Filled With HIS Joy!
Psa 122:1 “ I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
INTRO: We sang a song some years ago that said:
Get all excited, go tell everybody that Jesus Christ is King, Repeat….
Jesus Christ is the King of Kings.
1. We have a reason to be excited today.
2. We don’t need to hide it, I think not only will we like it but I feel like it would please God.
ILL. Don’t grin in church
In church one Sunday a small child was turning around smiling at everyone. He wasn’t gurgling, spitting, humming, tearing the hymnbooks apart, or rummaging through his mother’s purse. He was just smiling. Suddenly his mother jerked him around, and in a stage whisper that everyone could hear, and said, "Stop that grinning. You’re in church!”
1. David was excited about God,
2. He was stirred in his Spirit by the things of God.
3. When the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem he
celebrated, he danced in the streets before the Ark “with all
his might.”
We have a reason to be JOYFUL today
ILL. HAPPY TO GO TO THE FUNERAL
A woman testified to the transformation that had taken place in her life through her Christian conversion: "I’m so glad I got religion!" she declared. "I have an uncle I used to hate so much I vowed I’d never go to his FUNERAL! But now - why, I’d be happy to go to his funeral ANY TIME!"
I. Things That Bring Us Joy
1. New Things
A. Everyone likes new things
1. - New clothes we cannot wait to wear
2. New car; That smell
3. New baby; Everyone has just got to hold
B. Why?
1. They are fresh & New --
2. They are untarnished
C. When we made our way to God we were:
1. Dirty --- Stained ----- Abused by the sin
D. He didn’t cover up but He removed the imperfections
and replaced every part of me
1. He didn’t just apply some BONDO on our dents—
2. He didn’t just slap some KILTZ over the stains and
scars that sin had left on our lives--
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new.(KJV)
Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth
any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Colossians 3:9 seeing that ye have put off the old man with his
deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is
renewed in knowledge after the image of him that
created him:
Ill. The song says, “Put on the Garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, lift up your voice to God…..!"
G. What a reason to have JOY today; that in our lives
everything has been made new
1. New Things
2. Love excites us
A. We all enjoy that warm feeling that washes over us
when we experience being loved.
(My loving Jesus!
B. Puppy love is not what I am referring to, but Real
Love
1. - Puppy Love is nice but it doesn’t last
2. - Real Love sees beyond our flaws and imperfections and
loves us in-spite of all our short comings.
3. - Real love endures a life time
Illustration: I told my wife, Lecil, last week that she is so lucky to have me as her husband—She just rolled her eyes and smiled—Lecil and I have known each other since she was 8 yrs. Old.—Relate how she left and how she came back..I came in from working on the farm—we worked until dark—and I had a letter from her.—That she was at McCaskill at her G-fathers and G-Mother. I had a 50 model chevy—2 slick tires—
Came in on Saturday night—read letter—and It was just like Santa
Had just come only better—Put me some water on the stove and heated it for a bath in a #3 wash tub. I headed to McCaskill, AR to see my
sweet girl friend. I had a date with another girl that night but she
got stood up. My sweetheart had come home!
C. This is the kind of love that God expressed on
Calvary “Father forgive them…” - John 3:16
Romans 5:8 But God showed his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
D. We were so undeserving “But God…”
1- In our vilest state
2. -completely unworthy of His love
3. - God Loved us , “But God…!”
E. What a reason to get excited and shout “But God…!”
1. When we were unlovable He Loved us “But God…!”
1. New Things
2. Love
3. Winning excites us
A. Everyone loves to win
B. Old saying “2nd place is like kissing your sister
C. When you win
- There is a thrill that fills your heart that is unmatched
- Met the challenge & have come out Victorious
- We are #1 -The Best - The champions
D. In our selves we are not able to stand against the
enemy of our soul and win …..“But God…”
E. The battle is too great - us - our might and
strength
F. What a reason to shout; what a reason to get excited
and be JOYFUL
Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Ephesians 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
(RSV):19I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.( NLT) Eph 1:19-20
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in
the power of his might.
G. In our own strength we are not able to accomplish
anything but bondage and defeat; but in my weakness
His power is displayed.
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God’s desire is for us to be blessed and live a life filled with Joy,
But the enemy of our soul’s desire is to keep us in the clutches of depression, fear and heartache.
Today I want to tell you about the hindrances to our excitement and home to maintain our excitement.
I. Hindrances to our Joy.
1. Failure to maintain a level of expectancy
A. What was on our minds this morning
- “I have to get up, it’s Sunday”
- Or “I wonder what God will do today”
Everyday should be another day that we expect something great from God
B. When we don’t, we cannot see God For who He Is
Creator - Savior - King of kings - Lord of lords –
Heavenly Father
C. We Focus on problems
Jobs - Bills - Relationships (Family, etc) - Failures
D. When we ask, and look expecting, we get
Matthew 21:22. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing,
you will receive.”
