The Joy of the Lord — 8. Supernatural Joy

8 “SUPERNATURAL JOY =

Fighthly, this joy does not depend upon earthly. factors ‘like eating and drinking. Itisa spiritual joy which ‘comes into us through the work’of the Holy Spirit fh our lives. “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but rightéousness, and peace, and jay in the I - Holy GHost” (Rom. 14:17). For some people their joy ” depends upon good food.. Xny day if they have a feast, © - it will, bea great day: for.them. Thay long for good food... Their joy: is occasional and temparery, But the _ joy of spe Lord.can. be enjoysd.even du ing: drought or: famine. or hunger. ..1 can say by-experience that, though - °! had to starve for many. days, I found no murmuting og. - discontentmant in my heart. I had a peculiar joy within me, with which earthly factors cannotinterfere,,

- Now-fet us survey our inner life to discover whether we-hove‘radity received that heavenly joy...We should —not.déceive ourselves. When any one goes far shopping -- . usually he thoroughly examines the things he intends to’: purchase, and in spite of it, many such people are” deceived while buying wrist watches and other costly: articles. Outwardly they all look nice and attractive, but really they are not so valuable. Those who'know ‘ about them go on examining them with various tests, and still cannot guarantee a correct selection. 1n 2 Cor. 11:13 we read how the devil can deceive us. He can make us feel that we have the joy of the Lord even when _ we actually do not have it. The devil can make sn imitation appear as very real.. Bo

’ This reminds us of a certain ‘thief ina all way compartment. Once a man was travelling in a train I with a box containing many valuable things. He put his carefully locked trunk on an upper berth, and went to sleep. Jn the middle of the night he disturbed us in our sleep and examined his box. As he found it to be heavy he concluded that it was not tampered with and resumed his sleep. At the end of the journey he opened the trunk and to his shock found that it was. full of. stones. The thief had cleverly substituted the stones for his valuable articles to make the trunk heavy., I.

- So the devil deceives us Sike that thief. It is good and safe to examine ourselves in- the light of God’s. Word, and make sure that the joy we have, is really the; joy of the Lord. In order to be sure, we should put the joy to various tests. 7 en

4. BEGINS-IN HEAVEN mo SF

The first test lias in. the fact that the: joy of the Lord begins: in heaven, Wecan see from Luke 15:10 that this joy begins in heaven and not upon the earth. The.

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Holy Spirit through God‘’s Words brings strong convic-. "tiohs and real repentance in the heart of aman. Wher he - truly repents of his sins, believes in the Lord Jesus Christ _ '. that He died for him on his.behalf, there is joy in heaven ’ among: all the angels of God. When a sinner repents, immediately God calls all the angels who sing with all the heavenly instruments. The same heavenly joy gets passed on to this repentant and saved sinner, also. So. it is a joy from heaven. If it were an earthly joy which comes from the preacher, it would soon fade away. One. -

‘day some people may raise their hands in a meeting and >gay that ‘they ate born again. The next day over a very “trifling matter they will get offended and break off. But the ‘joy which coniés in to a ‘person from teaven can. never fade away. os SG

_.,» That iz why John the Bapist, as a fore-runner of: the Lord Jesus Christ, preached about repentance and _ said, “Bring forth therefore fruit meet for repentance”. _ The Lord Jesus preached saying. Repent: for the ... kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 4:17).. Both John ” the Baptist,” and the Lord Jesus Christ preached. of being filled with the Holy Ghost. If people repent of their sins it should be from the heart and not from the lips. To ensure that the repentance is genuine we must tiake sure that we fepent not~because of fear, or what --people whould think of us; orto keep up a good name.

To some people repentance is a very vague consideration _. They very lightly say “Oh God, if I have done this or if “I Have done that, please forgive me”. They have no ~ real Conviction and'sorrow for the tragedy of their'sins. _ "“"4n the cage of Job, God did not have the need" to

gay to him. “You have done this wrong thing or: that“

He had a revelation of God. He had the vision. of god’s . beauty-and glory..and-his mighty power, as he.cover had. before: This.made him abhor and hate. himself in God‘s: presence because he could recognise the greet-contrast. -between-the two. conditions: one of God's Holiness.qnd. other of: his own unworthiness. This was'very: painful

' We read in. Luke 5:8 that Simen Peter fell down at. Jesus feet saying Depart from me: for lama sinful man

