I’m amazed at how many Christians do not have joy. We ought to have a realization that “I’m saved, I’m on my way to Heaven, and if nothing else in this world, I will see Jesus Christ, and I will be with Him and live eternally in Heaven and all else does not matter; I have the joy of the Lord.”
There are 155 verses in the Bible containing the word joy. If you include the many variations of the word joy, there are 187 verses in the Bible that talk about joy. God wants, gives, and expects those who are saved to have His joy. He understands that the flesh of man does indeed suffer from sorrow. The Bible tells us, “Jesus groaned in the Spirit” and “Jesus wept.” He knew anxiety and hardship. Sorrow and grief are a part of humanity but should not be the mainstay for the saved.
There are some biblical qualifications of joy. Until you meet the conditions and requirements of joy, joy will elude you. You may be happy, but are you joyous?
“Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.” Psalm 35:27
Do you have the joy of the Lord today, every day? If not, let’s see why:
1. The Possession of the Spirit Produces Joy
You will not have the joy of the Lord without the Lord. Those who are not truly saved can mimic many other parts of the Christian life, but not real joy.
Joy is not smiling; joy is contentment. It is a fulfilled completion.
“That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment.” Job 20:5
2. The Presence of the Lord Produces Joy
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11
Are you in the fullness of the joy? Is all that you are doing for the Lord replacing your time with God and meditation on His Word?
We have conditioned ourselves to think that doing is spiritual.
3. The Protecting of the Heart Produces Joy
“Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” Psalm 32:11
“Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” Psalm 51:12
Have you forgotten the joy of your salvation? Do you have the joy that comes when sin is erased, just like when you received Christ as your Saviour?
4. The Planting of the Seed Produces Joy
“He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalm 126:6
Those who weep will reap in joy. Most Christians don’t weep as we should. People are dying and going to Hell. When was the last time you wept for the lost and saw someone saved?
5. The Prayer of the Penitent Produces Joy
“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:6-9
Peter says you’re going to go through some difficult times, and you’re going to have some testing of your faith, there’s going to be some hardships. Yet in all of this, there is a joy unspeakable!
How do you have joy? You’ve got to be saved, you’ve got to be blameless and walking right before the Lord, you’ve got to protect the heart, and you’ve got to plant the seed of the Gospel.