“Joy” is” the expression of an intense and ecstatic or exultant happiness.“ Are you experiencing the joy of knowing Jesus Christ? There is a special ‘joy’ that comes to you as a true Believer when you accept Christ. Every true Believer should be filled with joy as we live for Him. No matter what happens “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Hab. 3:18).
Let’s take a walk along the “joy” path, beginning with the moment we accepted Him as our personal Savior. The joy of being forgiven of sin, and having eternal life. That moment our residence changed from Earth to Heaven, what a joy it brings to our heart. Not only forgiven, but Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to live in us so we would not be left alone in this old world (John 14:8). Do you remember that moment? Doesn’t that fill you with joy?
As we move along the way we experience the joy of being obedient to Him through water baptism (by emersion). Have you been obedient in baptism? This is a very special joy!
Then the joy of meeting all of our new brothers and sisters in Christ. What a joy it is when we come together to worship our God. As we come together “being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Phil. 2:1) the joy will be in our hearts and on our faces. We begin to sing praises unto Him, give our offerings, pray together, and hear a convicting message from the Bible. We then make plans to carry out His work and see people saved and afterwards we may share a fellowship dinner together. What a joy Jesus brings into our lives and our churches when we love and serve Him from our hearts.
The Christian also experiences the joy of coming into His presence through prayer. Jesus made this possible by His blood sacrifice. Let us “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Ps. 32:11). It fills my heart with joy every time I go to Him in prayer. What a privilege to know Jesus. Prayer must be in every Believer’s life or there will be no joy.
Bible Study is also the joy of the Believer. The joy comes when we sit down with Him and open His Word to see what He wants to share with us. It is hard to put it down, you just want to keep on reading. “Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; “ (Jer. 15:16a).
He will take you to places and events and we will meet special men and women of God who gave testimony of Him and experienced joy just as we do. He takes us to the Sea of Galilee where He walked on the water, and we can meet with Peter and see he is human just as we are when he denied Christ. He may take us to the Isle of Patmos to visit with John and see where He gives John a vision of the end times. Praise the Lord! He is coming soon! Doesn’t that bring joy to your heart?
There is so much joy in knowing Jesus. I hope you are experiencing this joy. Another joy is that we are looking for His return when we will be caught up to Him in the Rapture. (I Thess. 4:13-18). What a joy just thinking about it. We will lay our gifts of love before Him, later reign with Him as He judges the world for rejecting Him, then all true Believers will be with Him for all eternity.
Are you looking for Jesus? Be joyful!
“Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls” (I Pet. 1:6-9).
There is much joy in knowing Jesus Christ! Amen!
I pray you are a “joyful” Christian.
