WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JOY?
The Holy Spirit yearns to bring God’s people back to serving the Lord with joy and gladness. How grieved heaven must be to witness the wet blanket of despair and sadness that has fallen upon multitudes of believers.
The Psalmist declared, “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15).
Isaiah said, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).
When the Holy Spirit began to deal with me on the matter of serving him with joy, I had a difficult time facing the seriousness of the subject. I did not fully understand God’s attitude. I wondered how important it could be compared to all the heartbreaking problems in the world today.
Few Christians have the knowledge of the truth about liberty and the life-freeing sacrifice at
You need not understand all the doctrines of atonement, reconciliation, propitiation, grace, sanctification, etc. All you need to know in order to live joyfully unto the Lord is this one foundational truth: GOD WAS COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH CHRIST’S SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS!
It was all that was needed! God now willingly—joyfully—forgives all who repent.
To not rejoice in Christ’s forgiveness is to doubt his full payment of our sins! Let the Spirit give you an understanding of this truth—we are called to liberty. God wants us to have an abundance of joy, a joy that is full and complete. Pressed down and running over!
God’s Word makes it perfectly clear that he yearns to be enjoyed by his saints.
“That they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves…” (John 17:13).
“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to