trusted online casino malaysia
Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.
ReVision

Conditions for Joy

Joy doesn't just happen.

The Joy of the Lord (3)

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O L
ORD, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as witha shield. Psalm 5.11, 12

It doesn’t just happen
Every year, a large number of people from other countries, having fulfilled certain conditions, take the oath of allegiance and become citizens of the United States. This doesn’t just happen. Conditions must be met to become a citizen of this country, and conditions must be met to enjoy one’s citizenship to the fullest.

They make the best citizens of the United States who accept the terms and conditions of citizenship and are diligent in fulfilling these every day.

Experiencing the joy of the Lord is like this. We may enter the joy of the Lord, and we may daily experience that joy. But it doesn’t just happen. Conditions must be met. And unless we understand and conform to those conditions, the joy which is ours to know in Jesus Christ will remain an elusive commodity.

What are the conditions for knowing the joy of the Lord?

The most obvious condition
Four primary conditions establish the foundation on which we may expect to know and grow in the joy of the Lord.

The first and most obvious of these is that we must have the Spirit of God dwelling within us. We have seen why this is so, but how does this come about?

We receive the Spirit when God sends Him to us through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As we hear the Gospel, the Spirit comes to open our minds and hearts, and to take up residence within us. He empowers us to believe the Gospel and to confess Jesus as Savior and Lord and God as our Father (cf. Gal. 4.6, 7). The Spirit is the gift of Jesus Christ and God the Father for all who believe in Jesus and trust in Him for forgiveness of sins and everlasting life.

This being accomplished, we must learn to walk in and be filled with the Spirit, so that we can increase in the joy of the Lord as we become daily more like Him. That is, we must submit daily to the Spirit’s work of conviction.

If you have believed in Jesus and received His Spirit, then you are well-positioned to experience the joy of the Lord regularly and increasingly.

Three other conditions
Three other conditions are necessary for experiencing the joy of the Lord. First, remembering that our joy is in the Lord Himself, and nowhere else, we must fix our minds on Him, meditating on Him exalted in glory and ruling over the progress of His Kingdom (Col. 3.1-3). We must train the eye of our heart (Eph. 1.5-23) on Jesus our King, and, as He did on the cross, project ourselves into the joy which will finally and completely be ours when we stand before Him and see Him face to face. Much as, when you were a child, you could work up a healthy measure of delight just thinking about Christmas morning – especially the closer it came to that glorious day, and the more you ogled those presents under the tree. Just so, abounding joy, exceeding joy, awaits us forever in the presence of the Lord. Let us turn our minds and hearts to enter that joy, in prospect and in reality, every day of our here and now.

Next, remember the works of the Lord, and that this powerful and amazing God is your Father, Savior, Redeemer, Comforter, and Friend. So the prophet Joel exhorts us: “Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done marvelous things…Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you…” (Joel 2.21, 23). The more we reflect on the mighty works of God in creation, providence, redemption, and sanctification, the more our joy will increase as we realize that He Who does such marvelous works is with us where we are, and we are with Him where He is, even now.

Finally, seek the Lord for joy: “Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face evermore!” (Psalm 105.3, 4) Seek the Lord in His Word. Seek His glory in every aspect of the surrounding creation. Seek Him in the faces and words of those who know Him. Seek to talk about Him with others, to share what you’re learning about Him, and to celebrate the many reasons you have to rejoice daily in the Lord.

If you’ll keep these conditions in mind, preparing each day to know the joy of the Lord, and living each moment from within these conditions, you’ll experience more of the joy for which you have been created and redeemed, the joy of your Kingdom citizenship (Rom. 14.17, 18), and your heart will soar with love for God Who gives you such joy each day.

For reflection
1.  What are some of the great works of God you might focus on as a reminder of His goodness and passage into His joy?

2.  What is your approach to meditating on the vision of Christ, exalted in glory? Can you think of any ways to improve this?

3.  What are some practical ways you might remind yourself to seek the Lord through the course of a day?

Next steps - Conversation: Think of a way to begin a conversation about the Lord with a fellow believer today. How will you broach the subject? What questions might you use? What will you want to share, so that the two of you might know the joy of the Lord today?

T. M. Moore

This is the final part of or 8-part series on Keeping the Heart. To download this week’s study as a free PDF, click here.

The Lord uses your prayers and gifts to help us in this ministry. Add us to your regular prayer list, and seek the Lord concerning whether He would have you share with us. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the contribute buttonat the website, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Where do the heart, mind, and conscience – which together comprise the soul – fit in our Christian worldview? Our free online course,
One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview, shows you how to understand the workings of your soul in relation to all other aspects of your life in Christ. For more information and to register, click here.

Jesus the Joy Bringer calls us to be bringers of joy. Read all about it in our booklet,
Joy to Your World!Order your copy by clicking here.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

Subscribe to Ailbe Newsletters

Sign up to receive our email newsletters and read columns about revival, renewal, and awakening built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification.