Have You Lost Your Joy?
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· 3 viewsGrace Fellowship in Rusk, Texas Sunday, May 21, 2023 at 10:30 AM
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Have You Lost Your Joy?
Have You Lost Your Joy?
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
There are two things non-Christians do not experience
There are two things non-Christians do not experience
Love for their enemies
Joy in times of trouble
What is joy?
What is joy?
Joy is NOT “happiness”
Happiness affects your emotions or feelings based on “happenings”.
When good things happen, we are happy. When bad things happen, we are unhappy.
One day you receive a check in the mail from the IRS for $5,000.00 informing you that you overpaid your taxes over the last three years. You are HAPPY and put it toward the purchase of a new car. One week later, you receive another letter from the IRS saying they made a mistake. You underpaid $5,000.00. Now you must pay them $5,000.00 in addition to the original $5,000.00! Now you are UNHAPPY!
When the candle of happiness dims, the sunshine of joy still shines!
When songs of happiness are silent, the songs of joy still fill the air!
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Joy occurs when we walk in the Spirit rather than in the flesh
Paul says it is, “joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:7)
Joy is our spiritual strength.
Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Joy comes by seeing things from God’s perspective
If you belong to Christ, you are already and overcomer.
Troubles come to test and refine us, not to destroy us!
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
There is no one more miserable than a joyless Christian
There is no one more miserable than a joyless Christian
A joyless Christian has lost their spiritual perspective through:
Worry (burdened with cares)
Walking in the flesh (selfishness)
Troubles of life (focused on the problem rather than the LORD)
Unforgiveness (consumed with offense with no intention to let it go)
Unrepentant sin (deliberately living in disobedience)
Wrong priorities (you have left your first love)
You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’
Selfishness (everything revolves around you, what you want, and how you feel)
Have you lost your joy?
Have you lost your joy?
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Do you remember the joy you experienced when you were first saved?
Do you still have your joy? If not, what happened?
How do you get your joy back?
How do you get your joy back?
Acknowledge the sin that has robbed you of your joy.
Ask God to cleanse you from your sin and guilt.
By faith, receive God’s forgiveness and cleansing.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Ask God to restore the joy of your salvation
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Receive the oil of joy
To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
Run your race with joy!
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
It’s time to get your JOY back!
It’s time to get your JOY back!