Your Daily Devotional for April 27, 2006

April 27, 2006

 

Abundant Joy

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost."

Romans 14:17

 

How can we stay positive in such a negative world? It seems that one of the greatest challenges in this life is staying joyful. People try to find joy in many different ways. They hope a new car, a new home, or a new relationship will give them joy. The only problem is that when the new car gets a dent, or when the new relationship runs into its first trouble, or when the kids write on the walls of the new home, joy quickly evaporates. We quickly discover that everything the world has to offer is temporary at best.

 

In the New Testament, the word "joy" is mentioned 60 times. It comes from the Greek word "chara," meaning a joy that has its foundation in God. Philippians 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." On our own, none of us can rejoice always, but the God Who lives in us makes it possible. If you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour, that joy is in you whether or not it is revealed.

 

True joy begins at salvation. When you arrived at the place where you realized there was no way you could save yourself from sin and you received Jesus into your heart, the Holy Spirit started a work in you. Whenever the roots of your life are around the Spirit of God, then the fruit of your life will evidence itself with joy. You see, whenever there's a fruit problem, there's a root problem.

 

We have reason to rejoice because of the love of God. 1 Peter 1:8 states, "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." There's a song we teach the kids in Sunday school that goes, "Joy is the flag which is flown from the castle of the heart when the King is in residence there." You have joy because the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your life. You see, joy is a disposition produced by the Holy Spirit. A cheerful countenance is a result of the inner joy that He brings in your heart.

 

Another reason to rejoice is found in Luke 10:20: "Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Everyone who has put their trust in Christ and His finished work on the cross has cause to rejoice because their names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life!

 

As a Christian, how do we tap into this resource? If we desire joy in abundance, let's yield to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to produce the fruit that Galatians 5:22 promises. It's fruit that we could never produce on our own!

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