Wednesday Sermon by Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

JOY – THE SECRET OF JOY

SERIES: THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

TEXT: GALATIANS 5:22-23, NEHEMIAH 8:10

 

What is the difference between happiness and joy? Happiness is external, but joy is internal. Joy is the fruit of the spirit, happiness is the fruit of external conditions.

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice, food and sweet drinks and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength”-Nehemiah 8:10.

How long do you believe you could smile and keep on smiling without stopping? How long could you hold a smile on your face?

The Guinness world book of records is 10 hours and 5 minutes. Lisa Lester, a little girl smiled for 10 hours and 5 minutes without breaking that smile. The previous record has 7 hours and 32 minutes and then she had to stop smiling.

Today we are talking about joy that goes far beyond a smile.

A smile is outward but joy is inward. A smile can last a few hours, joy is eternal.

Do you know what the shortest verse in the Bible is? You say “Jesus wept”-John 11:35. John 11:35 is the shortest in English, but in Greek the shortest verse is 1st Thess. 5:16, “Rejoice evermore.”

We live in a generation that is ever seeking happiness and never finding it. Let us learn:-

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAPPINESS AND JOY.

  1. What is happiness?
  1. “Don’t worry, be happy.” Everything thinks that is good advise.
  • That is a terrible advise. You are not going to be happy all of the time because happiness depends on what happens.
  1. Happiness depends on what happens. That is why we call it “happiness” because if depends on what “happens.”
  2. If your day is good you are happy, if your day is bad, you are unhappy.
  • If you put your trust in happiness, then you are going to be a victim of circumstances. Because they will change.
  1. But you so see, God never changes. That is why the Bible says, “Rejoice in the Lord” and because God never changes the Bible says, “Rejoice evermore.”
  1. Contrast between happiness and joy-Phil. 4:4.
  1. Happiness is like cosmetics, joy is like character.
  2. Happiness comes from outside circumstances, joy comes from within.
  3. Happiness meets surface needs, joy meets your deepest needs.
  4. Happiness is like the thermometer; it registers conditions, joy is like the thermostat, it regulates conditions.
  5. Happiness evaporates in times of suffering but joy frequently intensifies in times of suffering.
  6. Happiness functions best when it is rooted in joy. Joy doesn’t depend on happiness and functions better when happiness is taken away.
  7. It is cruel to say to people in suffering, “smile and be happy”-people cannot smile all the time.
  8. The Bible says of Jesus-Isa 53, that Jesus was a “man of sorrows and well acquainted with grief” yet He was “anointed with the oil of gladness above fellows.”
  9. This life we live is a life of tragedy and sorrow and heartbreak and pain and woe.
  • Yet in sorrow and heartbreak and trouble, you still can have joy.

WHY IS JOY SO IMPORTANT?

  1. For wining people to Christ.
  1. Nothing is more attractive to lost people than the joy of the Lord.
  • A cold, dry faith has no appeal to sinners.
  • When David the Psalm writer sinned he lost his joy and could not bring people to Christ.
  1. When David repented, he wrote Psalm 51:12-13.

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me by your generous spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners shall be converted to you.”

  • David was telling God, “when I get my joy back, I will be a soul winner!!
  1. Joy is the proof that what we have is real and is satisfying. Joy is necessary to bringing unsaved people to Jesus Christ.
  1. For living the christian life.
  1. “The joy of the Lord is your strength”-Neh. 8:10, Matt. 25:21-23, “Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
  • God is a joyful God. “In His presence is fullness of joy” Psalm 16:11. Get into His presence and you too will be filled with joy.
  1. It is God’s joy that lubricates life and lifts the burdens. Its joy that takes the weariness out of life.
  2. There are times when you and I are weary and spiritually drained, but when we begin to praise the Lord, our strength and vitality are renewed.

FOUR BASIC INGREDIENTS THAT BRING YOU JOY.

  1. A cleansed life.
  1. Joy comes by peace with GOD and peace with GOD comes by the grace of GOD.
  • The grace of God brings justification and justification brings joy.
  1. What is justification? It is a legal term.
  • The Bible says that because we have faith in Jesus Christ “righteousness” is “credited” to us. It is bookkeeping term.
  • When you have faith in Christ God credits your heavenly accounts with “righteousness.”
  1. Imagine that your life and all the things you have done are recorded in God’s book. Every idle word, every vain or evil thought, every lie, lust, stealing, cursing, hate, jealousy and envy, are all there in the ledger book on one YOUR SIDE.
  2. In justification, God takes all these things you have done and puts them on the side of Jesus. And Jesus writes across all these sins, “paid in full” with the red blood of calvary.
  • But justification is not compete yet.
  1. Then God takes all the righteousness, holiness and purity of Jesus side of the ledger and puts it on your side. And He inputs to your righteousness all that is called justification.
  1. When that happens, we are clean and that brings a lot of joy.
  • Jesus said, “Don’t rejoice that the demons are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
  1. What takes the joy out of your life after being justified (sin). Sin destroys the fellowship/joy.
  • David prayed “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation”-Psalm 51:12.
  1. No earthly event can take this joy out of your heart, only sin can. “Blessed are you when you are persecuted.” My joy should increase.
  2. But if my reaction to persecution is bad, I will lose my joy.
  3. The most miserable person on earth is not the sinner. It is the saved man who is out of fellowship with God, who lost the joy of his salvation-Psalm 51:1-19.
  1. Confidence.
  1. “Rejoice in hope” means confidence based upon the word of God.
  2. A christian knows that no matter what happens, God is working all things together for good for them that love God, those who are called-Romans 8:28.
  3. The worst word in the English language is “hopeless.”
  4. We have joy in tribulations-Heb. 10:34, “You accepted joyfully the confidence of your property.”
  5. The Bible never says rejoice in your house, land, car, shop, jewelry, your looks but rejoice in the Lord.
  1. Commitment-Rom. 5:1-2.
  2. Communion-Rom. 5:11. Phil. 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always”
  • When you commune with the Lord Jesus Christ, His joy comes into you.

CONCLUSION

  • Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit-Gal. 5:22.
  • Te joy of the Lord is your strength-Neh. 8:10.
  • Joy is a manifestation of the spirit filled life.
  • Do you have the joy of God in your soul?
  • Do you want the joy of the Lord in your life? Get saved, be filled, walk in the spirit of God, the days of your life
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Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

Rev, Dr. Willy Mutiso is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Athiriver. He is widely known for his practical and dynamic teaching style which helps people apply the timeless truths of Scripture to their everyday lives.

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