Joyfulness vs. Self-pity Where does God desire us to be?
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Joyfulness vs. Self-pity
"The spontaneous enthusiasm of my spirit when my soul is in fellowship with the Lord" *(IBLP)
Joyfulness vs. Self-Pity
“Joyfulness is the bright spirit and radiant countenance that come by being in full fellowship with the Lord.” *(IBLP)
(Highlighted text added)
1 Corinthians 1:9
"God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." NKJV
(1) Jesus desires us to make Him Lord of our life not just our Savior. This produces joy.
(2) Are we where God intended us to be in our fellowship with Him and others? (Places and people)
(3) Is Jesus first place in our life? If He is this will produce joy.
(4) If we are losing the joy of the Lord consider these verses from God's Word.
John 16:23-24
"And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." NKJV
(5) Example of maintaining the joy of the Lord.
“The bobcat can be truly happy and joyful only when allowed to roam freely in the country where God intended it to be. To remove an animal from the wild is never recommended unless one knows for sure that its parents are dead." Original source: Character Sketches Vol 2 Page 269 ©Institute in Basic Life Principles. Used with permission.
(6) Right thinking needs to take place to maintain the joy of the Lord. Consider the following portions of God's Word.
Matthew 5:11-12
"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." NKJV
(7) Do not allow persecution to drive us away from our fellowship with God and others! It is wise to stay in His presence as much as possible. This produces joy.
Psalm 16:11 (AMP)
“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”
(8) Do not allow persecution to drive us away from our God-given territory! This produces joy.
(9) Do not allow our joy to be stolen! This produces joy.
(10) Stay close to the heavenly Father through prayer, study, application and fellowship with Him. This produces joy.
(11) Jesus must be in our life! This produces joy.
Consider the following: (Highlighted text added)
1 John 5:12 (No Jesus no life)
"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." NKJV
Proverbs 8:34-36 (No obedience no happiness)
"Happy is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord; but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death." RSV
Luke 11:28 (No obedience no happiness)
But He said, Blessed (happy and to be envied) rather are those who hear the Word of God and obey and practice it! (AMP)
For those in Christ.
12. Happiness is in our obedience to God.
13. Happiness is in Christ.
14. Even though we have happiness in Christ obedience to Him and His word is required.
15. The believer’s happiness is not in having a family, a home, a location, a job, possessions, riches… because if those are all gone so is our happiness. Happiness in Christ is forever.
Listen to this short audio clip about true happiness. Click here. More about who is painting your life?
Colossians 1:13 (No Jesus no transfer)
"[The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" AMP
Isaiah 57:20-21 (No Jesus no peace)
"But the wicked are like the troubled sea, for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt.
There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked." AMP
(16) Because of Jesus, we have:
(1) Life
(2) Happiness
(3) Transferred into the right place
(4) Peace
(17) I did not say it would be easy!
(18) Finally! Be where God desires us to be! This will manifest the Joy of the Lord rather than self-pity.
Valuable resources:
Click here. Experience Joy Today! (Video)
Click here. All Because of Him (Video)
Click here. More about self-pity. (Audio)
Click here. Joyfulness vs. Self-pity (Prayer focus)
Click here. Personal insights about the joy of the Lord! (Pdf file)
Quotes:
“Joy is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of Christ.”—William Vander Hoven
“Where the soul is full of peace and joy, outward surroundings and circumstances are of comparatively little account.”—Hannah Whitehall Smith
"Who among us can be counted on for happiness? It is those who never take self into consideration.”—Amy Carmichael
*Used with permission from the Institute in Basic Life Principles.