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by Sandy Shaw
We are in Galatians 5 looking at the fruit of the Holy Spirit - what should appear and grow when God the Holy Spirit is at work in those who belong to Jesus Christ the Son of God our Saviour and Lord. We move right on to this word JOY.
Just one brief word of recapitulation – God has been telling us in this section of Paul's letter what to get rid of - what to root out of our lives - and crucify. And then, we are told what can grow when we provide the right conditions, and do all we can to cultivate our branch in the vine.
Jesus gives us all we need to let these qualities grow - and when we receive the Holy Spirit - then there should be some signs of these qualities appearing – love, joy, peace, etc.
One of the exciting things about the Word of God - you can be at war - you can be going through a very rough patch - through the mill - being ground down - even persecuted - and somehow love, joy, and peace, can still be present.
We are speaking of here the fruit of the Holy Spirit - not a reaction to what may or may not be going on in the world around us. It is possible to be serving in the most adverse situations - in the front line of spiritual warfare - facing the reality of poverty and pain and suffering alongside those in other lands - and still experience something of love, joy and peace. How can this be? Because it is the Holy Spirit who is growing it.
It is the Holy Spirit who produces the JOY. It is GOD working in you.
When we first come to Jesus - and repent - and believe - and are baptised in water - and receive the Holy Spirit - there can be all kinds of emotions present. Normally, these will subside after a day, a week, a month or so - and in the place of subjective emotions - feelings that make us go up and down - in their place will appear love, joy, and peace. That is God working in you.
I remember attending the family farewell of Tom Swanston in Inverness - one third of the men present were in tears - but there was JOY. There were tears and there was JOY. It is the Holy Spirit who encourages the presence and growth of JOY.
JOY is very different from happiness which might spring from pleasure. Happiness - by the very word - depends upon what happens - upon what is going on around us. Joy depends upon Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Happiness can evaporate within a few hours or days. But when Jesus grows fruit through the Holy Spirit it remains. Joy is a by-product of love - it follows love. If a man concentrates on finding JOY it will elude him. He will miss it.
Things and people come and go - as do pleasures - what lasts is Faith Hope and Love.
The source of JOY is our relationship with the Holy Spirit. As we keep on being filled with the Holy Spirit, JOY will be present in some measure. These are not natural attributes. We cannot manufacture them.
In Psalm 43 - turn there – the Psalmist is going through what we would call a bad spell. He felt rejected by God - in one sense - and that must be terrible. I know nothing of that type of harrowing experience. Jesus says - "I am with you always" - even when we may not want Him to be with us. "Now Jesus - you just wait out here - I am going in there to enjoy myself." Interesting word that isn't it - 'enjoy myself'! If we ever wanted to say that to Jesus His reply is - Sorry, I have promised to be with you always - when you so need me - and also when you think you don't want me!
The Psalmist felt rejected. He was being attacked. He was mourning as his enemies attacked him. Things were not looking too bright for God's Chosen Anointed King.
How did he get out of what we might wish to call depression? He went to God - to the place of Worship - to God my JOY.
When we are down - or depressed - feeling dejected - under attack - this is the place to come - and allow Jesus to minister to you. Psalm 73 has much to teach us in this important area.
What is the way out - out of that cloud - away from that shadow - out of that depression - out of that despair - out of that darkness? We make our way to God - normally publicly - in the open - in fellowship with others. If you try to do it in a corner, you may just become more entrapped in the vicious circle of depression.
The more you look at your problem, the less you look at Jesus. He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows.
We read in John 16 verse 17 to 22 - Jesus could see that His men were troubled. Jesus speaks to them - and explains the truth to them. Jesus did not hide His chosen ones from reality, and every disciple of Jesus Christ needs to know verse 33. We need to know that it is there - because we may find ourselves needing these words more and more. "In the world you will have trouble - but take heed - cheer up - face reality - I have overcome the world."
There is a relevant passage in Romans 5 verse 1 to 6 - we read it in connection with LOVE - but see there the place of JOY.
In verse 11 there is a grand climax, "We rejoice in God. That can never be taken away from you. If you find your joy in God through Jesus Christ - no man can take that away from you. It is possible to lose it - it is possible to prevent the fruit of joy from growing, but that is a different matter.
Turn to the letter of James - and look at these opening words. It would appear that there is JOY, and there is something called PURE JOY.
Here is how we can experience PURE JOY. Whenever you face trials of many kinds, Jesus is giving you the opportunity to experience PURE JOY.
Yes, there is JOY in worship - yes, there is JOY which springs up in our heart when we see something fresh in the Word of God - or when we hear of someone coming to believing faith in Jesus Christ. Yes, there are other spiritual joys - but PURE JOY is to be experienced when we are facing trials? And why? It is always good to know why. It is always good to know the reason. Because you are sitting a test - Jesus is setting you an examination. He is testing your faith - your obedience. He is wanting to see how you are doing - and why? Because His aim is to develop perseverance - and the only way we can develop perseverance is by persevering.
Like most spiritual truths - you cannot learn this from a text book.
Are we passing the tests which Jesus sets us? What marks are we getting? Has God let you see your report card? How strong is your perseverance - your endurance?
I remember seeing soldiers in the Iraqi army deserting, because of bad and poor leadership. Sometimes when people are tested in the front line of the Church of Jesus Christ they run away - they desert. They are not deserting a bad leader - but Jesus Christ the King of Kings. There is no JOY on the face of a deserter from the army of Jesus Christ.
Don't be a deserter - that just leads you into the desert - years in the wilderness.
Be a disciple - face the trials - of many kinds - they will come at you from all directions - air, sea, land - it is the same in spiritual warfare.
Your perseverance is developed, and it can become a source of PURE JOY.
It may not seem joyous at the time - it may be very painful - but joy will be budding and about to burst forth into leaf - with Pure Joy being produced as a fruit.
One final passage - Acts 13 - Paul and Barnabas are on that first missionary journey. God spoke during a time of worship and fasting. They landed up in central Turkey. We never know where Jesus will lead us. People were deeply upset at Paul's preaching. His witness to Jesus Christ gave rise to scheming and plots.
Verse 50 - things went from bad to worse. Paul and Barnabas were physically expelled - thrown out - rejected - dismissed. But some had come to believe in Jesus - and they were filled with JOY and with the HOLY SPIRIT. It is to these same people that Paul writes this letter.
Verse 52 - You cannot be filled with JOY without the Holy Spirit, and you cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit without experiencing something of the JOY of Jesus Christ.
“Father, fill me afresh and anew with Your joy. Come into any sadness with Your unconquerable gladness. Help me to radiate Your joy wherever I go. I realise it is not easy, but I ask for Your help.” Amen
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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