My husband, Bill Tate, was honored to speak last Sunday at Word Fellowship/Without Walls Ministries (WF/WWM). Many have asked him to share his Powerpoint, but I felt it would be easier and reach more people to post it here in our Blog.
A. What brings you Joy?
B. Where does your Joy come from?
Joy is part our birthright of being born again. A Christian without joy is missing some of the point of existence and should seek to remedy the situation.
1. True Joy comes from the presence of God.
(Psalms 16:8-11 NKJV) I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. {9} Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. {10} For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. {11} You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
2. Joy is a characteristic of God’s Love from His Holy Spirit.
(Galatians 5:22-25 NKJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. {24} And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. {25} If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Live in the spirit – private spiritual life.
Walk in the spirit – public life…What you do in private will effect what you do in public.
The seeds of the fruit are planted when we are born again, it’s up to us to develop them.
(Acts 13:52 NKJV) And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
(Psalms 89:15-17 NKJV) Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance. {16} In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. {17} For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted.
3. The Joy of my Salvation
Our faith in God’s salvation is a constant reason for joy and thanksgiving, no matter what temporary situation we are in. The knowledge of our salvation sets us free from the past, gives us faith for the present, and a glorious hope for the future. Hope for the future gives joy, and faith for the present gives peace.
(Romans 15:13 NKJV) Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
#1 “May the God of hope…”
God is the God of hope. No matter what the circumstances, there is always hope in God and in his ways and his promises. For the Christian, hope is not some wistful dreaming, it is faith and assurance that the God who is who he says he is will always be faithful and true to his nature. Our hope comes from God who is “the God of hope.”
#2 “…fill you with all joy…”
Our joy is from God. It is not the glee of momentary pleasure. It is a happiness that runs deeply through every fiber of our being. Our joy is the joy of the big picture that motivates all our action, service, and worship. It is the acknowledgment that we are made for joy as divine image-bearers of the joyful God of the universe, saved by the blood of the joyful Son of God.
(Psalm 45:7) 7You love justice and hate evil. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.
In the following scriptures, you will see we are to rejoice! To rejoice means to:
To feel joyful; be delighted.
To feel joyful about (something).
To fill with joy; gladden.
(Romans 5:1-5 NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, {2} through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and REJOICE in hope of the glory of God. {3} And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; {4} and perseverance, character; and character, hope. {5} Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
(Romans 5:8-11 NKJV) But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. {9} Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. {10} For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. {11} And not only that, but we also REJOICE in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
(Psalms 35:9) And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall REJOICE in His salvation.
(Psalms 70:4 NIV) But may all who seek you REJOICE and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!”
(Isaiah 12:2-4 NKJV) Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’” {3} Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. {4} And in that day you will say: “Praise the LORD, call upon His name; Declare His deeds among the peoples, Make mention that His name is exalted.
(Isaiah 61:10 NKJV) I will greatly REJOICE in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
(Luke 10:19-20 NKJV) “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. {20} “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
4. The Joy of the Lord is upon me:
When we do the things that please God we can experience His joy. When God’s love is manifested in us, and is revealed through us touching others, we share in His Joy. One of the greatest Joys I get to experience is when I’m ministering to someone and the love of the Father overflows from me onto them,
And all of a sudden you see the transference of what you know to be real become real to them.
One of our founding scripture says (Isaiah 61:1-3 NKJV) “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; {2} To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, {3} 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.”
These are the things that God has called us to do, and these are the things that as Christians we are anointed to do. The same anointing that was on Christ is on us and in us. We are to bring the good news of the gospel, to heal the brokenhearted, to set people free from bondage, to comfort those who mourn, and to bring the oil of joy, (the Holy Spirit), to replace despair so that the people can put on the garment of praise to God. All these things delight and glorify God. The glory of God is the manifestation and revelation of His Love to all people.
(John 15:4-12 NKJV) “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. {5} “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. {6} “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. {7} “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. {8} “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. {9} “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. {10} “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. {11} “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. {12} “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
This parable can be tied in with what I read earlier in Galatians 5:22-25
Jesus teaches us how to maintain a constant and full amount of His Joy. When we stay focused on Christ and our relationship with Him, abiding in Him, we bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of God’s Love, (the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). When others see God’s fruit in our lives they will see and taste that God is good. As we abide in Christ His will becomes our will, and His words become our words, so that we can ask what we will and it shall be done, causing God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
(Nehemiah 8:10 and 12 NKJV) 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.”
12 So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.
On October 8, Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law of Moses and would read it to the assembly. As the people celebrated God, they would share with those in need the joy of the Lord came upon them.
5. How can we lose our Joy?
We lose joy by grieving the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is grieved when we no longer submit humbly in obedience to God’s will, and when we restrict God’s Love from flowing through us to touch others. When this happens we become separated from our source of Love, Joy, and Peace, the Holy Spirit.
Some things that can cause the Holy Spirit to be grieved are being unthankful, corrupt communication, and reacting in anger, which is wounded pride.
(Ephesians 4:26-32 NKJV) 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
When we grieve the Holy Spirit, we should have the heart of David…
(Psalm 51:10-12 ESV) 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
6. Joy in Tribulation
Jesus says in (John 16:33 NKJV) “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
(Psalms 30:2-5 NKJV) O LORD my God, I cried out to You, And You healed me. {3} O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. {4} Sing praise to the LORD, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. {5} For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
(James 1:2-4 NKJV) My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, {3} knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. {4} But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
7. Are you Delighting in God, Are you Enjoying God
When we delight ourselves in God, He becomes the desire of our heart, He becomes our reward, and in His presence there is fullness of joy.
(Psalms 37:4-6 NKJV) Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. {5} Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. {6} He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
Delight is the Hebrew word ‘anag, aw-nag’; it means to be soft or pliable. So we delight in God by humbling ourselves before Him, by resting in Him, by relaxing in His control of our lives just as an infant rest in His parent’s arms.
(Psalms 37:23-24 NKJV) The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. {24} Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
(Isaiah 29:19 NKJV) The humble also shall increase their joy in the LORD, And the poor among men shall rejoice In the Holy One of Israel.
(Habakkuk 3:17-19 NKJV) Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls; {18} Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. {19} The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.
God Speed! May we all be filled and refilled with the JOY of the Lord in everything we do. May it bring ALL glory to God.
by Bill Tate
TateandTateGodSpeed 