THE GOD OF JOY



"Enter into the joy of your master." Matthew 25:21

There are many reasons that we find joy in life. There is joy in victory - when good triumphs over evil. There is joy when we have perfect love. There is joy when we find satisfaction and fulfillment. There is joy when there is a good expected future outcome. There is joy when we are surrounded by others who are experiencing joy. (Shared joy is often the best!) 

As a result, you'd think that Christians should have more joy than anyone else. But for some strange reason, it has been often modeled to us that Christianity is a somber, serious and painful enduring of life, if not even downright boring. I've heard someone once describe Christians as looking like people who sit around and suck lemons. And yet, as we find in the descriptions of scripture, nothing of the sort. The contrary is true. God tells us that the prevailing attitude of Heaven is sheer joy. The main reason? Because He is a God of joy. Throughout His Word we find many reasons for His joy. 

There is joy in God's creation. 

 “The meadows are clothed with sheep, and the valleys are covered with grain. They shout joyfully, yes, they sing.” Psalm 65:13

There is the joy of Christ - 
He desires that we have His joy in us and that it be made complete. 
“I have told you these things so that MY JOY may be in you, and your joy may be complete.” John 15:11
There is joy in God's deliverance. 
“Let me again experience the joy of Your deliverance!” Psalm 51:12

There is joy from the Holy Spirit - 
Upon the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Church, they were all filled with joy. 
“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52

Joy comes from the Holy Spirit as we receive Him. 
“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, when you received the message with joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, despite great affliction.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6

Paul prayed for the Church to experience joy even in the midst of persecution, empowered by the Spirit. 
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe in Him, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

The Kingdom of God is a place of joy from the Spirit. 
“For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17

Jesus reminds His disciples multiple times that there is great joy in Heaven when one sinner repents. 
“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10

We overcome grieve, as the joy of the Lord is our strength. 
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Jesus prayed to the Father in the garden that His joy would be completed in us. 
“But now I am coming to you, and I am saying these things in the world, so they may experience my joy completed in themselves.” John 17:13

Even in His suffering, it was the joy set before Him that caused Him to endure the cross. 
“ … keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for Him He endured the cross,” Hebrews 12:2

For those who have been faithful to serve Him there is promised joy for eternity. 
“His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’” Matthew 25:21

And finally, in the end times - We will have a wedding celebration with Jesus. 
“Let us rejoice and exult and give Him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7

His desire for us is to experience His real lasting and fulfilling joy. True joy is found in relationship with Him, the God of and source of all joy.





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