Fruit Study: I've got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (Galatians 5:22 NIV)
Joy. So often confused with happiness.
Let's face it, everyone in this world is obsessed with happiness. What's going to make me happy? How can I feel good?  So the search for it goes on. People strive for money, relationships, and things. Ultimately, all of the things in life can't solidify happiness in one's soul. Happiness is a feeling, it comes and goes. Some things make us feel happy and some things make us feel sad, but the feeling doesn't last. Joy does. If you know Jesus Christ and are filled with the Holy Spirit joy is available for you. It's not just a temporary feeling, it's a deep, powerful fruit that keeps us going through thick and thin, good and bad. Joy is something that the Bible talks a lot about so here are some great verses that explain joy better than I can.

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:10, 11 NIV)

1. Joy comes from knowing Jesus and obeying Him.

Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. (Psalm 119:111 NIV)

2. Joy replaces despair. Happiness can make you feel good for a moment but joy is what replaces sadness, hopelessness, fear, and destruction that we often face in our lives.

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever. (Psalm 30:11, 12 NIV)

3. Joy brings true worship!

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 28:6-8

4. Joy is available in trying times!

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. (Psalm 94:19 NIV)

The difference I find between joy that comes as a fruit of the Spirit and temporal happiness is that Joy is always available to us. No matter what's going on. If we are filled with the Spirit and walking in the Spirit we will know and understand the joy of The Lord. But if we walk in the flesh and walk in our own way we are constantly going to be bipolar Christians. Feeling happy sometimes but not understanding where true joy comes from. Our feelings will dictate to us our circumstances and not the joy that comes from our salvation and our Lord! Sometimes we lose our joy because we are in the flesh or we have sinned against God and all it takes is for us to get right with Him.

5. Joy of our Salvation

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:12 NIV)

It's a simple prayer. Being right with God makes our joy complete! Living in the spirit sustains it!

6. Joy comes from thanksgiving!

The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Psalm 126:2-4

When right now seems difficult and time seems tough sometimes joy will rise when we simply think about all He's done for us. Then allow thanksgiving to come out of our very souls. Joy is available to you today! Your life by the world's standards might not be perfect, it might not be "happy" but you can have all the joy you can handle if you just tap into the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill you up!