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For
many years I had a misconception of what it meant to be a Christian. I
thought a Christian was someone who was always very somber with a harsh
outlook on life. Somehow, I never imagined that the Christian life
could be a joyful one. Of course, I also had a misconception about what
joy really is. I thought joy was induced from outside of my own self.
As someone who had no personal relationship with Christ, I based my joy
on external circumstances and other people.
When Christ came into my heart, I made a wonderful discovery - Christianity isn't some weird form of drudgery whereby I must do things that I really don't enjoy doing. In fact I learned that the opposite is true. When Christ lives in a person's heart, there's joy unspeakable that fills his life. Christian joy isn't dependent upon outward circumstances or other people. It comes from the deep indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the first two evidences of the Holy Spirit working in the life of the believer are love and joy.
There are three aspects of joy about which the Bible speaks: 1) a mental and emotional state of being; 2) a fruit of the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer; and 3) a sense of moral satisfaction. Before I came to know Christ personally, one of my favorite popular songs had a line that went like this, "I can't get no satisfaction." That line was repeated over and over in the song. Those lyrics described my life. However, after I became a Christian, God put a new song in my heart, "I've found satisfaction." That's true joy! It's the satisfaction of knowing in the deepest part of your being that you have found the real purpose of life - that you're doing what you were created to do with your life.
But joy is much more than a moral satisfaction. It's an emotional and psychological state of mind. Joy is not produced from without, but from within. Christian joy isn't dependent upon our acceptance or rejection by people. We've been accepted by God because of what Christ did on the cross 2000 years ago. That produces an internal and eternal joy that is unspeakable and indescribable. The Christian doesn't need a party or a person to establish joy in his life. His emotional and psychological state of mind is produced by his acceptance by Christ.
But joy in the life of the Christian is primarily a quality produced by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul wrote to the Christians in Galatia, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace...."(Gal. 5:22 NIV). It is a supernatural natural work of grace in the life of the believer. As we yield our lives to the control of the Holy Spirit, He supernaturally produces joy in our hearts. This joy goes far beyond the circumstances of the day. It transcends the negativism that people attempt to dump on us. It's the joy of the Lord who is in us.
The victorious Christian life is a joyful one. Our joy is not rooted in the circumstances of life nor the approval of men. It's a joy that rises from deep within. It's a mental, moral, and psychological state that's produced by the deep work of Christ on the cross and the Holy Spirit who dwells within our hearts and minds. The joy of the Lord is our strength.
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