When Joy goes missing the other emotions decide to step in… yet they just don’t do things quite the same way as Joy.
Application:
Joy:
Did you see how anger and disgust tried to take joy’s place? They tried to replace her because she wasn’t there…. but they didn’t do a very good job! It turns out that our other feelings don’t do a good job of covering for joy! We simply need joy in our life!
Joy flows from the Holy Spirit. In fact, joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. So, we can’t replace it ourselves, we need the Holy Spirit in our lives to bring joy. You see, joy isn’t just a type of happiness, we have joy when everything else goes wrong. It’s a godly response to a bad situation! Jesus gives us joy even when everything is boring, bad or baffling. We can have joy in any circumstance. Why? Because it comes from the Spirit and he makes it available to us whenever we need it! Just as Galatians 6:22 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Bible Verses about Joy:
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds… James 1:2
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4.
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. John 16:22.
Discussion Questions:
1. What do you look like when you are feeling joyful?
2. What do you think joy is?
3. How is joy different to happiness?
4. When was the last time you felt real joy?
5. How can we have the joy of Jesus in terrible times?
6. How did Jesus show joy when he was on the earth?
7. Can we have joy without Jesus? Why/why not?
