The Fruit Of Spirit
Part 2 - Joy
Will I let the Holy Spirit guide my life, or will I be led by my sinful nature? Galatians 5:16-25 (NLT):
“16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.
19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”
So, how will I live? Will I let the Holy Spirit guide my life, or will I be led by my sinful nature?
When I Let The Holy Spirit Guide My Life, My Life Looks Like This:
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control
When I Let My Sinful Nature Guide My Life, My Life Looks Like This:
Sexual Immorality, Impurity, Lustful Pleasures, Idolatry, Sorcery, Hostility, Quarreling, Jealousy, Outbursts Of Anger, Selfish Ambition, Dissension, Division, Envy, Drunkenness, Wild Parties, and Other Sins Like These.
The Guiding Force of My Life Produces The Fruit In My Life. Fruit is the outcome of who we are and who we connect with John 15:4-5 “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Fruit Grows In The Soil Of Intimacy. Fruit Is A By-Product Of Connection. Fruit Is The Outcome Of A Relationship:
Fruit is not about our intensity, but our intimacy.
Fruit is not about our effort, but our engagement.
Fruit is not about our power, but His Presence.
When my connection breaks down, my fruit dries out. You can’t force fruit.
Fruit #1 LOVE I Corinthians 13 1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us.”
Fruit #2: Joy
1 John 15:11-12 “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”
Nehemiah 8:10 “Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Gems About Joy:
Joy God’s Best Life For You Is JOY John 15:11-12
Joy Is Not A Remote Destination But A Daily Journey I Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Joy Is Internal and Based On The Eternal, While Happiness Is External and Based On The Situational Phil.4:4.
Joy Gives Strength Nehemiah 8:10
Luke 4:18-19:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor and healing for the broken-hearted. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Jesus Identifies 5 Aspects Of Depression:
1. Feeling
2. Feeling
3. Feeling
4. Feeling
5. Feeling
Joy is not automatic, but it is something we create as an outcome of connection. So how?
Creating Joy
1) Get Healed “Healing For The Brokenhearted”
If we don’t deal with our pain, our pain will deal with us…
Issues With
Issues With
Issues With
2) Get Free “Freedom For The Prisoners”
Hebrews 1:9 “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above
your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” Where freedom goes, joy flows! Sin causes depression. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom – 2 Corinthians 3:17:
Get Free Of
Get Free Of
Get Free Of
3) Get Busy “Recovery Of Sight For The Blind”
Ephesians 2:10 Happy people are busy people…
John 4:34 When purpose walks in, emptiness walks out!
Psalm 139:13-18 When purpose walks in, worthlessness walks out!
Proverbs 29:18 When purpose walks in, pain walks out!
Living life without a reason is dangerous to our mental and emotional health! We are happiest when we do what we were born to do Ephesians 2:10.
4) Get Gratitude “Release The Oppressed”…
Psalm 147:1 “…How good it is to sing praises to our God…” Gratitude is about focus and faith Hebrews 11:6. When gratitude consumes us, joy completes us Isaiah 61:3: “…to provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness…”
Top 5 Benefits Of Gratitude:
A) Attitude Adjustment Psalm 3
B) Intense Intimacy Psalm 100; Psalm 22:3
C) Vision & Voice 2 Kings 3:13-16; Psalm 95:1-7
D) Winning Warfare Psalm 149
E) Depression Decrease Isaiah 61:1-3. We trade despair for a garment of praise.
5) Get Choosing “A Crown Of Beauty Instead Of Ashes”…
Isaiah 61:1-3 You Choose: Beauty or Ashes? Isaiah 61:3: “…to provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness…” Mental fitness is a choice. Joy is a choice.
6) Get In Touch “The Oil Of Joy Instead Of Mourning”
Get In Touch The Oil Of Joy or Mourning? Isaiah 61:3: “…to provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness…”
The Bible speaks of the oil of joy instead of mourning. Literally, “oil” speaks of the presence of the Holy Spirit. When we tap into the presence of the Holy Spirit, we have joy. Psalm 16:11 “You will show me the path of life; in your Presence is fullness of joy; at your right Hand are pleasures forevermore.” When the Holy Spirit fills your heart, depression leaves your life.
Getting In Touch With The Holy Spirit is the key to joy:
Psalm 4:6-8 The Psalmist was full of joy in the Spirit…
Luke 10:21 Jesus was full of joy through the Holy Spirit…
Acts 13:52 The disciples were filled with joy & the Holy Spirit…
Romans 14:17 The Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit!
Galatians 5:22 Joy is a fruit of the Spirit!
7) Get Community “THEY Will Be Called Oaks Of Righteousness”
THEY Will Be Called Oaks Of Righteousness “THEY” Isaiah 61:3-4:
“…to provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”
Isolation leads to depression, while community leads to completion.
“ONE ANOTHER” PASSAGES IN SCRIPTURE…
The phrase “one another” is derived from the Greek word allelon which means “one another, each other; mutually, reciprocally.” It occurs 100 times in the New Testament.
POSITIVE COMMANDS:
Love one another (John 13:34 - This command occurs at least 16 times)
Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)
Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10)
Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)
Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Accept one another (Romans 15:7)
Admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16)
Care for and serve one another (1 Corinthians 12:25; Galatians 5:13)
Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2)
Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13)
Be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13)
Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25)
Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32)
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19)
Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21: 1 Peter 5:5)
Consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3)
Look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4)
Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13)
Teach one another (Colossians 3:16)
Comfort and encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13)
Stir up [provoke, stimulate] one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24)
Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
Use the gifts God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10)
Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5)
Pray for one another (James 5:16)
Confess your faults to one another (James 5:16)
NEGATIVE COMMANDS (how NOT to treat one another):
Do not lie to one another (Colossians 3:9), judge one another (Romans 14:13), bite and devour one another (Galatians 5:15), envy one another (Galatians 5:26), slander one another (James 4:11), or grumble against each other (James 5:9)
We are “members of one another” (Romans 12:5; Ephesians 4:25).
