Joy from the Spirit..Craig Denison Ministries

 Joy from the Spirit

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

As children of the Most High God, we are to be marked by contagious, unceasing joy. Through the Holy Spirit we have access to an unending supply of joy that comes from the wellspring of restored relationship with our heavenly Father. God longs to fill us with his joy that we might live the abundant life Jesus died to give us. He longs to make us children fashioned in the image of our Father that we might share his unending joy to a world without hope. May you discover the greater portion of joy available to you through the Spirit as you encounter the heart of your Father this week.

Scripture:“And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7

Devotional:    

Relationship with the Holy Spirit empowers us to live a lifestyle of consistent joy. It’s only by the filling of the Spirit that we have access to the deep reservoirs of joy found in the heart of our heavenly Father. Galatians 5:22 is clear that the fruit of the Spirit for believers is to be joy, so as temples of the Holy Spirit we need to search out what it looks like to allow the fruit of joy to be evident in our hearts and lives.

Scripture is filled with direct connections between the filling of the Holy Spirit and joy. Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52 says, “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 says, “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”

We are not designed to have joy in ourselves. Rather, such joy comes by the dwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. As the disciples began to be filled with the Holy Spirit, their lives changed dramatically. They went from fearful, fair-weathered followers of Jesus to joy-filled, sacrificial, and empowered world changers. They had joy in the midst of intense persecution because they had the Holy Spirit filling them with the fruits of his indwelling.

We have the same Holy Spirit the disciples had, and he longs to do the same kind of works in you and me today as he did in them thousands of years ago. He longs to fill us with joy in the midst of any trial or pain. He longs to heal and transform our hearts into greater reflections of God’s goodness. He longs to make us a people so joyful that there is no other explanation for our joy other than God is with us.

So, how do we allow the Spirit to bear the fruit of joy in our lives? How do we grow in our relationship with this mysterious part of the Godhead? It all starts with a posture of humility and prayer. The Holy Spirit never forces us into deeper relationship with him. He is peaceful, powerful, loving, and patient. You must make time to respond to his small tugs on your heart in order to walk in greater relationship with him. You must humble yourself and ask for more of him, whatever that looks like. Allow the truth of God’s love and faithfulness to cast out any fear or reservation about a lifestyle of total connection with the Holy Spirit. Ask him to fill you to overflowing today and guide you to a lifestyle of bearing the fruit of intimate relationship with him.

The Spirit knows how to guide our hearts. He knows if we were made more introverted or extroverted. He knows if we were made more intuitive, pragmatic, or logical. And he knows the perfect ways to guide us into deeper, more fruitful lives. Spend time allowing the Spirit to lead you into a life filled with more joy. Allow him to speak to you and lead you in whatever ways he desires. And rest in his loving presence as you learn what it is to reach greater depths of relationship with him.           

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on the importance of relationship with the Holy Spirit in having joy. Allow Scripture to stir up your desire for deeper intimacy with the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”Galatians 5:22-23

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17

“And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal his nearness. Ask him to help you become more aware of his presence in your life.

3. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to greater depths of joy. Ask him to bear the fruit of joy in your life throughout any and every circumstance. Spend time allowing him to show you what might be in your way and the portion of joy afforded to you by his dwelling within you.

The absolute best way we can live is in total and complete surrender to the Holy Spirit. When we allow him to take the reins of our lives, he guides us to far greener and more abundant pastures than we could ever find ourselves. He has the ability and desire to lead us into the fullness of God’s plans for our lives, but we must be willing to follow him wherever he would lead us. Follow his direction today. Look for his guidance. And walk into a life filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit.

Extended Reading: Romans 8

Soldiers for Christ..Dr. Charles Stanley

 Soldiers for Christ

Dr. Charles Stanley

2 Timothy 2:1-4

Today's passage is from Paul's letter to Timothy. The apostle encourages the young man—and, by extension, every believer—to face difficulty as a good soldier. The military term "soldier" implies that we are in a battle. And in fact, the combat started before Adam and Eve's lifetime. 

We see the first evidence when almighty God, who had created all the celestial beings, nevertheless allowed Satan and other angels (thereafter known as "demons") to rebel against Him. They established their own kingdom and waged war with the Lord.

