The Fullness of Joy

     Psalms 16:1 -You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

THE IDEA OF JOY is expressed in the Bible by a wealth of synonymous terms that cannot easily be differentiated. Besides joy in a general sense, as the response of the mind to any pleasurable event or state—e.g. at Solomon’s anointment as king (1Kings 1.40); when the Jews escaped massacre (Esther 8:17)—joy as a religious emotion is very frequently found in the scriptures. Religion is conceived of as touching the deepest springs of emotion, including the feeling of exultant gladness.

Joy is different from happiness, which primarily depends on external circumstances. Habakkuk makes this clear in a magnificent song at the end of his book: (3:17-19).   Christians are expected to be contended and cheerful whatever the circumstances are. Psalms 118:15 says ‘Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous”;119:92 - If your instructions hadn't sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery.  Psalm 118:24 says “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it”.  The  word ‘joy’ appears 60 times in the book of Psalms alone. ‘’Your law is my joy’’ asserted David.

The subject of joy in religion is still more prominent in the New Testament. It starts with the Good News of the birth of the Messiah announced by angels (Luke 2:10). In the four Gospels, especially Luke, the element of joy is conspicuous--seen in the songs of praise in chapter 1 and 2.  It is both exemplified in the life and character, and set forth in the teaching of Jesus. “Rejoice and be glad,” He instructed His disciples who were likely to be persecuted. In spite of His grief, abuse, disbelief and rejection, His habitual deportment was not morose or ascetic. He described Himself as a bridegroom; He launched his miracle ministry at a wedding. Unlike John the Baptist He was no ascetic, but inter-acted with people at all levels,  mixed with the crowd so much, and ate and drank with them  so often, His distractors called Him a friend of sinners and tax collectors--a glutton and winebibber!

Why are Christians expected to be joyous? What’s the secret of the joy of these men?

1. Salvation is joy.  

To be assured your sins are forgiven, you are justified and sanctified, and you have received the eternal life are reasons enough for unlimited joy. David prayed in Psalms 40:16 “Our LORD, let your worshipers rejoice and be glad. They love you for saving them, so let them always say, "The LORD is wonderful!"

When he repented after the sin with Bathsheba his supplication was “Restore to me the joy of your salvation……….’’ (Psalms 51:12). When Hanna’s prayer was answered, her joy climaxed in her beautiful song found in 1Samuel 2.

In Luke Jesus assured His disciples “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, who need no repentance’’. (Luke 15:7). There is no greater joy than knowing our sins are forgiven, about the certainty of grace, that the righteous live by faith, that the kingdom of God is among us, for the eternal life we’ve inherited; that we were chosen, predestined, rescued and  sanctified. Jesus assured His followers:

I tell you for certain that you will cry and be sad, but the world will be happy. You will be sad, but later you will be happy. Those who sow in tears will reap in joy. (John 16:20) 

2. Grace is joy.

Ephesians 2:8  For by such grace you have been saved through faith. This does not come from you; it is the gift of God

Christians rejoice in His grace, because of His grace. Salvation is given through God’s grace, not because of our effort, not as a reward for our good works. God told St. Paul  “My grace is sufficient for you’’ even as He refused to heal him.

We have our priorities right. “First seek the kingdom of God and its righteousness”, Jesus instructed “then all rest will be given to you”(Matthew 6:33)  Rejoicing is the natural result of having our needs fulfilled. It is in joy the Psalmist was able to say “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.’’(Psalms 23:1). Paul assures the Philippines “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus’’ (Phillip. 4:19). By his grace they are justified freely. (Romans 3:24) 

3. God’s presence in our life is joy.

When it was time for Jesus to return to His Father, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to be with the disciples. This was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Today the Holy Spirit lives in our hearts as the source of our great joy. He encourages, strengthens, guides, and keeps us from sinning.

God’s promises about His presence are too numerous to list here: -

·       Joshua 1:5  I will not leave you, nor forsake you.

·       Zechariah  2:8 whoever touches you touches the apple of His  eye

·       Isaiah 49:16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me

·       Revelations 5:10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth, assured us thrones – nation that has the Lord as their God is blessed etc.

·       Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

·       Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

·       Psalms 63:7 Because You have been my help, I will rejoice in the shadow of Your wings. 

4. The Word of God  is our joy

There are 170 verses on this theme in the Bible, that the law or word of God is joy. Jesus is the Word, the logos, the second person in the Holy Trinity. He is the word that became flesh and lived among us, the God who became man.

·       John 1:1    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God

·       Psa119:92  If your law had not been the source of my joy, I would have died from my sufferings.

·       Psalm 33.4 For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything He  does

·       Isaiah 51:16 I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand

·       Isaiah 55:11  so will my message be that goes out of my mouth—it won't return to me empty. Instead, it will accomplish what I desire, and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

·       Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

·       Luke 21:22 For those will be days of God's vengeance, and the prophetic words of the Scriptures will be fulfilled.

There are words of promises in the Bible that concerns every conceivable human situation. The dependability and infallibility of God’s word brings us considerable joy.  Being able to study His words is a privilege. To  analyze them, apply them  to our lives and share them with others is an honor—before it is too late. Through Amos  8:11 God  delivers a warning: "The time is surely coming," says the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine on the land--not a famine of bread or water but of hearing the words of the Lord.

It must be clearly understood that the Bible has been banned in a number of countries of the world and is considered as lie and trash in many parts. By the way things are shaping up, it won't be long before India  joins their ranks.

5. That the gospel is being  preached is a joy.

Phillip. 1:18  In every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached. And I rejoice in this.

It is our duty to bring joy into the lives of people around us by giving them the gospel. In 1Corinth 9:16 Paul says  “preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't preach the Good News!”.. Look at the Thessalonians’ example mentioned in

1Th 1:6-8 They received the message with great joy amidst trials, then passed it on  and became an example to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia. News about their faith in God had gone everywhere. They did this all amidst their own persecution.

Jesus said he won’t return until the gospel reaches every corner of the world.. That the word is being preached everywhere is another source of joy for Christians.

To sum up:

Luke 10 The Lord had appointed seventy-two disciples and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. They returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name’’. To this He answered and said to them “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Mat 5:11-12  Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. Be happy and glad. You’ll be rewarded in heaven.

St. Paul wrote to Philippians while he was in prison, awaiting execution. Within its four short chapters he asks his readers to rejoice a dozen times. Beaten up severely, bleeding and tied up he spent the night in prison with Silas, singing and praising God! It is not our circumstances that make us happy. Jesus actually wants us to be happy when we are in dire straights:

Joyousness doesn’t depend upon material conditions, what world calls success or blessings.  Jesus never promised a rose garden to believers. On the contrary He warned them of trials and persecutions. St Paul taught in Act 14:22  "We must pass through many troubles to enter the kingdom of God”. Many rich are unhappy while poor are happier. Remember what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes about his early life and later one.

Finally it’s not only the angels, but even God is happy when you repent and undergo the salvation experience. He promises through  Jeremiah  32:41  “I will rejoice over them to do good for them, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

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