Down in My Heart Kind of JOY--1

For a long time I have wanted to share somethings that God is teaching me about joy. Well, the boxes are unpacked, we are officially settled, the kids are in school, so today is the day! I'm not sure how often I'll post this series--at least once a week. But I will put a link on the right so they will all be in one place. I pray that this encourages you, as it does me. Here we go!

Down In My Heart Kind of JOY!

In the No Other Gods study by Kelly Minter, one of the things I realized is how much I am motivated by pleasure. Not that pleasure is a bad thing, but the things that I will bow to in order to chase after what doesn’t last. Uh, don’t want to go there! But isn’t that what we all want…that deep down in my heart kind of joy that we used to sing about as children? And there is not a man, child, project, career, scrapbook, or chocolate that can fill what God wants to fill deep down in my heart. JOY
Several years ago, joy was the word that kept catching my attention as I was reading my Bible. It happened so often I finally started writing them down, and I began to see a pattern. And that pattern fell right into what we were studying in Sunday School—the Ten Commandments. He is still teaching me. That is where this study came from and there is a lot to see! Now let me start with this statement…I learned from Beth Moore that, ”All attempts to define God cannot help but minimize Him. If in our pursuit of greater knowledge God seems to have gotten smaller, we have been deceived.” (Beth Moore, Believing God, p. 30) My goal has been to learn all I can about God’s lasting joy. But I don’t want, in any way, to think I have this joy thing all figured out. My God is bigger than I can imagine! He has blessed me with just a glimpse of Him that I want to share. This is what I have learned so far. I can’t wait for you to see this!

First of all, joy comes from spending time in God’s presence. I’m talking the complete God-head—the Father, Son and Spirit. (I love it when there is a fuller picture to something like this!) Look at the following verses.

o God the Father—Read Psalm 16:11 and Psalm 43:3-4
Who is my joy and delight?

o God the Son—All through Jesus’ life on earth He brings joy
o Read Luke 1:44.
Even Jesus’ presence in the womb caused joy!

o Read Matthew 1:10.
Just like the wise men, when I search for Jesus, I am filled with joy.

o Read Matthew 3:17.

o Read Luke 19:6.

o Read John 17:13.
Jesus’ words bring the ‘full measure’ of His joy IN me, so I need to spend time in His Word!

o Read Luke 24:41 and John 20:20.
This was when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection.

o God the Holy Spirit
o Read Galatians 5:22-23.

“As New Testament believers, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us when we
receive Christ as our personal Savior, and he brings His personality with
Him. When we are yielded to the Holy Spirit’s authority, His personality
fills us and eclipses our own. When we’re not yielded, we grieve the Holy
Spirit and operate from our carnal nature. Thank goodness, He still does
not leave us, but our faith consequently shrinks. You see the more we are
filled with the Spirit, the more faith we can possess.” Beth Moore,
Believing God, p. 25

In this study Beth was teaching about faith, but I believe the concept is true for joy as well. When we are yielded to the Holy Spirit, His joy fills us. It is His personality and He dwells in us.

Heart questions:
Is God my joy and delight?

What about Jesus’ life…am I letting His joy impact my life?

Do I bring Jesus into my home with great excitement and joy like Zacchaeus did?

Am I yielded to the Holy Spirit so that the joy of His personality shows through?


Thank God for the joy only His presence can bring.