Later we see this strife extend to all humankind. In the Garden of Eden, Satan tempted Eve to violate God's command by eating forbidden fruit. Her disobedience corrupted mankind's innocence, and ever since, all human beings have been born with a nature bent away from the Lord—and with a profound need for a Savior.

Tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Jesus modeled how to be victorious in spiritual conflict: by means of Scripture. God's Word gives us everything we need to win—from offensive and defensive weapons (Eph. 6:10-17) to the proper perspective on our adversaries' real identity: "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the . . . spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" (v. 12).

When we see ungodliness in our society, the Enemy may at times seem to be winning. Yet we who are saved have assurance that we belong to Him who is greater—and who will have the final victory (1 John 4:4; John 16:33). View daily battles biblically and look to God, who is mightier than all evil.

Understanding the Role You Play in Evangelism..Clarence L. Haynes Jr.

 Understanding the Role You Play in Evangelism

By Clarence L. Haynes Jr. 

“When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment. “- John 16:8

I grew up in NYC, and the doorbell would ring on a typical Saturday morning. When I looked to see who it was, I thought there would be someone from the local Kingdom Hall wanting to offer me the latest edition of The Watchtower magazine. You may know I am talking about Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many people used to get annoyed when they rang their doorbell, but I didn’t. I saw this as an opportunity to share the truth with them, so I always invited them in. Usually, they could not do it on the spot, so we would schedule a time for them to return to my house. 

Sunday afternoons after I got home from church always seemed the best time. Before they arrived, I would get prepared. I would study and have all my reasons to show them the truth from Scripture and why what they believed about Jesus, the Trinity, and other doctrines was wrong. A typical conversation would include dialogue, where we would exchange questions and answers, which would go on for an hour or two. I would show them the truth from Scripture to the best of my ability. I thought they saw this, and I would wait to see how they would respond. Those conversations never led to any further conversions, and afterward, I would ask myself questions. How could I show them the truth, and they miss something so plain to see? Did I fail in my efforts to win them to Jesus?

Years later, I now understand my conversation with those Jehovah’s Witnesses was not a failure. Here’s why. In evangelism or sharing your faith, there is a role you must play, and here it is.

Your job is to tell and compel.
With witnessing, your part is to tell someone and compel them to listen and respond to the truth. That is all you can do. Sometimes we miss what our responsibility is. We think our job is to save people. That is not what God has called us to do. God wants us to go out and tell people. When we share the gospel with people or tell people the truth from Scripture in love, we have done our part. After that, the Holy Spirit steps in.

The Holy Spirit’s job is to convict and convince.
Once we do our part, the Holy Spirit takes over. Our job is to tell. His job is to convict. In Greek, the word convict can also mean to convince with solid, compelling evidence, expose, prove wrong, refute, or show one’s fault. The Holy Spirit takes the truth we share with people and makes it come alive to them. When someone experiences conviction, they know what they are doing, or thinking is wrong. That role is beyond our ability, and we must depend on the Holy Spirit to do that.

This is also true with the things people believe. The Holy Spirit takes the truth and helps people see that what they believe, specifically about Jesus, themselves, or salvation, is wrong. When he does this work, a person’s understanding of truth becomes like scales falling from their eyes, and suddenly, they can see. When I think back to the days of sharing the truth with the Jehovah’s Witnesses, they could not understand it because either the Holy Spirit did not reveal it to them, or he did, but they rejected it.

Just keep telling the truth.
From now on, whenever you share the gospel or the truth with someone, specifically the truth from God’s Word, pray the Holy Spirit will open their eyes so they can see it. Don’t get discouraged if that person isn’t instantly saved. Keep praying for, telling, and compelling them. Just know when you do this, you have done exactly what God wants you to do. 

Intersecting Faith and Life:
God has called us to plant seeds and water seeds. He never told us to make the seed grow. That is his job.

Further Reading

• 1 Corinthians 3:6-7
• Romans 10:8-17
• 1 Peter 3:15-16

What It Really Means to Be Happy..Jennifer Waddle

 What It Really Means to Be Happy

By Jennifer Waddle

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-4 NKJV

To be considered blessed or prosperous in our culture, is to be affluent in wealth, success, or notoriety. In Psalm 1, however, the Hebrew word for blessed is esher, which means internal happiness and contentment. It has nothing to do with worldly achievements, but rather peace and joy that is rooted in God alone.

