The Joy Of The Holy Spirit - Filled Life
THE JOY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE
Compiled by Rodney W. Francis
The following are a list of Scriptures that reveal just how much JOY is a part of the true Christian life. May these Scriptures inspire you and cause you to be more and more filled with the JOY of the Lord in your life:
JOY is a fruit of the Holy Spirit:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
JOY means joy. It is also translated in Scripture to mean “rejoicing, singing, gladness, mirth, shouting, to shine, delight, be pleased with”. Collins Dictionary gives this meaning: “a deep feeling or condition of happiness or contentment”.
HOW IS JOY CULTIVATED?
BY BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST:
“Whom having not seen, you love; in whom though now you see Him not, YET BELIEVING, YOU REJOICE WITH JOY UNSPEAKABLE and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).
BY RECEIVING WHAT JESUS SAYS THROUGH HIS WORD:
“These things I (Jesus) have spoken to you, that MY JOY MIGHT REMAIN IN YOU, and that YOUR JOY MIGHT BE FULL” (John 15:11).
Jesus speaking: “And now I come to You (Father God), and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My JOY fulfilled in themselves” (John 17:13).
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the JOY and REJOICING of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).
BY THE HOLY SPIRIT:
“And the disciples were FILLED WITH JOY and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52).
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
BY BEING IN GOD’S PRESENCE:
“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is FULLNESS OF JOY; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
BY ANSWERED PRAYER:
“Most assuredly, I (Jesus) say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your JOY MAY BE FULL” (John 16:23-24).
BY THE FACT OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS:
(Jesus speaking): “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will REJOICE, and your JOY no one will take from you” (John 16:22-24).
“When He (Jesus) had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for JOY, and marvelled . . .” (Luke 24:40-41).
“Now it came to pass, while He (Jesus) blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with GREAT JOY, and were continually in the temple PRAISING and BLESSING GOD. Amen” (Luke 24:51-53).
THROUGH THE SIGNS FOLLOWING MINISTRY:
“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was GREAT JOY in that city” (Acts 8:5-8).
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me (Jesus), because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal (“bind up”) the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of JOY for mourning, the garment of PRAISE for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:1-3).
WHY DO CHRISTIANS NEED JOY?
FOR STRENGTH IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES:
“Do not sorrow, for the JOY of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
“Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labour of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls ~ Yet I will REJOICE in the Lord, I will JOY in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
The Apostles Paul testifies: “Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am EXCEEDINGLY JOYFUL in all our tribulation” (2 Corinthians 7:4).
Jesus declares: “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. REJOICE and be EXCEEDINGLY GLAD, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).
WHAT ELSE DOES JOY REVEAL AND ENABLE US TO DO?
IT REVEALS OUR TRUST AND LOVE FOR THE LORD:
“But let all those REJOICE who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for JOY, because You defend (“protect, cover”) them; let those also who love Your name be JOYFUL in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield” (Psalm 5:11-12).
IT ENABLES US TO DRAW WATER OUT OF THE WELLS OF SALVATION:
“And in that day you will say: ‘O LORD, I will PRAISE You; though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For YAH, the LORD, is my strength and SONG; He also has become my salvation’. Therefore with JOY you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And in that day you will say: ‘PRAISE THE LORD, call upon His name; declare His deeds among the peoples, make mention that His name is exalted. SING to the LORD, For He has done excellent things; this is known in all the earth. Cry out and SHOUT, O inhabitant of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!’” (Isaiah Chapter 12).
IT SHOWS WE ARE BLESSED OF GOD:
“And there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall REJOICE in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the LORD your God has blessed you . . . And you shall REJOICE before the LORD your God, you and your sons and your daughters . . .” (Deuteronomy 12:7, 12).
OTHER THOUGHTS ON JOY
Jesus declares: “Behold, I give you the authority (“power” – dunamis) to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather REJOICE because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:19-20).
“REJOICE ALWAYS” (1 Thessalonians 5:16)!
Mary, the mother of Jesus, experienced JOY of spirit as a result of her submission to the word and will of God (see Luke 1:26-56).
The wise men had great JOY at the birth of Jesus: “When they saw the star, they REJOICED WITH EXCEEDINGLY GREAT JOY” (Matthew 2:10).
There is JOY in heaven ~ as well as on earth ~ over sinners repenting. (See Luke Chapter 15; Acts 8:5-8, 26-40, especially Verse 39; Acts 16:25-34; Acts 15:3).
Finally: “REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS. AGAIN I WILL SAY, REJOICE!” (Philippians 4:4).
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