This week we continued talking about how to defeat giants in
the promised land using the fruit of the Spirit. We should do our best to demonstrate these
traits, but the real, authentic fruit can come only from the Spirit of God
inside of us. Last week we discussed
love, the source of all the fruit of the Spirit.
This week we talked about joy. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit, though we
neglect to tap into it because we mistake happiness for joy. We defined
happiness as the flesh/soul counterfeit of joy.
It should be the fruit of joy. Happiness
is outside stimuli satisfying the soul, penetrating the heart and then cutting
off the Spirit. Seeking happiness will
never go beyond gratifying he flesh. Therefore we tend to go to fleshly sources
to gain happiness.
Ephesians 5:15 says that our days and time are a resource
which if wasted are evil. Ephesians 5:18
says that instead of getting drunk on wine (seeking joy from a fleshly source), that we should seek the Spirit for
that satisfaction and joy. Your eternity is connected to whether God knows you,
but our life here on earth depends on whether we know God.
Don't get me wrong, happiness is a good thing. But it is fleeting. When you tap into God's joy, you will find that happiness can be a common fruit. I'm not saying it always produces happiness, but it does produce true happiness.
James 1:2-4 tells us that we should count it all joy when we find ourselves being tried and tested -- in other words, when junk happens. We find joy when we learn to look at things the way Jesus did... Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.
Thankfully, it is unlikely any of us will have to endure anything like Christ did, but the point is that He could do so because He could see the other side. He knew what it would produce. In James 1:4 it says that enduring will produce perseverance and leave us lacking nothing. This is because we truly learn to trust God.
Now, understand that God is not the one testing you. James 1:13-15 explains that to us. However, when junk comes in life (and it will), make your reaction to tap into His joy inside you. He knows that if you do that you will become stronger and more able to overcome anything the enemy brings your way.
Don't get me wrong, happiness is a good thing. But it is fleeting. When you tap into God's joy, you will find that happiness can be a common fruit. I'm not saying it always produces happiness, but it does produce true happiness.
James 1:2-4 tells us that we should count it all joy when we find ourselves being tried and tested -- in other words, when junk happens. We find joy when we learn to look at things the way Jesus did... Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.
Thankfully, it is unlikely any of us will have to endure anything like Christ did, but the point is that He could do so because He could see the other side. He knew what it would produce. In James 1:4 it says that enduring will produce perseverance and leave us lacking nothing. This is because we truly learn to trust God.
Now, understand that God is not the one testing you. James 1:13-15 explains that to us. However, when junk comes in life (and it will), make your reaction to tap into His joy inside you. He knows that if you do that you will become stronger and more able to overcome anything the enemy brings your way.
This week, take the small opportunities before you to find
joy. Practice in small things so that
when bigger things come up, joy will be your reaction.
To listen to the entire sermon go to http://ahwatukeechurch.com/ and click on online media. To learn more about Living Word Ahwatukee, visit http://ahwatukeechurch.com/.
To listen to the entire sermon go to http://ahwatukeechurch.com/ and click on online media. To learn more about Living Word Ahwatukee, visit http://ahwatukeechurch.com/.
To listen to the entire sermon go to http://ahwatukeechurch.com/ and click on
online media. To learn more about Living
Word Ahwatukee, visit http://ahwatukeechurch.com/.
