Written by bruce r mills for www.Godsmanforever.com Revised from 8/31/2015
“How to Find Joy in the Lord”
1 Peter 1:7… that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, (NKJV)
Today I write about joy… You may wonder why I chose to open today’s writing with a scripture verse speaking about faith… I chose this scripture, because it goes hand in hand with the kind of “inexpressible” joy the apostle Peter speaks about in the next verse, that I want to share with you today…
This genuine faith the apostle Peter is writing about in the opening scripture, is the kind of faith you must have, that even through the worst trial of your life (where your faith will be “tested by fire”), it will still remain strong… This faith is originally given to the believer by God, and is called saving faith…because only God can change the will of the unbeliever… For our mortal will to be changed, we must first be drawn in by God (John 6:44), before our hardened heart of stone is regenerated by Him, as we are graced with salvation… (See note at the end for more about God’s grace, through saving faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ)…
But once the new Christian is filled with the Holy Spirit, at the moment they become a redeemed child of God (John 14:26), the growth of this faith will only occur when the new Christian remains focused upon the Lord… I am going to re-post the link to an answered question about “what does renewing your mind mean ?”(Romans 12:1-2)…that I used in my writing the other day, titled… “How Big is Our God ??”… This gives us suggestions on how to best to find continuous joy in the Lord… http://www.gotquestions.org/renewing-the-mind.html
Here is a quote from this link, which I would like to share with you… “The only way to replace the error of the world’s way of thinking is to replace it with God’s truth, and the only infallible source of God’s truth is found in his revealed word, the Bible.Transformation through renewed minds comes as believers expose themselves to God’s Word through the faithful exposition of it each week in church, personal Bible study and group Bible study. A solid church that believes in preaching the Word, reading the Word and singing the Word is invaluable in helping us renew our minds.”
My friends, spending time (hopefully daily) feeding upon God’s Word (Matthew 4:4), is how we as Christians best equip ourselves to fight the spiritual warfare every Christian will find themselves engaged in…after they become a redeemed child of God… The apostle Paul tells us who we as Christians must be prepared to battle, in…
Ephesians 6:12… For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but again st principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (NKJV)
God’s Word is described by the apostle Paul, as the sword of the Spirit…which is the only offensive weapon in the 6 pieces of spiritual armor the apostle Paul writes about, in…Ephesians 6:10-20… Here is the link describing what the apostle Paul pens about God’s whole set of protective spiritual armor, worn to fend off Satan’s attacks… http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=eph%206%3A10-20&version=NKJV;KJV
When the Christian focuses on the Lord as the most important Person in their life…spends time in God’s Word to put on the “Whole Armor of God”…and takes the apostle James’ advice…and submits their life to God (James 4:7-8)…their life will be transformed by the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit living with-in them…
The apostle Peter goes on, after the opening scripture, with this, in…
1 Peter 1:8… whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (NKJV)
I believe this “inexpressible” joy the apostle Peter is speaking about, is the same God given joy Jesus tries to explain to His disciples, at the “Last Supper”, as recorded in…
John 15:10-12…
“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. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you”
My friends, Jesus is giving His disciples some last minute advice on His 2 most important commandments, which Jesus previously gave to us in…Matthew 22:36-40… When we as Christians are able to keep these 2 commandments…the apostle Paul so eloquently and accurately pens this, from…
Ephesians 3:19…we will “know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
This supernatural “love of Christ which passes knowledge”, and the “inexpressible” joy allowing us as Christians to “be filled with all the fullness of God”…is indeed Christ’s joy with-in us, filling us with His joy, so that our “joy may be full”…
Love, joy, and peace are the first 3 (and I believe the most important) of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), which are the 9 “Christ like” attributes that should be growing in the life of the true disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ… This spiritual, lifelong growth process (commonly known as progressive sanctification), means the disciple of Christ is being conformed day by day into the image of Christ…Romans 8:29… Here is a link for more about what is called progressive sanctification… https://www.gotquestions.org/progressive-sanctification.html
This renewing of our mind (Romans 12:1-2) is something we as Christians should be seeking the Lord’s help to accomplish each and every morning, as we wake up and pray to the Lord…in preparation to wage spiritual warfare with Satan and his fallen demon angels… I call it…“putting on the Lord Jesus Christ”, as the apostle Paul pens, in…Romans 13:11-14…
You will notice in this scripture, the apostle Paul’s comparison of putting on the armor of light, to putting on the Lord Jesus Christ… In our own mortal strength, we will fail most every time… But in the full power of the Holy Spirit, we as Christians should be able to defeat Satan every time…1 John 4:4… And by this same supernatural power working in us, we should be able to keep our flesh pretty much in check… (The tongue is my biggest problem) This will only become a reality, if we remain focused on the Lord, and remain in humble submission to the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit that God has given to all of His redeemed children…
Heavenly Father, help all of Your children to find joy in the Lord (even through life’s toughest trials), as we do our best to submit to Your will and Your ways… I pray for this fullness of Christ, and the joy it will bring into all of our lives, in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…
Blessings in Christ, bruce
P.S. Here is a link for this most important days writing, about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, after first being drawn in by God…John 6:44… https://godsmanforever.wordpress.com/2013/07/11/gods-group-thoughts-for-7112013-the-truth-about-sin/
Picture credit: https://www.google.com/search?q=picture+joy+in+the+Lord+Bible&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjRtqSd5ePXAhVPkeAKHQeBAy8QsAQIKA&biw=975&bih=617#imgrc=err945gLi9CVgM:
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
About Godsmanforever
I present posts about God's Word, with a personal focus on how God's grace is received through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ... Sinners must understand and obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ... See this link for more...
https://godsmanforever.com/2014/10/26/the-truth-about-sin-10262014-by-bruce-reposted-from-7112013/
God's group 