O Lard’. Qur Lord did not need to. expose Simon's sins or rebuke him. .. But. Peter himself was greatly convicted when. he saw .the greatness and. mighty power af.the Lord Jesus. Christ. Again in Luke 19:8 we see. how ....Zacchaeus repented very sincerely. .OurLlord never had the need to point out to him that he was-corupt in-his duty. The very presence of the Lord brought real repentavice and cHangs: of heart In him ‘and: sold. “Behold, ~ Lord, the half of my godis'l give to the poor: and if I _ have taken from ahy man by false accusation, I witl'tes-

‘tore him fore fold”: So we sed how joy cones to us‘trom ” heaven through reat repentance, and it ts poured iro the - heart of any one who ‘repents. ne

2. EAMB‘S BOOK OF LIFE - © par

uu.. The second-test to ensure that -our joy is. genuinely 4 _ from. the-Lord..lies in the fact that our names should-be- _written.do, the Lamb‘s bgok of life. Co a.

"In Luke. 10. we read how the Lard sent oyt 70 disciples in twos, to preach the. gospel and to heal, the _sick,. After they had fulfilled their ministry they returned: "with great joy. To them, our Lord Jesus said, Do not -sgejaice in-the miracles, for they do not give you teal

“joy”. so. we mo rye.. me a .* > During His three anda half: years of ministry ‘upon the earth our Lord performed many. miracles. Some “people, were so thrilled to see the ‘miraclés:‘being performed that they went after the Lord, just to see the miracles. But the aame people later on cried, “Crucify: Him: ‘Crucify Him”. The joy which they sought was only temporary and superficial. A drunkard gets this type of joy when he feels like a king after drinking, but whén the intoxication leaves him, he feels ashamed of himself for acting like a lunatic.. That. is why our Lord exhorted the disciples. “Rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you:. but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). While you'are upon the earth make sure that ‘you ate accepted in Heaven. ‘In Heaven no one will feel liké a stranger. Only upon the garth people begin to ‘make enquirigs to become acquainted with one ‘another. In Heaven we will be received gladly and will know every ‘one befofehand, for we are members of one family, the ~family of God. ee

3. CONSCIOUSNESS OF GOD’S PRESENCE

. The third test to ensure that our joy-is genuinely from the Lord fies in the fact of our being conscious of Gad’s ~ presence. oe. os!

-« - This joy comes to us. as a result. df continuously feel- ‘ina God,s..presence.. The -more time we. spend:.ia” His ptesenca, the more of-His. Heavenly .joy we-will receive, «by: seeing God,s presence always helping'and guiding us. -By reading the. Bible and praying sufficiently the great joy ave. tegaive is genuinely Heavenly joy. If we have any sin dn us-such as jealously or hatred, we lose the: sense of God's presence. and thereby our joy departs. To regain this joy we have to once again go through the painful. ~ -process of truly repenting of our'sins and shortcamiags. Then alone the joy wilk be restored. By worshipping the Lord, by reading Gad’s: Word, aac by close communion —with Him through prayers, we can eoaure the continuity and growth of this jay a ET

4. (MPLICIT OBEDIENCE ee oo.. The fourth test to ensure that. oe joy is: genuinely from the Lord ties in the fact of our being implicitly ‘@bedient ta Gad'a Word. Jf —

We read in Jer. 15:16, that by receiving God’s. Word and obeying it we get joy.. God.gava Jeremiah the vesy hard task, of being a prophet to the peapla wha: dated him. They laughed at him, mocked at him and even threw him into a pit. - Even then Jeramiah received God's ‘Word and obeyed it, and his joy increasingly continued to be filled up. Thus by obeying God's Word our joy multiplies.

5. SOUL SAVING,, The fifth test to ensure that our joy is genuinely from ‘the Lord Hes in the fact of our bringing other souls to the joy of salvation..:

* bn t+.Thess. 2:20. Paul wrote to the believers in - Theasatonice as. folows. “For ye are our glory and jen?’ we tead im Acts 417, haw the peoplhe in: Thessalonico'received the word of'the Lord in the midst of persecutions -ehdtemaived faithhd. Paut wrote from Rame saying that he was able to forget all his afflictions becouse of ‘them. He. said that they wese his glory end hie joy. He -haped that they would stand before God worthy of a crown, in the same way, when after a very long time we meet. people who are saved by our prayers, love, service,. and sacrifice, our. joy will be very great. We will see ’ many in tHeevern who. were saved through our. life and. Testimony, That is why wesitould constantly pray for~ our friends; relations. and loved ones who. are: not -bom I again, Be

