“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV)
The joy of the Lord is a supernatural gift where there is true gladness, a transcendental happiness inside of our hearts even in difficult circumstances. {…} “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10 NIV)
This fruit of the Spirit is not a transient emotion; it is a state of unconditional spiritual fullness, wholeness, completeness. The joy of the world is temporary, partial, but not the joy of God.
As you yield and surrender to the Holy Spirit, your behavior changes turning into a reflection of the life of the Messiah. That is a direct reference to what was established by Christ:
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vintner. 2 He cuts off every branch that does not produce fruit in me, and he cuts back every branch that does produce fruit, so that it might produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of what I’ve spoken to you.4 Abide in me, and I will abide in you. Just as the branch cannot produce fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Unless a person abides in me, he is thrown away like a pruned branch and dries up. People gather such branches, throw them into a fire, and they are burned up. 7If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you can ask for anything you want, and you’ll receive it. 8 This is how my Father is glorified, when you produce a lot of fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 Just as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. So abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you’ll abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I’ve told you this, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.”(John 15: 1-11 ISV)
Only by emulating Jesus can we bear fruits that please and glorify the Father. Far from Christ we are a dead vine that cannot bear fruit. Without Jesus, we would still be in a state of sin, banned from the Kingdom of God. Because He died for us and left us precise guidelines for our behavior and a Comforter to guide us through, we can be a fruitful vine, joyous in Him. The Son’s joy was to obey the Father. That joy is conveyed to us in redemption, making us complete by justification.
So I beseech you, receive Christ as your Savior, surrender to God and yield to the Holy Spirit and EN-JOY!!!
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