The promise of blessedness comes for those who find delight in the Word of the Lord, who meditate on it day and night. Of course, we can’t spend every minute reading the Bible, but we can hide the Word in our hearts and carry the Scriptures with us through every season. It’s not about head-knowledge, but rather heart-knowledge, filling our souls with words of life.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

As people everywhere strive to find happiness, we can look to the Scriptures and know what it really means to be happy.

1. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Delighting in God simply means that we spend time with Him through prayer, Bible study, and worship. For in His presence is fulness of joy. (Psalm 16:11) Not only do we find unexplainable joy when communing with God, we are attuned to His good, pleasing, and perfect will. The desires of our hearts align with His purpose, which produces in us the genuine happiness we long for.

2. Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3

There is absolutely no greater joy than that which is found in the salvation of Jesus Christ. Delivered by the blood of the Lamb and set apart for His glory, we are liberated from sin and shame. No amount of the world’s “happy” can outshine that!

Jesus is a life-giving well, offering Living Water, that we might never thirst again. True happiness is found only in the Savior of the world.

3. He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he. Proverbs 16:20

The old hymn, Trust and Obey, reminds us that there is no other way to be happy, than to put our trust in the Lord and walk in obedience. Unwavering trust leads to peace in every circumstance. Wind or rain, drought or storm, happy is he who trusts in the Lord. (Psalm 40:4)

“Happy” is promised when we plant ourselves firmly on the foundation of God’s Word. Like flourishing trees, planted by streams of water, we will be fruitful and fulfilled, rooted in the best kind of happiness there is.

A Prayer to Yield to God’s Sanctification..Emily Rose Massey

 A Prayer to Yield to God’s Sanctification

By Emily Rose Massey

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6, ESV

I have always been a list maker fueled by accomplishment. At some point, being successful and driven became the meaning behind every breath I took; I found purpose in my performance and productivity. I loved the high from “the hustle” and having my schedule full to the brim. I spent years upon year upon years crowding the margins of my existence, seeking this feeling of accomplishment.

This vicious cycle of constant hustle was all I knew for well over 20 years of my life. I still wrestle with the temptation to find my worth in my productivity and seek my happiness when everything is “perfect.” I am what you may call a recovering “Type A” person. That is an exhausting way to live, and if you are not careful, this mentality will creep into your spiritual life, and soon you will be trying to work to earn God’s favor and love. Have you ever experienced these thoughts regarding your walk with God?

I didn’t pray enough today. I haven’t read my Bible in over a week! Man, why can’t I get over this sin?! I am such a failure! Am I even saved? But as Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, we know that we cannot earn our salvation because it is a gift from God:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.”

 And just as God is sovereign in salvation, He is also sovereign in our sanctification as we learn to partner with Him in our growth in Christ. He is the one in charge of maturing our walk with Him. The same grace that saved us is the very same grace that keeps us and molds us into the image of Christ each new day. From the moment of conversion, we become God’s work-in-progress, and the greatest news of all is that He doesn’t grow weary, stressed, or exhausted with us. He will complete the work He began in us! That is why I love this encouragement from the Apostle Paul in Philippians 1: 

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6, ESV

Our salvation has been gifted to you for the sake of Christ, for His glory, not ours. The gift of having faith in Jesus? God began that work! And if God starts it, God finishes it. We need to lean on His strength and grace and ask for wisdom to walk in obedience. The Holy Spirit is our Helper and will help you walk in God’s will. We don’t have to muster our faith muscles to see that happen. We need to trust God’s plan will be accomplished, not because there is anything good in us, but because of His goodness and faithfulness! 

If you struggle to earn God’s love and forgiveness, run to the throne of grace and ask the Lord to remind your heart of His steadfastness and faithfulness in your life. You are safe in His hand and promise never to lose any of His own and sanctify His children until our final day.

Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to earth to live the perfect life for me, to fulfill the law completely. I trust that His death on the cross paid for my punishment of the curse of the law that I will never be able to uphold. I come boldly to the throne of grace today and receive new mercies that Christ died for me to have. Help me lean upon Your strength and grace today and see the work that You started in me continue until Your glorious return or when I meet You face to face. I trust that You are working in my heart and life and conforming me into the image of Christ day by day. Help me yield to it to Your sanctification. In Jesus’ name, Amen.