2-28-10 PM The Fruit of the Spirit Message 9: Joy

Joy

Text: Neh 8:10

I.          Neh 8:1-10

Nehemiah 8:10 ¹⁰Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

II.        God is our Joy

Psalm 43:4 ⁴     Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

III.       We have a license to joy as long as our name is in Heaven

Luke 10:17-20 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. ¹⁸And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. ¹⁹Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. ²⁰Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

IV.       Jesus wants His joy to be in us at all times

John 15:11 ¹¹These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 17:13 ¹³And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

V.        Joy is manifested through our words.

Proverbs 15:23 ²³A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! – a man has joy by what he says.  Not gets.  Has. 

VI.       …and Singing

Zephaniah 3:17 ¹⁷The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

VII.     Joy as fruit shows others the Truth of God

VIII.    Illustration