And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. (Neh.8:10)
Jelle Kaspersma | Prayer Team Celebration Church Huizen
In the first few years of its life, a child mostly desires loving relationships. The face of a child lights up when it sees its parents with stretched out arms. Being raised with love the child develops its ‘joy center’ in the right frontal cortex of its brains. We life in a world where many people walk around with underdeveloped or damaged joy centers. Consequences are often fear, suspicion and worse.
But God restores and renews when we surrender, we are born again. When we are then filled with the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit also develops. Part of the fruit is joy
What joy?
When Jesus was baptized, a voice came from heaven saying: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17. Jesus shares this joy later with His disciples: As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. Joh. 15:9-11. But with the Holy Spirit this joy is available for us all! Paul writes about this joy to the church in Phillipe. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Phil 4:4. And he is writing that while being in prison!
Galatians 5:22-23 says: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Joy? God will do it!
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! Psalm 30:12-13
RESOURCES
WORSHIP
🎶 Brandon Lake – We Praise You
BIBLEPROJECT
🎥 Joy
📕 Study at home Joy
