“Nurturing Joy”

“Nurturing Joy”

Joy (part 3)

Philippians is known as The Epistle of Joy. How extraordinary it is that this letter was written my Paul while he was in prison.  It would be easier to understand the emphasis on joy if Paul was in a wonderful environment, but the combination of “joy” and “prison” should make us take a close look at what is going on here.  How can Paul be full of joy in such a situation?  And if Paul has joy in his circumstances, what excuse do I have to not have joy in mine? Philippians has a lot to teach us about joy, but here I will just draw out five elements of Paul’s joy that we find in Philippians 1:3-8.  If you take hold of these elements, I believe you will find joy being nurtured in your own soul.

[3] I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, [4] always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, [5] because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. [6] And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. [7] It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. [8] For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3-8)

The Elements of Paul’s Joy

•       the joy of recollection

[3] I thank my God in all my remembrance of you

There are negatives in life and we can be tempted to dwell on those things.  Some of us are really good at rehearsing the negatives. We can become so good at it that our negative experiences actually become our identity. This can feed despair and depression, and it crushes joy. But there are also positives.  Paul chose to remember what God had done, especially in relation to the Philippian church.  Joy in your life can be nurtured as you choose to remember what God has done for you, in you, through you, and around you.  Recollection can nurture joy.

•       the joy of intercession

[4] always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy…

Here we are thinking of prayer, and specifically prayer that intercedes for others.  This is praying that God would bless others.  This kind of praying moves us away from being self-absorbed, which can diminish our joy, and moves our concern toward others, nurturing our own joy in the process.

•       the joy of participation

[5] because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

The word for “partnership” here is the Greek word koinonia.  This is a loving fellowship with other believers in ways that advances the work of the gospel.  This can involve being in ministry together, giving financially to ministries, and sharing the gospel with others.  This serving alongside of others to advance the gospel has a joy nurturing effect as it focuses us on the needs of others and the work of God.

•       the joy of anticipation

[6] And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Joy can be robbed from us when we are anxious about the future.  The joy of anticipation chooses to focus on what God is doing and will do in the future.  It takes hold of the promises of God. Romans 8:31-39 is a great place to start in gaining such hopeful anticipation.

•       the joy of affection

[7] It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. [8] For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Here we simply have the affection that should exist among the people of God, especially within a local church. This can be the affection of words and looks and touch.  I hope you have experienced something like this.  You come into a worship gathering or a Bible study or a small group meeting, and you feel joy being nurtured in you by the affection you receive.  I believe that the Holy Spirit comes alongside of such affection to do the work of nurturing joy among the people of God.

In summary, the fellowship of God’s people should be a fellowship of joy.  We should experience the Spirit given joy which has joyous memories and joyous recollections. It rejoices in praying on the behalf of others. It rejoices over those who have come alongside of us. It also rejoices in response to what God is doing and will do in the lives of others. And last, but certainly not least, it rejoices over a shared affection.

“A Theology of Joy”

“A Theology of Joy”

Joy (part 2)

To begin, it is important that we have a clear understanding of what joy is.  So, below you will find a theology of joy.  I constructed this based upon a sermon by John MacArthur, and I have found it to be incredibly valuable as I have pursued joy in my own life.  I hope you find it to be helpful in your personal pursuit of joy.

A Theology of Joy

Joy is a gift of God…

[7] You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. [8] In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. (Psalm 4:7-8)

              

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)

              

to those who believe the gospel…

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:11)

being produced in them by the Holy Spirit…

            For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (Galatians 5:22)

as they believe and obey the Word,…

            Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16)

              

And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete (I John 1:4)

mixed with trials…

And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, (I Thessalonians 1:6)

            as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. (II Corinthians 6:10)

            In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, (I Peter 1:6)

and set their hope on future glory.

            Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12)

            But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. (I Peter 4:13)

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, (Jude 24)

Allow me to put it all together: Joy is a gift of God, to those who believe the gospel, being produced in them by the Holy Spirit, as they believe and obey the Word, mixed with trials, and set their hope on future glory.

We need this theological understanding of joy like a building needs a foundation. From this point on, our aim is to build on that foundation of knowledge as we continue our personal pursuits of joy. Next week I want to impart some practical steps we can take to stir up joy in our lives.  These steps aren’t some original ideas I’ve conceived, but they are all found in Philippians 1:3-8.  Feel free to take a peek and see if you can find how Paul stirred up joy in his own life.

“Finding the Joy That God Commands and Provides”

“Finding the Joy That God Commands and Provides”

Joy (part 1)

“Joy” is my word for the year.  This is the first year I’ve chosen a word of the year, and I must say that it’s proving to be a great help.  I am a person that still believes in New Year’s resolutions.  I know there is a lot of cynicism about such resolutions.  Many would say that they are useless because they are never kept.  And I get that.  But as a Christ-follower, my life is of necessity filled with resolutions – to bring by life more in line with what God has for me.  I shared this with a friend recently and he introduced me to the idea of, rather that writing out multiple resolutions with declarative statements, choosing one word that declared a pursuit.  It didn’t take me long to land on the word “joy”.

I have struggled with joy over the years, and it has truly been that, a struggle.  I strongly desire to have more joy in my life and I have been frustrated at often coming up short.  But I must say that I am now more hopeful as I have had a sustained focus on joy this year which is driving me to understand how God can produce joy in me.

Here is what I know.

·         God commands me to have joy.

                        Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)

·         God provides for what He commands.          

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)

·         The Holy Spirit brings joy to me as a gift.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (Galatians 5:22)

·         The work of the Holy Spirit is nourished as I take hold of God’s truth.

 [10] “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [11] so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11)

       

·         Joy can to robbed from me by wrong thinking.

I am currently teaching an Equip class on joy and in the next 2 blogs will share some of that content with you.  It basically will come down to this – the direction our thinking takes.  So, next week I will simply present some ways that we should think in order to nourish joy, and the following week I will note ways that we allow our joy to be stolen from us.

Joy is a gift from God that He desires for all of His children to enjoy.  Is it time for you to choose a word?