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me.
2. Surrounded by Depressed people
A. We must come in contact with all kinds of People
- Depressed - Excited - Sad - Christian - Sinner
B. Cannot allow their lives to stop the flow of Joy
in our hearts
• “I just can’t live for God, I am surrounded by
unsaved people all day”
C. When we walk in the JOY that God brings into our
lives – we will also walk in the power and strength
to not be pulled down by others.
Nehemiah 8:10; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
A. The more time we spend with God the stronger
our relationship becomes
B. The stronger our relationship, the greater our joy
in Him
C. The greater our Joy in Christ, the greater a threat we
become to Satan’s kingdom.
2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
D. So Satan sets out to distract us from our walk
- Caught up in other things - • Work - • Kids -• Things
II. How to maintain our joy!
ILL. Elijah must have been excited as fire fell from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. It must have stirred his spirit to hear the nation of Israel turn back to God. But after it was all over and Jezebel had made her threats it seemed that all of the life was sucked right out of Elijah.
- Have you ever experienced a mountain top experience
only to stand face to face with a trial that destroys all
of your joy and excitement?
- We don’t have to lose our JOY!
- We can keep that joy
- “This joy that I have the world didn’t give it and the world
can’t take it away”
1. Dwell in the secret place
Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
A. It is not enough to just visit the secret place of God.
B. Then you must dwell in the secret place of God
2. Renew your mind
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
will of God.
A. Think differently
Psalm 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not
sin against You Your word have I hid in my heart that
I might not sin against thee.
B. It is not just words it is a new way of life
C. We will not know the will of God let alone the
acceptable or perfect will of God if our minds are
not renewed.
3. Don’t carry burdens—Don’t…Don’t!!!
1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares
about you.(NLT)
A. Many Christians think that God wants them to walk around
with a long face, burdened by the circumstances of life.
“AND THEY DO just That!!!”
I LL. Man that joined monastery. Could only say two words a year
1st year – Bed hard
2nd year – Food bad
3rd year – I quit
The head monk answers and says, “Doesn’t surprise me! All you have done is complain since you have been here.”
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II. What happens when we HAVE JOY!!
1. The battles will not seem as hard
A. Just because you HAVE GOD’S JOY does not
mean you will not face battles
B. Attacks will come ; Hard battles will stand in front of
You
C. But the way you handle these battles will change
ILL. Ten spies that brought back evil report only saw
problems; but Joshua and Calab were just a little bit excited. Although they too saw the Giants they also knew that what God had promised He would do.
D. When you are excited about God, -
Gloom; Doom, depression; fear; will find it hard to bring you down.
E. I am not saying that you will never have a bad
day; we are not in heaven yet.
- Moses had his days of anger and frustration
• Broke the tablets that God had written on Himself
• Struck the rock
-Missed going into the promise land
- Elijah had Jezebel
- Jeremiah had that day that he wanted to quit
- Abraham –God tested him with his sacrifice
- Jacob had his Leah
- David had Goliath- Paul had the Philippian jail
-John had the Isle of Patmos experience
-Jesus the temptations and the cross
Nehemiah 8:10; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
F. But you can face those battles and those bad days with
an attitude of excitement for God because you know
the ultimate
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to
them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose.
2. Others will drawn to what you have
A. This is what Christ meant when he told us to let our
light shine before men
B. When you are happy others will be drawn to you
ILL. WHAT GOD CAN’T DO
A Sunday School teacher was questioning her pupils after a lesson on God’s omnipotence. "Now children," she asked, "is there anything God can’t do?"
The Pastors son thrust his hand into the air. The teacher, feeling certain that he had missed the point of the lesson, asked half-heartedly, "Well, just what IS it that God can’t do?"
Replied the boy: "I heard dad say yesterday that even God can’t make EVERYBODY, at this church happy!"
C. When you HAVE JOY it spreads and grows in the lives
of everyone you come into contact with.
D. No one wants to be around sour faced people that look
like they’ve been eating green persimmons
ILL. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., was a member of the U.S. Supreme Court for over 30 years. At one point in his life, Justice Holmes explained his choice of a career by saying: “I might have entered the ministry if certain clergymen I knew had not looked and acted like undertakers
E. People want someone that is full of the joy of the Lord
- Who wants a doctor with a depressed attitude
- Who wants a Football Coached with a defeated spirit
- Who wants a lawyer with a pessimistic outlook
F. If what you have does not lift you, Excite you, Stir you then
the world will look you and say I don’t want what you have.
3. You just have to tell somebody
Conclusion:
When we get this attitude of joy and excitement in our spirits
we will see
•this church,
•our families,
•our lives start to grow
