TITLE: JOY
MEMORIZE: And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. Acts 13:52
BIBLE READING Acts 13:42-52
[42]And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.
[43]Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
[44]And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
[45]But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
[46]Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
[47]For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
[48]And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
[49]And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
[50]But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.
[51]But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
[52]And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.
MESSAGE
Joy is different from happiness: it is a fruit of the Spirit which doesn’t go away when bad things happen.
The joy of a Christian comes from the knowledge he/she has about God.
The joy from the Holy Spirit comes from knowing the Lord and believing that He is greater than anything bad that might happen to us.
Even when unpleasant things happen, you will feel sad but still have joy deep inside, knowing that God has your back.
Happiness, on the other hand, is based on material things. For example, what you feel when you pass an examination is happiness and not Joy.
When your parents buy a new car, that feeling is happiness. Thus, one of the reasons people become sad when they get disappointed is because they don’t have joy, they only occasionally get happy when good things happen to them.
A child of God never loses his/her joy even when situations around him/her are not good because the Holy Spirit, the well of joy, lives inside him/her.
Depression and Suicidal thoughts don’t linger in the hearts of joyful children of God.
REFLECTION
Do you have joy?
HYMN 1 – BE GLAD IN THE LORD AND REJOICE
- Be glad in the Lord and rejoice,
All ye that are upright in heart;
And ye that have made Him your choice,
Bid sadness and sorrow depart.
CHORUS
Rejoice! Rejoice!..
Be glad in the Lord and Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice!.
Be glad in the Lord and Rejoice!
- Be joyful for He is the Lord,
On earth and in heaven supreme;
He fashions and rules by His words;
The “Mighty” and “Strong” to redeem. - What tho’ in the conflict for right
Your enemies almost prevail!
God’s armies, just hid from your sight,
Are more than the foes which assail. - Thơ’ darkness Surround you by day,
Your sky by the night be o’er cast,
Let nothing your spirit dismay.
But trust till the danger is past. - Be glad in the Lord and rejoice,
His praises proclaiming in song:
With harp, and with organ, and voice,
The loud hallelujahs prolong!
BIBLE READING IN ONE YEAR: Isaiah 12-14
AUTHORS: PASTOR E.A ADEBOYE
PASTOR MRS FOLU ADEBOYE