6. UNSHAKEN... ne ad

The sixth test to ensure that our joy is genuinely from the Lord lies in the fact of our not being shaken under persecution, ==;

' In Acts 5:41 we read that when the gpostles..were prosecuted rather than murmuring, they were rejoicing, a hay Were caproached, beaten, cast out, hated, but yet ~~" “they were rejoicing because they counted: themselves. worthy, 4a.suffer shame for His Neme,. ba the same waywhan we afa,put to shame and.are reproached for Christ's sake, we find a.peculiar jay within us. “‘Blassed are ye. when man shall revile you. and: prosecute, you, and shall. say. all manner of evil against you falsely. for my sake.. Rejoice, and ba exceedingly glad, for great is your reward. in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" (Matt. 6711,12). So first of all you. should have that joy.of the Lord. On a human level if any. one rejects or hates or despises you, for many days, you will lose your sleep and appetite, But when youttave the joy of the Lord, this joy will not decrease, but will niRiply when you have to go through suffering, reproach and shane. The enemy tries his best. to discourage us. Hence in? Pet. 4:12-14 it says, "“Befoved think ie not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, - as. though. some strange thing happend unto you: But. rejoice, in as much-as yo sre partakers of:::Christ’s: Sufferings;. that, when: his glory. shall be revealed, ye may be-glad with exceeding joy, If ye be: reproached for the ‘name of Christ happy are ye; for the spirit of. glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part hada. evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified’. This joy does not go away when we ars treated. badly. by: others or hated or cursed.

7. HOME. Se, - 2

The seventh test to ensure that our joy is genuinely from the Lord lias in the fact of our great hope of our Heavenly home. ©" f oe: sound

' This joy comes. tous: through the hope that: one day we will be presented by our Lord Jesus faultless before thé ‘presence of His glory with ‘exceeding joy.’ Upon the earth wé aré full of shortcomings and” failures. ‘ But when-the Lord Jésus Christ appears if glory: at Hi second coming ‘with all His angels, We will be’ blameless before Him: At: that “tine, ‘even the ‘angels will not see any blemish in us. We have the hope of seeing Him face to face one day. That i¢ why we should take part in the Lord’s Table worthily, so that ori ~ that day, we may see Him: fate to: faté with joy.

- 8 BRIDEGROOM - Me

The eighth. test to ensure that our joy is genuinely - from the Lord lies in the fact of our. meeting, the Bride- - groom.asHis bride. 0 te Pout aes

This joy comes to those who are going to be fully identified with Him..4s Hig bride. As the bride and the bridegroom share their thoughts and their possessions in perfect love, we also will’share every thing with the Lord when we are united with Him. We are chosen.as His everlasting partners and companions. Those who do not have.such a joy or hope heave nothing they can really look forward to and they have nothing te share with others. Some husbands demand good food from their wives. and if they do not get it they become wild. This is all because they do not know what the joy of the Lord is and they are unable to share that joy with their wives, They only demand many things. So many husbands and “wives do not have onenass. We can share this great Heavenly joy with others and as. we do so, - it increases..

9. INTIMACY - ’

-' The ninth tést to ensure that our joy is’ genuinely from the Lord lis in the fact. of God’s Intimacy with us.

As we go upon our knees and. share all our thoughts and desires freely with Him. He will show us what He wants to teach us. What we can do to please Him, and our joy will increase. The Lord shared His thoughts with Abraham as we read in Gen. 18:17, 18. “Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do: Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?,, ‘The Lord says that Abraham is His friend, and that He cannot hide any thing from Him. The mighty and great; God is saying this to Abraham, and also sharing His mind — with him about destroying Sadom and Gomorrah because of wickedness of the people. Our Lord must have shared His thoughts with Martha and Mary also in Bethany. Whenever He went from Jerusalem to their house, He must have shared with them how He went into the temple and found corruption all round. ‘That is how we too must share our thoughts ‘with the Lord. We are always asking for something when we pray, but we never walt in prayer to hear what our Lord wants to share with us. Many times in the early hours of the morning, I have felt the Lord calling me to share something with Him asking me to go somewhere. Itisa great joy to know what our Lord wants to share with us. it is a greater joy to do what He wants us to do for Him. — =

. We have seen through the Scriptures what the joy of the Lord is and how any one can get that joy. The same joy will become our strength. May our Lord grant us such a joy and multiply it. Amen. I B+8+84+2