Section 12
is rich, but in his practical experience he has nothing.
This is the condition of many Christians today. They are saved, but in their daily life they have little experience of the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph. 3:8). However, God's intention is that we not only have Christ, but that we enjoy Him, even to the uttermost (John 10:10; Phil. 4:4). The normal condition of a Christian is to "exult with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Pet. 1:8).
But nearly all of us will admit that there are times, even many times, when we do not have this overflowing joy. Does this mean that we have lost our salvation? Absolutely not! Our sal vation is based upon God, not upon us. But al though we cannot lose our salvation, we can lose the joy of that salvation.
The Loss of Joy
What are the things, then, that cause us to sometimes lose our joy? The first item is sin. Joy depends on our having unbroken fellowship with God, but sin separates us from Him and causes Him to hide His face (Isa. 59:1-2).
The second item is grieving the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30). When we are saved, we become God's