Got Joy?
Pastor Phil Vance
Sept. 10, 2017
HIghlights:
When you possess God’s Joy, you have His strength.
Happiness is situational, Joy is relational.
In tough times, you need to know how to posses joy and use it.
Joy comes not from adding Christ to your life but by placing Him in the center.
God delights in you and wants you to live in joy – to enjoy joy.
The world is enticed by joyful Christians, and turned off by those that don’t.
The devil wants to steal your joy, so don’t let him.
Discussion Questions:
Take a moment to think about this, does your mental image of God depict Him as always essentially joyful? The joy of God is in fact not just an attribute but a part of His nature. How does the truth that God’s very nature is joyful affect your relationship with HIm?
How does having eyes to see God’s long term sovereignty through life’s situations affect our ability to have joy in our present circumstances?
Describe together the difference between joy and happiness. As you talk about this, share together why it is true that happiness is really not enough, as a Christ follower, we must have joy.
Key Scriptures and Quotes:
-9 Then Nehemiah, who was the [a]governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law.10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to [b]celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them. Nehemiah 8:9-12
-22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23
-20 And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are [a]you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.21 Blessed are [b]you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. 23 Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to [c]treat the prophets. Luke 6:20-23
-Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name. 22 Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, According as we have [a]hoped in You. Psalm 33:20-22
-Horatio G. Spafford: The author of the song, “It is Well With My Soul”.
“When peace like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say it is well, with my soul.”
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Definitions:
Joy: Gladness, rejoicing Strong’s H2304
Happiness (World’s definition): an emotional expression or feeling that is usually based on situations and circumstances but is temporal, fickle, and transitory.
Joy (God’s Definition): a state of being that can be perpetual and ongoing regardless of the situation or circumstance.
Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be alright, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.