Are you a joyful Christian?

The Word is very clear that joy is the fruit of the Spirit who lives in us and others will see this fruit in our lives.
Romans 15:13’Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.’

God’s will is for you to be filled with joy and overflowing with hope. We serve a God of Hope and we have every reason to be filled with divine joy. Joyful people are not hopeless.
Romans 14:17 ‘The kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’
Christian joy is never selfish. Its not the self-centered pursuit of worldly happiness. It is God-centered joy.

Paul exhorted us from prison saying in Phil.4:4′ Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.’
We are born again into the kingdom of God and a vital part of being a citizen of the kingdom is practicing righteousness and enjoying peace with God and living a joyful life in Christ .
I meet many joyless, gloomy, sour-faced Christians who have lost their focus and their joy in Jesus.

Read 1st Peter 1:8’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.’
Our joy flows out of our love for our Lord Jesus. We can rejoice despite the trials and suffering we go through because of the grace and power of Jesus in our lives. We need a sure, steady, and satisfying focus on Christ who is the Source of our daily joy.
Joy is not a feeling or a positive circumstance. Joy is found in a vital relationship and fellowship with Jesus the Source of true joy.

BEING A SERIOUS, SOBER-MINDED CHRISTIAN MEANS ALSO BEING FULL OF GLADNESS. THEY GO TOGETHER !
Hebrew 1:9’Thou has loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore God,even Thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.’

This is speaking of Jesus. WE NEED TO LOVE RIGHTEOUSNESS, HATE SIN AND BE ANOINTED WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS.
Psalm 5:11’But let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice:let them ever shout with joy, because Thou defendest them:let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee.’
Psalm 100:2′ Serve the Lord with gladness, come before His presence with singing.’

Do you serve Him with gladness? Have you lost your joyful song?
I will admit the pressures of life, being too busy and the trials we encounter can drain of our joy.
The absence of real joy can mean the presence of a real bad attitude. Sinful attitudes are real joy killers and break your fellowship with Jesus.There are reasons why we lose our joy and we need to examine our hearts and attitudes and find out why?
Psalm 16:11’Thou will shew me the path of life:in Thy presence is fullness of joy, at Thy right hand there are pleasure forevermore.’

WE CAN GET FULL OF JOY BY GETTING IN HIS HOLY PRESENCE!
A lack of a consistent prayer life means also a lack of joy.
Dear friends we need to refuel and spend time in fellowship with God.
(We need to be God’s singing people who sing His praise because of His greatness and unfailing grace.)
Psalm 89:1’I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever, with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations.’
Psalm 81:1’Sing aloud unto God our strength:make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.’
YOU DO THIS DAILY AND YOU WILL BE JOYFUL AND PEOPLE WILL KNOW IT. HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SONG OF THANKSGIVING?
Brother David Cooke