Fruit of the Spirit: Joy
0 Amens
GOT FRUIT? JOY
Happy people live longer. That is the conclusion of Marilyn Elias writing in USA Today. She quoted Beverly Bennett of
J. Michael Shannon is professor of preaching at Cincinnati Bible College in Cincinnati, OH.
Joy Sources:
Joy comes from:
John 15:11(ESV)These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Ps 4:7(NLT)You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
1. God’s personal Relationship with You (the right company)
2. God’s provision for you (what you need)
3. God’s promises to you (what you hope)
Joy Stealers:
1 -“Bad Day”
ill: toilet blew up, paramedics dropped laughing,
Ill#2: investigators found burned remains of frog man in middle of forest (scooped by fire fighter plane)
What is your joy quota?
What would it take to upset you?
What’s the difference between joy/happiness?
Happiness (circumstantial)differs from joyfulness (relational)
Joy becomes visible when happiness leaves the room.
2 – “Bad” People -Joy Suckers (others who seem to be gifted and compelled to lower your joy quota)
Can take your happiness, but you must surrender your joy
John 16:22 “…, and no one will take your joy from you.”
3 -Religion
Phil.3:5,6 Trusting in Ritual, running, religion, rules, reputation = “DUNG”
Actually, God is one who delights in giving us our heart’s desire. In fact, he’s the one who gave us our desires in the first place, and he gave them to us not to frustrate us but to help us be useful and fulfilled in our service for him.
-John Fischer
4 -Guilt (Clear and Maintain your conscience from sin habits from God and others)
Psalm 37:4 (ESV) Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 -Procrastination
TEXT
Acts 16:16-30 (ESV) 16 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.”
18 And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.
19 But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
20 And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.
21 They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods.
23 And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
24 Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.
27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
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