeted the women with the word 'rejoice'.  'And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail (rejoice). And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.'  (Matthew 28:9)   Their joy was that the Lord is risen.  The Bible says that the disciples could not believe for joy, (Luke 24:41).  The joy of the Christian is because Christ is rise. (1 Corinthians 15:19).  This is not just a historical fact for the Christian; it is an experiential reality.  The believer is risen with Christ (Colossians 3:1).

 

  • The joy of union with Christ.   The joy of His life in the believer.   John 15:11. ‘My joy’ (the joy of the Lord)…‘that your joy might be full’. Psalm 45:7 ‘You love righteousness, and hates wickedness: therefore God, Your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above Your fellows.’   His joy in the believer.

 

 

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 persecution.  Matthew 5:11-12, 'Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.'   Strength to rejoice when evil is spoken against us falsely.  This can heart deeply because it is usually people who are close to us who can do this.  The joy of the Holy Spirit provides the strength to rejoice.

 

·        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.  

 

 

 

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