I think the steps to joy are one of the most frequently shared formulas.
Nowadays, it seems everyone has a theory on how to obtain joy. People
want to be assured of foolproof instructions that have been tried and
found true. But how do you know which method really works?? If you stop
and think about it for a moment, true joy is absent of any regrets… If
your days on this earth were coming to a close, would you have any regrets?
Would your life be an example of joy in its purest form? What practice
could you pass down to folks remaining behind in order that they might
find true joy and fulfillment in their lives? Certainly, no one will follow
your formula if it wasn't tried and true in your own life… As we step
back for a moment and take a broader look at John chapter 17, we'll find
that Jesus has given us the secret ingredients to finding a lifetime of
joy as a child of God. As we skim over His prayer to the Father, Christ
has confidently stated all of what He had done during His time on earth,
and He had no regrets…
· Vs. 4 - "I have glorified thee..."
· Vs. 6 - "I have manifested thy name..."
· Vs. 8 - "I have given unto them the words..."
· Vs. 9 - " I pray for them..."
· Vs. 12 - "I have kept them in thy name..."
Why did Jesus speak these things above while He was still in the world?
The answer lies in the verse we are going to focus on today - verse 13,
which says:
And now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world,
that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
Ladies, it's for the sake of our JOY that Jesus spoke these things, that
He spoke the truth! The Word of God is truth - therefore, we need to follow
Jesus' formula for joy, and obey the scriptures. You don't want my recipe
for joy - it's got my regrets attached to it! And I don't want your recipe
for joy because your regrets are attached to it. Jesus' method is the
only one that is tried and true... You see, His joy was a pure joy - minus
any regrets - and it came from immersing Himself in the will and ways
of His Father. It is when we turn our back on that which Christ has spoken
and do things our own way that regrets enter into the picture. As shocking
as this may seem, Christ was found joyful coming under authority… And
ladies, this is the only way true joy can be fulfilled in our lives too!
Isaiah 29:19s (KJV)
The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord…
Now, how many Christians do you know who are really and truly joyful today??
Not many, I daresay! Unfortunately, very few of God's children are living
under full authority of the Word of God, and they are miserable for their
lack of submission as they try to fill the voids in their lives with everything
but truth and obedience to it! Joy is bestowed only through God's Words;
they must abide in the believer and the believer in them! This is the
reason that Christ spoke only the Father's Words to those He had been
given responsibility for - their joy cannot be fulfilled apart from obedience
to God's Word. A disobedient heart never rejoices.
Jeremiah 15:16 (KJV)
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the
joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God
of hosts.
As much as we women like to talk, it is not our words that people need
to find, amen ladies? It's not our opinions, our philosophy, our recipe
for joy - but God's Words that people need to find! And once they find
the truth they need to go one step further and accept it, they need to
eagerly eat of it, feast on it, and devour it. Oh, the truth might not
always taste good to us, but it is still a key ingredient in God's recipe
for joy! If you're hungry to do right, you'll willingly swallow the truth,
even if it's unpleasant…
Proverbs 27:7b (KJV)
....but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
This world is a tough place to live in and it's easy to be overcome by
it when we do not abide in the Word of God. Ladies, the joy of the Lord
enables us to overcome the world. Just this morning my husband said to
me, "You know, there's still peace and joy in this house even though the
adversary comes against it." And it's true! Christians shouldn't depend
on their outward circumstances but on their inward resources! Nothing
can steal away the joy of the Lord when we stay close to the Father through
obedience to His Word. It's strength to the child of God. You see, our
security, our protection, our peace - our JOY - is not found in this world,
it's found in the Word! The difference between those two words "Word"
and "world" is just one little letter. We need to kick the "L" out of
our lives and get it right, amen? You know, the letter "L" is the first
letter in the word "Lie", which the devil likes to whisper to us to try
and steal away our joy! And then the devil uses that very same little
"L" and transforms that lie into "Lust" in our lives. But praise the Lord
the Word exposes the world and the lust of it for what it is! Guard the
affections of your heart, dear lady; the more your love for this world
grows, the more your joy will decay! Sin will abuse you, but God will
preserve you - the choice is yours today of which formula you'll follow.
Joy that lasts forever is not in the world, it's in the Word - don't forget
that!
1 John 2:15-17 (KJV)
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man
love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is
in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world
passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.
The world passes away but that which is rooted in submission to God's
authority lasts forever! The regrets come when that little letter "L"
creeps into our lives, as it proceeds to steal away a rich prayer life
with our heavenly Father. You and I will find that we'll begin to L-eave
our first L-ove, we'll become L-azy about talking to the Lord because
our hearts have been deceived. Ladies, the very heart of Jesus whole prayer
we are looking at in John chapter 17 is filled with JOY! Is joy at the
heart of your prayer life today?? Or only guilt and shame for the L-usts
that have consumed you and L-ed you astray... There's no need for God's
people to go about long faced and melancholy!! Confess your sins and repent.
If we would just follow in Christ's steps of obedience to our heavenly
Father's Words, Jesus promised His joy would be fulfilled in us!
Habakkuk 3:18
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2003
