Joy.

1. Intro
17 For the Lord your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty saviour. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love he will calm all your fears. He will exult (rejoice) over you by singing a happy song (Zephaniah 3:17). Wow, man this is a very cool starter. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Creator has arrived to live among you. Unbelievable! Is He rejoicing over me (sinner) with great gladness? Apparently. The last part makes me cry of happiness: He will exult (rejoice) over you by singing a happy song. Have you ever heard that the Lord is singing? And then over me? This is like someone talking to you while you are among others and you are asking: Are you talking to me? Yes, I am talking to you! I am singing over you a happy song with great gladness! This makes me humble and at the same time: Wow Lord, this is a very cool starter! I can feel the joy already right now! And we just started.

2. Joy(riding)
The Joy of the Lord is like Joyriding. You are using something what isn’t yours. But in this case it is legal. Real joy is coming from the Lord! 11 You will show me the way of life. You fill me with joy in your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever (Psalm 15:11). Joy for free! And forever. This sounds not human, isn’t it?
11 I have told you this so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes your joy will overflow! (John 15:11). Have a good ride and enjoy it.

3. I know
Joy is the fruit of a right relation with God. It is not something people can create by their own efforts. The Bible distinguishes joy from pleasure. The Greek word for pleasure is the word from which we get our word hedonism, the philosophy of self-centered pleasure-seeking. Paul referred to false teachers as “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God (2 Timothy 3:4). The Bible warns that self-indulgent pleasure-seeking does not lead to happiness and fulfilment. 1 I said to myself, “Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the ‘good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless (Ecclesiastes 2:1). This verse records the sad testimony of one who sought to build his life on pleasure-seeking. The search left him empty and disillusioned. 13 Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains (Proverbs 14:13). This offers insight into this way of life, “Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful.” Cares, riches, and pleasures rob people of the possibility of fruitful living as we read in Luke 8:14: 14 The seeds that fell among the thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity (Luke 8:14). Pleasure seeking often enslaves people in a vicious cycle of addiction as described in Titus 3:3:  3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other (Titus 3:3). The self-indulgent person, according to 1 Timothy 5:6 6 But the widow who lives only for pleasure is spiritually dead even while she lives, is dead while seeming still to be live. Many people think that God is the great Kill-Joy. Nothing could be a bigger lie. God Himself knows joy, and He wants His people to know joy. 31 May the glory of the Lord continue forever! The Lord takes pleasure in all he has made! (Psalm 104:31). This verse speaks of God Himself rejoicing in His creative works. 18 Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness. Her people will be a source of joy (Isaiah 65:18). Isaiah speaks of God rejoicing over His redeemed people who will be to Him “a joy.”

4. We easily forget
1 Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. 3 …….., Our tormentors requested a joyful hymn. 4 But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? 6 May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don’t make Jerusalem my highest joy (Psalm 137:1-6). This is remarkable. Our oppressors and opponents are demanding a joyful hymn of Jerusalem (Zion). Apparently they are aware that there should be a reason to be joyful about Zion. We easily fail to remember this and if someone reminds us we complain “But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?”. Don’t let any circumstances refrain you from the joy of the Lord! Yes Lord, make Jerusalem my highest joy! Always! Look at the victory after these praise 8 O Babylon, you will be destroyed. And this is an order: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice (Philippians 4:4). Yeah, joy because He has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His dear son. Never forget that!
11We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled ,with joy 12always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to God’s holy people, who live in the light. 13For he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of the darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. 14God has purchased our freedom with his blood and has forgiven all our sins (Colossians 1:11-14).

5. Joy over one sinner who repents
7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance (Luke 15:7). Imagine, joy in heaven about just one single sinner who repents. And you are free to choose to repent and receive joy.

6. Joy by the mighty cross
Strange, isn’t it? Joy by someone’s death.
11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God – all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us making us friends of God (Romans 5:11). The joy of God came to focus in human history in Jesus Christ. The note of joy and exultation runs through the entire biblical account of the coming of Christ as we see in Luke 1:14: 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth (Luke 1:14). The most familiar passage is the angel's announcement in Luke 2:10: 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people (Luke 2:10). Jesus spoke of His own joy and of the full joy He had come to bring to others in John 15:11: 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! (John 15:11). In Matthew 13:44 is the kingdom of heaven illustrated by telling of the joy of a man who found a treasure:  44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field – and to get the treasure, too! (Matthew 13;44). Have you found life's ultimate treasure in Christ?

7. A lack of joy in the Christian life
Sin in a believer's life robs the person of joy. Unconfessed sin is the cloud that dims the rays of the sun of His salvation. The solution to this condition is repentance and confession. 7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice.9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. 11 Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you (Psalm 51:7-12).

8. His Word a joy and delight.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty (Jeremiah 15:16).
Do you eat His Word as daily food? It will bring you great joy! 12 I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his word in my heart (Job 23:12). His mighty Word, my biggest treasure!

9. The fruit of the Spirit is Joy
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). The fruit of the Spirit is the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us. The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ’s control – we can’t obtain them by trying to get them without his help. If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to him (see John 15:4-5). We must know him, love him, remember him, and imitate him. As a result, we fulfil the intended purpose of the law – to love God and our neighbours. Which of these qualities do you want the Spirit to produce in you?

10. Honor and majesty surround Him
27 Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and joy fill his dwelling. 28 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. 29 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. 30 Let all the earth tremble before him. The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!” 32 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise! Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy! 33 Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise, for the Lord is coming to judge the earth. 34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever (1 Chronicles 16:27-34). What can I say my friends. Every human trial to explain this explosion of honor, majesty, joy, glory and worship is just a shadow of the reality. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever!

11. Finally
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice (Philippians 4:4). Joy in the Christian life is in direct proportion as believers walk with the Lord. They can rejoice because they are in the Lord. Joy is a fruit of a Spirit-led life.

19 After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand together before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is You! (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand (Psalm 16:11).

Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days (Psalm 90:14).

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation (Psalm 95:1)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13)

Amen.
Joy of my Soul (by Mel Patterson)

Joy of my soul, Joy of my heart,
You've given me love from the very start;
In you I live, I move and I breathe ~
To you my whole being does cleave.

Joy of my soul, Joy of my spirit,
Of goodness ~ may I be drawn near it
And to all that is holy, right and true,
May I ever be totally committed to you.

Joy of my soul, Joy of my life,
You are the Rock during all the strife.
Many are the benefits you freely give;
Because of you, I have the will to live.

Joy of my soul, Joy of my heart,
Let's assure one another, we'll never part.
You are my Lord, my God, my All;
I obey your statutes, I love your Law.

Joy of my soul, Joy of my spirit
Absence from you, I surely would fear it.
Never permit me to ever stray
Protect me ever and always, I pray.

Joy of my soul, Joy of my life,
Sin pierces your heart ~ like a knife.
You are The Lord of Lords and The King of Kings,
O the JOY your Salvation brings.

The battle for good and evil still wages,
But You, O Lord, are JOY for all ages.
Judgement day will soon arrive;
The goats'll die and the sheep'll thrive.
Please God ~ your faithful ones'll be alive.

O Jesus, as Groom, you'll come for your Bride
You'll draw her very close to your side
Embrace her with your arms open wide
And together in Heaven forever abide.

You, O Lord, are JOY for all ages.
JOY, JOY, JOY!
YOU are JOY for All Ages! ! !



Kees Heijstek. November 2008.


Note: I would advise you to use the commentary out of the “life application study bible” for your personal devotions, which have been used for these devotion too.