Helping You Find Joy - A Fruit of The Holy Spirit

Joy is one of the many gifts of the holy spirit. Joy is a part of who and what your Creator is... its His basic outlook. Those who are imitators of God will live joyfully through life's journey.

Here is a link to a PDF version of the slide presentation used with this message: https://www.ucg.org/files/sermons/helping_you_find_joy_slides_-_simple_1.pdf

Helping You Find Joy

Let's Define What We Mean: feeling good... the opposite of joy would be feeling discouraged, depressed, fearful, worried. Let's not stop at feeling good, because there is more than way to feel good.

1. Feeling good because pleasant, positive things are happening to you.

a. we will call this circumstantial - a reaction to what is going on around you

b. this is the easiest to achieve

c. BUT, it is mostly outside of your control

2. Feeling good because of the way you think

a. we will call this spiritual - the result of your inner thought world, your priorities and outlook

b. this is harder to achieve

c. However, it is mostly within your control

Let's call:

o one HAPPiness - meaning gladness about what is HAPPening.

o the other Joy - meaning gladness about... ???

We are not always going to be happy. Sometimes bad stuff happens. Ecclesiastes 3:4, sometimes there is sorrow John 11:35.

Happiness is conditional. It's an appropriate reaction to certain circumstances: getting a promotion, the birth of a child, receiving a compliment. Joy is not conditional. Joy does not require external circumstances to be "just so". Its based on an overarching viewpoint about life and its purpose.

That understanding is the ???

Joy is a gift to you from your Creator

You are physical, made up of atoms, molecules, electrical impulses. All of these are features you share with animals or plants. But God has added a spiritual component to human beings... we like to call the spirit in man. This spiritual component is what separates you from animals such that the Father and Son declare you to be "made in our image".

However, you have also been designed with something missing. You have a void in you. A space which needs to be filled. You have also been designed with a yearning to fill that void with something.

The void is designed to be filled with the holy spirit of God. The addition of that last missing piece is how you become a fully complete child of God. Ready to inherit eternity and a place in the family of God. The receipt of the holy spirit gifts you with many characteristics and traits of God your Father and creator... this includes JOY.

John 15:5 --> John 15:11 --> John 16:22 

Do your own personal bible study on the Holy Spirit of God with this free bible study guide: The Power of the Holy Spirit

The Flow of Joy

Happiness - based on what flows towards you. Incoming experiences, what happens to you. This is based on getting or receiving.

Joy - based on what is going on within you... how you think... AND shows itself in what flows out from you… what you give to life.

Acts 20:35  Jesus taught that there is a way of life that is better. A way of life that is focused on what flows out from you rather than what flows towards you. This can be expressed as generosity with material goods [the most common application]. I believe it actually encompasses that… but so much more! Such as how you spend you time, or the showing forth the fruits of the spirit, patience, kindness, gentleness.

Growing in Joy [chart]

To grow in Joy you have to resist the fleshly nature of the mind which is to focus primarily on yourself. If you want to increase the joy in your life focus more on others. Avoid  self pity -- self centeredness -- self absorption.

Consider this list of negative traits as self oriented:

· Resentment (what I think I deserve)

· Greed (getting more stuff so I can feel more secure)

· Complaining (how I would run things if I were in charge)

· Jealousy (I should have gotten that, not her)

· Pride (If only people would acknowledge how awesome I am)

· Anger & fear

Replace them with -->

· Gratitude ( I want him to know I appreciate this)

· Humility (my way isn't the only way to do things)

· Forgiveness ( I deserve my pound of flesh but I'd rather have reconciliation peace)

· Patience (I'm going to give them more time to sort it out)

· Faith & hope

Make this swap out and the result is --> JOY!

Joy Is Spiritual & Supernatural

Supernatural: of or relating to an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe.

The idea of tending to the needs of others as a way "to feel good" ourselves… doesn't flow naturally out of the human mind.  Granted, some people figure this out through trial and error. They live life one way... them they live life the other way... then they compare the results and reject selfishness. People are able to figure out certain truths without becoming a follower of Christ. That spirit in man put in us by our creator gives us the capacity to figure some things out on our own.

However, God would like to give you joy as a gift. He would like  to put joy in you [along with a lot of other traits].  All you have to do is opt in and let Him fill that void in you with His holy spirit. With the receipt of the holy spirit you are gifted with many  wonderful spiritual traits. These of the holy spirit are the traits of the Father and the Son.

Joy is a Trait of God

The Father is most often portrayed as a stern and somber old man, kinda grouchy with a long white beard. God can be somber, stern, even wrathful. Why???…  because He must judge sin. Otherwise, there is no justice in the universe. [do you really want to live in a world where bad deeds are not punished and good is not rewarded?].

I put it to you that God should be understood as primarily cheerful, sunny, with a positive outlook and a sense of humor. He made all things... He called them good... He is enjoying His creation!

Psalm 68:3 true imitators of God will be joyful

1 Thessalonians 1:6 the joy of the holy spirit

Galatians 6:22-23 ranked 2nd among the traits of the holy spirit [which are the traits of God]

Is Sorrow Bad?

Feeling sad, acting solemn or sober, even righteous anger are legitimate emotions.

But, I don't think we should want to have them as our natural disposition and default outlook on life. Very much like we just discussed regarding God; sadness, solemness, anger are all appropriate reactions to sin. But where there is no sin these would serve no purpose [chart]

2 Corinthians 7:8-11 sorrow and regret are appropriate reactions to sin and error... but don't wallow in it. Sorrow from a Godly perspective leads to change, repentance, forgiveness, salvation. These then lead to hope which leads to joy!

Your "set point", your fundamental outlook, should be gladness and anticipation Romans 8:18-21.

There is sorrow over suffering, but there is joy in knowing God's plan provides answers and solutions.

Matthew 26:37-39

Hebrews 1:8-9 [quote of Psalm 45:6-7]

Grief is a healthy response to death. But, the truth of the resurrection means there is something to look forward to 1 Thessalonians 4:13 suggests that grief is more painful for those who have no hope.

Joy in Trials

God's character trait of joy flows even in circumstances of trial. We are not happy about falling into a trial or suffering. But we can still have joy.Because joy is not the product of what happens to us but a product of how we think, how we react, and our perspective.

Biblical perspectives on trials:

· Revelation 21:4 trials and suffering are limited to this age

· Romans 5:2-5 trials and suffering are part of the process that moves us forward to permanent goals. They produce, strengthen, and build in us some of the other character traits of God.

o Romans 8:28-29 we can have joy because of trials because we understand the purpose of trials. Which is, to build the character traits of the Father and Son in us. We do not see ourselves as a punchline in some cosmic joke.

o Matthew 5:11-12 applies to trials and troubles we experience because of our adherence to God's truth. Acts 13:52 [don't be obnoxious with God's truth - example of Fred or Tony]

God's Spirit

Joy is a part of who and what your creator is... its His foundational outlook. His wrath, His anger... these are reactions to sin. His rules, regulations, restrictions... these are to help us identify sin and avoid it.

If you want one more way to increase the joy in your life try putting your phone away and spend time seeing the joy in God's creation. The birds sing, the animals play, the flowers bloom... learn to see the joyful things God has put all around you.

The beginning steps to finding joy --> Acts 2:38

Psalm 16:11 knowing the path to life is a source of JOY

John 16:24 ask for the understanding that brings joy

John 17: 13 Jesus wants to share His joy with you