THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - JOY

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  (John 15:11 NKJV)

 Joy is a spontaneous thing. The joy of a little child, like the song of the lark, arises naturally and easily when certain conditions are fulfilled, so if we would experience the joy of Christ we must realize the conditions He lays down. If we are grafted into the true Vine, there is nothing to check the inflow of His love to us, if we do as He tells us, and stop doing what He forbids, then joy will come to us as a flood.

"'Abide in Me", it is inferred, of course, that we are in Christ. It was not always so. Once we were outside, separate from Christ, "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world." We were shoots in the wild vine, partaking of its nature, involved in its curse, threatened by the axe which lay at its roots. But all this is altered now. The Father, who is the husbandman, of His abundant grace and mercy, has taken us out of the wild vine, and grafted us into the true, and we have become one with Christ. When, therefore, we are told to abide or remain, it is only necessary that we should stay where He placed us. You are in an elevator until you step out of it; you are on a certain road until you turn to the right or left, although you may be too engrossed in conversation with a friend to think of the road; so amid the pressure of duties and care, you remain in Christ unless you consciously, by sin or unbelief, thrust yourself away from the light of His face into the darkness. When, therefore, the temptation arises to leave the words of Christ for the maxims of the world resist it and you will still remain in Him. Whenever you are tempted to leave the narrow way of His commandments to follow the desires of your own heart, reckon yourself dead to them, and you will remain; whenever you are tempted to forsake Christ's love for jealousy, envy, hatred, resist these impulses and say, "I choose to remain in the love of God."

By abiding in Him you will learn to know His mind, and will naturally ask those things which His love is only too willing to grant. "Ye shall ask what ye will." We must remove any hindrances from the indwelling of Christ, then His love will break out into song, and we shall share in His joy. It will remain in us, and our capacity for joy will be fulfilled.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, who is the True Vine, I desire to abide in You, that I may bear abundant fruit for Your glory, and my life be full of Your joy. In Your name I pray this, AMEN.

God's Daily Promise

Promise #311:
Draw near to Me and I will cleanse you from an evil conscience.

Hebrews 10:22 (WEB)
let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith,
having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,
and having our body washed with pure water,