Emotions come in response to stimuli. The stimuli can
come from any of our five senses or it can come from our
thoughts. The mind certainly plays a significant role in
our emotions. It interprets what we see, touch, hear,
feel, or smell.
Great happiness is something all of us have experienced
at times. Most experiences of great joy come when people
are children. As people get older they tend to cushion
themselves from their emotions as a protective device.
This may be good in regards to negative emotions but it
certainly puts a limit on the positive emotions that God
wants to be a wonderful part of our lives.
Since joy is an emotion, it often comes and goes. This
is true of the joy many Christians have because their joy
is usually based upon their present circumstances. If
things are going great, they are joyful. If circumstances
turn negative most Christians become no different from
other people.
Jesus spoke to His disciples about a joy that is not
based upon circumstances.
John 15:
1“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
7If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you
will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
9“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide
in My love. 10If you keep My commandments, you will abide
in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments
and abide in His love.
11“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may
remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Notice this joy would be one that would remain. It
could not be based upon fleeting circumstances or it could
not remain. Notice that the joy can be measured as full or
complete.
The words, “fullness of joy” are also spoken about in
Psalm 16:11. The Psalmist David says
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is
fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures
forevermore.
Fullness of joy comes in the presence of God. If we are
in the presence of God we will experience this joy. Part
of the joy will result from receiving the gifts of a
loving God.
Another scripture that speaks to this subject is Psalm
37:4
Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give
you the desires of your heart.
Delight is the English word used to translate the
Hebrew word aònag (aw-nag'). It is to be effeminately soft
and pliable. It has a sense of yielding to a lover in a
way that brings glorious delight.
As we draw close to our loving Lord, he becomes
delightful to us. He who made us touches every fiber of
our being with His presence and there is a glorious
interaction that brings glorious pleasure to our senses.
In our mind we hear His words of approval like when he
spoke to Jesus and said,
“This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.”
Our heart responds to God’s affirmation with a gushing
of emotion that flows over us. It causes us to express
gratitude, love, and devotion to our God. Great joy washes
over every fiber of our being and is expressed in a
multitude of physical ways. We may leap for joy, cry tears
of joy, vibrate with joy, bow before him with great joy,
shout for joy, etc., etc.
In a real sense, this delightful experience is the
result of becoming “one” with God. Just as God designed
the Man and Woman’s union to be one of unexplainable
delight, so also there is a glorious delight that results
from total surrender and oneness with our Creator. Jesus
prayed that we could experience this in John 17,
20“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those
who will believe in Me through their word; 21that they all
may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that
they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe
that You sent Me. 22And the glory which You gave Me I have
given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23I
in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in
one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me,
and have loved them as You have loved Me.
When we begin to come into this wonderful intimate
relationship with our Creator, He begins to act as a
wealthy lover to us.
He begins to search out the things that would bring us
joy. No wonder the Psalmist said,
“Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give
you the desires of your heart.”
Continue reading about the message of Joy
