Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Philippians 4:1-9
A preacher talks about a family he has known for many years. He eagerly anticipates every visit to their home because there is always hospitality, food, and conversation. Though hospitality, food, and conversation can be found in many places, a solid, underpinning joy is rare. The foundation of all those characteristics in the home the pastor visits is a genuine joy. He is drawn to their abode like a child to candy. Is joy a hallmark of your life and of your home? One of the most powerful testimonies to Christ in our lives is a sensual, spiritual, unabashed, reveling, and unleashed joy. Let’s look briefly at 4 ways we can have joy.
A Commanded Joy “Rejoice in the Lord always.” This is a command from God. Many think that joy is like a cold, something you “catch.” Others opine that joy is in the DNA that automatically emerges. Throughout Scripture, God commands joy. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit right after Love. God commands us, as Christians, to love, even in the most difficult situations. It is a decision, a choice, we make every day.
A Consecrated Joy “Rejoice in the Lord always.” The world can know love and joy because every person has been made in the image of God. So, how is the Christian’s joy different from the world’s joy? Our joy is founded and consecrated upon Christ, supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Christian has been given a heart with a greater capacity for joy. This joy is a testimony to the reality of a reborn heart and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Consecrated joy flows only from the ocean of our Creator and Redeemer.
A Constant Joy “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Our joy is founded in the Lord, not in our circumstances. This joy can be a constant in our lives. Joy is easily expressed but, it is not so easy to say, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it,” wrote the psalmist. Can you rejoice as you leave the cemetery after burying your loved one? God is still sovereign, good, merciful, and present. His promises to work even the darkest acts of death for the good of His children are current and valid. Does that mean the Christian who has suffered such a loss leaves the graveside laughing with joy? This is a shallow misinterpretation of this joy! The truth is that we have a Father who gave His own Son to die for our sins. We cannot know the power of His joy until we walk through our darkest hours.
A Conquering Joy This joy is a fortress for the Christian in a fallen world. The great joy of the Lord is a powerful fortress. Oh, Christian, what keeps our lives from being consumed by sorrow, despair, and cynicism? The joy of the Lord is our stronghold. In all the great cities of the ancient world, there was an acropolis. It was a fortified height in the city to which the people retreated when threatened by an enemy. The acropolis of the kingdom of God is the joy of the Lord. That is what Paul implied when he said we are “more than conquerors” in Romans 8:37, in difficult situations. Will the world see this constant, consecrated, conquering joy in us today?
Source: S C Ball February 19, 2024
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