The Joy of the Lord!

Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man. Hebrews 4:15(NIV) tells us, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” When he walked the earth, there was no one like him, no one who could share and communicate with him on his level of perfect thoughts and thoroughly glorious communication. Studying the scriptures from a very early age, he knew his identity and the fate that awaited him. When his ministry began, he was continually in a teaching and giving mode, never considering himself, only being concerned with the needs of others. A life in constant demand like his requires a mind that is not easily swayed by anything but the highest of thoughts. Given this, we have no other choice but to conclude that our Lord was indeed joyous. Joy was not just his state of mind but his constant state of being, rooted in all his motivations.

For some believers, this Christ-filled life of joy isn’t their approach. It’s not how they view their relationship with the Lord. One reason for this may be that their lives are not turning out the way they had hoped. When we initially received a witness of Christ from another believer, they may have been enthusiastic, with a strong testimony that captured our attention. If, at that time, our lives were entangled in struggles with insecurity and disappointment, encountering someone seemingly in the mental and emotional space we hope to occupy ourselves is very charismatic. It’s magnetic and draws us in.

There’s an extremely important element that differentiates this joyous believer from many of us who are saved yet unhappy: desire. There’s a saying that states when the student is ready, the teacher will come. The spiritual realm is engaged by us all, but we don’t always become conscious of it until someone new and purposeful shows up in our lives, just like that! They come at just the right time—sometimes just in the nick of time. This spiritual occurrence speaks to the reality that when the strength of our wills matches our desire for growth, something phenomenal happens.

The problem for some of us is that we never quite get there in our desire for growth and our willingness to avail ourselves to it. Act 17:11(NLT) says,“11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul's message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.” How many of us have this level of enthusiasm for the scriptures after we are born-again? Sure, we’re psyched about laying our burdens down and giving them all to Jesus Christ, but are we excited for the opportunity to learn about him?

Matthew 11:28-30(NLT) tells us of the invitation that Jesus extends to us all: “28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” We can see from this passage that our Lord and Master wants to do more than take our burdens away. He wants to teach us about him so we gain spiritual strength and wisdom, then we can fulfill our purpose and live with greater spiritual power and joy.

Romans 5:5(NLT) declares, “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” This verse affirms that joy is an inside job. We received it when believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and received him into our hearts. Ephesians 1:3 cements this reality by letting us know that God has blessed us with all spiritual blessings and not one has been left out. Our privilege and responsibility are to manifest outwardly what we have received inwardly. We do this by saturated our minds with God’s truth!

Without a fervent desire to know Christ as intimately as he can be known, we deprive ourselves of self-awareness and understanding God’s purpose for our lives in a fuller way. This probably more than any other reason is why our lives feel as though they’ve lost luster. Although there are many exciting things happening in the world, after the emotional euphoria dies out, our lives are not changed. True transformation comes from embracing the Good News about Jesus Christ. He is the source of our joy, and when our motivation is elevated to know him better, our lives will match this.■

The Joy of the Lord!

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