THE JOY OF CHRIST
“But now I come to You,
and these things I speak in the world,
that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.”
John 17:13
One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy (Galatians 5:22). As you allow the Holy Spirit to express Himself in your life, you will be filled with joy. Therefore, don’t be satisfied with a joyless life. Don’t deny yourself this birthright as child of God. Instead, the joy of Christ should be one of the primary characteristics of the life of a Christian!
Look at the Joy of Christ in the Disciples
Jesus spoke many times to His disciples about His joy being complete and full in them. With such marvelous salvation experience with Christ, how could the disciples be anything less than joyful?
- His disciples were filled with joy as they realized who they were: children of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17).
- They had been dead in their sins, but were now made alive in Christ (Romans 6:4).
- The had once been helpless victims of death, but now death had no hold over them (1 Corinthians 15:55-58)
Describing the Joy of Christ
Jesus did not pray that you would merely be happy. He prayed that you would have the same joy that the Father had given Him. This is the kind of joy that Christ is praying will be in you:
- a divine joy that comes from a deep and unwavering relationship with the Father
- firmly grounded, deeply settled and full so that no experience (good or bad) could ever shake it
- unlike any happiness that is produced by the world
- fills you and permeates everything you do
As you pray today, think of a time in your life when you felt overwhelming joy. Perhaps it was your wedding day, or the birth of a child, or that child’s wedding day. We can all identify a time when we felt that kind of joy. Now take a moment to consider that Christ prayed we would feel the joy of Christ every day. Embrace the Holy Spirit and feel the fruits of joy flowing through your life! Thank God for giving you His Holy Word, a source of joy that fills you deeply and permeates throughout your life! Amen!
Source:
“Experiencing God Day-By-Day; The Devotional and Journal”, by Henry T. Blackaby and Richard Blackaby ©1997. Entry May 3.
Additional Reading:
Fresh Encounters With Christ
Choose To Rejoice
Spiritual Optimism
The Small Things