THE GLORY OF GOD ( PART# 81)
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3379
THE GLORY OF GOD ( PART# 81)
From Glory to Glory ( Study #60)
Walking By The Spirit #30
REVIEW OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT#4
When a believer is controlled by the Holy Spirit, he or she manifests:
1) UPWARD FRUIT ( towards God ): Love, Joy, Peace (Galatians 5:22)
2) OUTWARD FRUIT ( towards others )
(Galatians 5:22b) which consists of
patience,
kindness and
goodness, (faithfulness)
3) INWARD FRUIT ( towards self )
(Galatians 5:22-23)
made up of faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control.
1. UPWARD FRUIT OF LOVE, JOY, AND PEACE TOWARDS GOD
JOY AS THE SECOND UPWARD FRUIT TOWARDS GOD
The second manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit is JOY.
JOY (Greek: Chara ) is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself or herself and the Lord.
It is God’s gift to believers. As Nehemiah declared, “The JOY of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10).
JOY is thus a part of God’s own nature and Spirit that He manifests in His children.
JOY is the inevitable
overflow of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and of the believer’s knowing His continuing presence (1 Pet. 1:8).
God’s JOY is full, complete in every way. Nothing human or circumstantial can add to it or detract from it. But it is not fulfilled in a believer’s life except through reliance on and obedience to the Lord.
Although JOY is a gift of God through His Spirit to those who belong to Christ, like the fruit of Love, it is also a command to them.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Paul commands (Phil. 4:4; cf. 3:1). These words were penned when Paul was in chains in a dank and dark prison in Rome.
Because JOY comes as a gift from God, the command obviously is not for believers to manufacture or to imitate it. The command is to gratefully accept and revel in this great blessing they already possess. “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17).
Abba Father, JOY speaks of the exhilaration of heart that comes from being right with You. Then the third fruit, peace
(Greek: Eirēnē) will come - the tranquility of mind that is derived from that saving relationship.
Thank You for the free grace of salvation that we are forever grateful for.
For happiness is circumstantial, but JOY is Your special gift to those who are Your children regardless of their circumstances.
Let us tap into it in moments of spiritual dryness and know that You are our JOY-GIVER.
