The Fruit of the Holy Spirit

Part Two – Joy

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

In part one of this series we learned that Paul encouraged Christians to let the Word of Christ dwell richly within them (Colossians 3:16-17). He also encouraged followers of Christ to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-20). Paul also taught that as believers obeyed the Word, followed the example of Christ and were filled with the Spirit they would manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit.   

 

Galatians 5:22-25

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

 

This bearing of fruit is God’s will for our lives and it brings Him great glory.

 

John 15:8

“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

 

So as we allow God’s Spirit to live in and through us, the Spirit produces a set of Christ-like qualities or virtues within us, the fruit of the Spirit. This fruit of the Spirit is manifested in relationships, in our relationship with God as well as with other followers of Christ. While we might think that the fruit of the Spirit are personal attributes and private virtues, they are more importantly interpersonal qualities, virtues that are a result of people loving and ministering to one another as they let the Word of Christ dwell in them, as they are filled with the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is manifested as we grow spiritually and this fruit is a nine-fold visible attribute of a true Christian life. This fruit is not a list of individual “fruits” from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one nine-fold “fruit” that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, this is the fruit that all Christians should be producing in their new lives in Jesus Christ. In other words, the fruit of the Spirit is a physical manifestation of a Christian’s transformed life. In our last segment we learned about “agape” love. Now we study joy.

 

The Greek word for joy used in Galatians is “chara” and it means cheerfulness, a calm delight or a deep gladness. The verb form of “chara” is rejoice. This joy is a delight of the mind arising from the consideration of a present or assured possession of a future good. When joy is moderate it is called gladness. When it is raised to the highest degree of joy it is exultation. When our desires are limited by our possessions our joy is contentment. When joy has so long possessed the mind that it has settled into the deepest part of our being, we call it ever-present cheerfulness. This is natural godly joy.

 

There is a moral joy that arises from our good actions or behavior. This kind of joy is called peace, or serenity of conscience. If this godly behavior is honorable and our joy rises higher, it may be called glorious and we credit God for its presence in our life.

 

Spiritual joy is called the “fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22 and “joy in the faith” in Philippians 1:25. The objects of our joy are God Himself (Psalms 43:4; Isaiah 61:10), God’s promises (Philippians 3:3 and 1 Peter 1:8), the Gospel (Psalms 89:15), the prosperity of Christ’s kingdom (Acts 15:3; Revelation 11:15, 17) and the happiness of a future state (Psalms 16:9-11; Romans 5:2; 15:13). This spiritual joy is permanent (John 16:22; Philippians 4:4) as well as unspeakable (1 Peter 1:8).

 

The deepest joy comes in relationship. A German researcher studied churches of every size and denomination all over the world and found that the most healthy, effective churches were characterized by the presence of joy. Joy is gladness from experiencing a right relationship with God and fellowship with others. Joy comes from seeing God work in all things, even in struggles and hardships.

 

Jesus had joy in seeing the Father work in the lives of believers.

 

“At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.”

Luke 10:21

 

Jesus endured suffering for future joy.

 

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:2

 

Jesus shares His joy with us.

 

Jesus said: “I am coming to you [the Father] now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they [the disciples] may have the full measure of my joy within them.”

John 17:13

 

A relationship with Jesus brings joy.

 

“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy…. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

John 16:22–24

 

Joy comes from seeing others be faithful to God.

 

“It gave me [John] great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth.”

3 John 1:3

 

Joy comes from relationships with other believers.

 

“In all my prayers for all of you, I [Paul] always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel…. I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.”

Philemon 1:4–7

 

We can have joy even during hardship.

 

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

James 1:2–3

 

This does not mean we have joy because of the pain and torment of a storm of life. It means that we have joy because of our relationship with God and have faith in His promises, protection and provision. In such horrible times we are told by the prophet Nehemiah that, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” Nehemiah 8:10

 

Hebrews gives us the example of Jesus and how His dedication to give up His life for us was based on His love for us and His knowledge of the joy that it would produce springing from relationships with a redeemed people. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” Hebrews 12:2

 

Often our English word “joy” refers to “a condition or feeling of great pleasure or happiness.” But happiness has to do with circumstances; joy is deeper, higher, and truer than happiness or pleasure. The Greek word “chara” for joy adds the nuance of well-being, making it a deep inner quality. Happiness is fleeting and transient. Joy is long-lasting and more substantial. Joy can exist in hard times within us, when happiness often abandons us and runs away.

 

One thing we know is that joy doesn’t just happen— IT FLOWS! It springs from God Himself, through the Holy Spirit, into our lives as followers of His Son Jesus Christ. It flows through the relationship we have with Him and other followers of Christ. There was a lack of the fruit of the Spirit in the Christians in Galatia to whom Paul was writing because they were not obeying the Word and seeking to live Christ-like in their relationships with each other. When we let the Word of God dwell within us richly we will be filled with the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested. Joy will be present in our lives because the quality of our relationships with God and others will be godly and consistently based in love.

 

When we are connected to God and each other by the Holy Spirit, joy flows into and out of our lives. And the stronger the connections, the more easily it flows. And the more connections we have, the greater our experiences of joy.

 

An example of when Jesus was “filled with joy” was when Jesus commissioned more than his 12 disciples to serve Him in a dramatic way. Jesus calls upon 72 of his followers to go out and minister in his name. These new followers were authorized to “Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’”

 

When these new proclaimers returned filled with joy at the power within them, Jesus was filled with joy. Luke 10:21 reads: “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.’”

 

Notice here we’re told specifically it was the Holy Spirit who produced that explosion of joy within Jesus. This kind of joy flows from God, but notice what, or who, precipitated this joy. It was these followers, returning from their first ministry tour overwhelmed with success which caused the Holy Spirit and Jesus to be filled with joy. Jesus had the sheer delight of joy seeing them grow spiritually right before his eyes. Our joy as followers of Christ comes from God, specifically the Holy Spirit who lives within us as followers of Christ. We experience joy in our relationship with God as we see God use us for His glory and as we see other Christians grow spiritually. Have you ever realized that as a Christian you are never alone? The Holy Spirit indwells you and He is always with you. When you experience a deep godly joy, this is not just your response, but you communing with the Holy Spirit. His joy is your joy. You share a mutual joy with the Holy Spirit when you see God glorify Himself in you and others. On Jesus’ final night with His disciples, He said to them, “I want my joy to be in you, and your joy to be complete, so I give you this command: love one another.” There is a strong connection between love and joy.  

 

John 15:9-14

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”

 

Jesus has great joy when He sees growth in us and He wants to share this joy with us. This joy is based on being rightly related to God and to one another; the delight of watching God’s work unfold in one another’s lives; the satisfaction of helping each other become the Christ-like men and women we were created to be.

 

This kind of joy doesn’t happen, IT FLOWS! It flows when we let the Word of Christ dwell richly within us and we seek to be filled with God’s Spirit. It flows when we let Christ lead us into deep and honest connections with others, and when we begin to delight in God’s continual work in our lives and the lives of others.

 

1 Peter 1:8-9

“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”