Joy and the Holy Spirit

Are you living in the joy of the Lord?

This coming Sunday, May 17, 2015, we will be looking at the subject of joy.  True joy.  A spiritual joy.

Our main verse (from Acts 13) will be Acts 13:52:  "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit."

It is so important that we understand the connection between being filled with the Holy Spirit and Joy.

Paul writes in Ephesians 5:18 that we are to be "filled with the spirit."  That verb is in the present tense, in other words, we are to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a onetime act called the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4), but in Ephesians 5 encourages us to continually be filled.

I was baptized in the Holy Spirit when I was 16.

Yet I can't rely on yesterday's baptism to walk in joy.

I need the Holy Spirit to the level of my capacity now, not just when I was sixteen. 

I face greater challenges today than when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit.  So - I need more of the Holy Spirit in my life today because I am so many more trials today than yesterday.  I have more challenges and more responsibilities.

To walk with joy - I need to be refilled today.

As we walk in the spirit, as we flow in the anointing - we expertise the joy of the Lord.

And the joy of the Lord is our what?  Our strength.   (Nehemiah 8:10)

David writes in Psalms 16:11, "You will show me the path of life; in your presence if fullness of joy, at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore."

In God's presence is joy.  When you are down and out and feeling depressed; place yourself in the presence of the Lord.  Be filled with the spirit.

Joy is not just about happiness and health, joy is about strength.

The joy of the Lord is our strength.  It is our power to win and our enemy Satan knows that.

Satan know that if he can still our joy he can rob us of our strength.

You can pray this today:  "I will walk in joy.  I am taking authority over the devil, the joy thief!  Greater is He in me than He who lives in the world!"

Rely upon God's Spirit and God's joy in your life - and walk in victory over the enemy.

Just a thought for a Wednesday.