Christians have no option but to be joyful. The Bible reminds this in very direct and clear terms.
Neither the burden of sin or hopeless situations can create a road block for them in their journey to Joy. You can read these in a separate blog post after August 18th 2024, click here.
But, here we read powerful truths, Bible based reasons to be joyful. And the rest of the reasons are intentionally left out for you to read from the Bible yourself and discover yourself. Remember there is no substitute to daily Bible reading and meditating on Bible verses one is quickened about. And God who has shown me reasons for joy will also show you verses which will remind you why you should be joyful.
1) You are loved by the same love of God towards Jesus Christ.
This is an amazing and mind blowing truth. As we get to understand this truth and comprehend this matter, we will keep singing or most often we will keep singing and dancing all day and all night. Either physically or do you know that you can rejoice in the mind and dance. You may ask, where is this mentioned? What is the proof that this statement is true?
Read John 15:9
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.”
This is very direct. There is no confusion or lack of clarity. Jesus says that just as the Father God loves Him(i.e. Jesus), He (i.e. Jesus) has loved us i.e. loved you and me.
2) You have full joy as the Joy of Jesus is within you.
Jesus Christ tells us amazing truths like the one mentioned above so that the Joy of Jesus is within every Christian. The reason Jesus shares these is so that the Christian believers’ joy is full. Here is the specific verse mentioned in Gospel of John 15th chapter, verse 11
Read John 15:11
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
At least a few of you may be wondering, what’s the verse John 19:10 which is the verse between verse John 15:9 mentioned within point 1 and verse John 15:10 mentioned as point 2. Here is the verses
John 15:9,10
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
3) You are a friend of Jesus Christ!
This is such a super amazing privilege. Can you believe that you and I are called the friend of our Lord and God Jesus Christ. You can remember the confidence and joy with which any friend of any ruler of a country will walk and talk. The ruler can be a king of the country, a president of your country, or a Prime Minister of a country. Read this again and again, Yes, you are called a friend by our savior and Lord of our life.
John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
4) You get what you desire.
Yes a Christian has all the above great privileges. And once again things go to the next level. He gets what he asks from the Father God in the name of Jesus Christ. Yes this is a bank cheque. Nothing limiting. Follow through Gospel of John 15:9-16.
The verse John 15:16b is given below.
Whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
We also know that a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12)
So it’s important to have desires. And remember as your desires get fulfilled your life becomes richer and extended.
Since it’s important to get the context of the word ‘whatever’ here are verses which will help us in understanding the background of ‘whatever you desire’.
John 15:9-15 NKJV
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
As we read the above passage, we understand that keeping commandments of the Lord is a key to abiding in the Love of Jesus. In verse 9, he clearly points to a testimony how someone else also abided in the love of father God by keeping to His commandments. Keeping commandments means obeying commandments. Thus knowing the commandments is the key to obeying the commandments. And we know that the two commandments that summarize all other commandments is Loving God with one’s whole heart and strength etc. The second commandment is loving one’s brothers and sisters as oneself. Here its important that everyone loves oneself, since without loving oneself well, loving your brothers and sisters is not possible, practical, feasible.
So love God to the fullest extent with your whole heart and life.
Love your brother and sister, love your neighbor as you love yourself.
This will certainly include your family members, neighbors who are physically near you and your brothers and sisters in faith and your neighbors in faith.
All these will lead you to the place where you have a blank cheque where whatever you ask Father God in the name of Jesus Christ, you will receive.
Stand erect, sit erect, walk steadily with energy and enthusiasm in your steps. Fill your heart and mind with hope and joy. Your joy is all because of what Jesus Christ has achieved for you.
His death has freed you from the grip of sin, chains of free. Remember you have resurrected with Jesus christ. You are a new creation. All limitations about you have passed away, fear, anxiety, sorrow has passed away, all old things about you have passed away.
Remember your situations are circumstances that never influence you. Your hope and expectancy is all because of what Jesus Christ has given you and what Jesus Christ has gained for you.
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;
Let them ever shout for joy, because You [a]defend them;
Let those also who love Your name
Be joyful in You.
For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;
With favor You will surround him as with a shield. ( Psalm 5:11-12 NKJV)
When we base our reason for Joy on Jesus, we have fullness of Joy. We have joy from now on until all eternity. We have hitched our “Joy wagon” our “reason for joy” on Jesus Christ our Lord and savior. He is Lord of all, He is unchanging. He is the eternal one!
Very much excited for you!
