“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 13:52
Joy is not just a mood or emotion; it is a state of being. Being joyful is a position of being lifted up, being light-hearted, being filled with gladness. Joy is the result of a heart that is full and satisfied to the point of overflowing. Joy is the heart of a victorious one, a winner. No matter the situation, the joyful one knows faith in God to overcome.
There is a difference between experiencing your joy and knowing a joy supplied by the Holy Spirit. Human joy is typically subject to present circumstances. If the situation is good, then joy usually increases. If the circumstances are bad, then joy could decline. However, joy supplied by the Holy Spirit is not based on circumstances; it is grounded in the truth of our position in Christ and in the authority of God’s Word. The reality of spiritual truth triumphs over present situations, human relationships, emotional feelings or intellectual perspectives. Present circumstances are subject to change; God’s Word is not subject to change. Present circumstances are temporary; God’s Word is eternal. Therefore, joy supplied by the Holy Spirit will cause a person to be lifted up when the chips are down. Joy supplied by the Holy Spirit will cause a person to laugh out loud when pressures are closing in. It isn’t natural. It’s supernatural, and the Holy Spirit is the One who puts the super in the supernatural.
Consider the Apostle Paul. In his ministry, many received him, but many more opposed him. They beat him, whipped him, imprisoned him, stoned him, and left him for dead. However, this same Paul said in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” He said in Acts 20:24 “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy…” In Romans 15:13 Paul prays, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” In II Corinthians Paul wrote that they were, “fellow workers for your joy; for by faith you stand.” In II Corinthians 7:4 Paul wrote, “…I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.” He wrote about a joy of the Spirit in I Thessalonians 1:6 “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit.” How could Paul write these verses and more about the joy of the Lord? Because Paul knew that joy was more than a feeling; it was a supernatural result of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Application: Stir up joy in your heart. God has placed His joy in you by the Holy Spirit. It’s a spiritual happening, so look to the spirit and rejoice!