Forty Days of Promises: To give us joy

Week 5

FOCUS OF THE WEEK: God’s Spirit is lavished on us, in us, and through us

God promises to give us joy

I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them and give them gladness for sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13b

All promises are fulfilled in Christ.

Please read John 4:4-30.

Today we look at God’s promise of joy, the second fruit of the Spirit. When Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, joy is second, preceded only by love (which we studied yesterday). If we are filled with Godly love, won’t that produce joy? Yes!! And, if we have God’s gift of joy living inside of us shouldn’t we let that joy flow through us and into the lives of others? Yes!!

In John 4:4-30 Jesus intentionally encounters the woman at the well. He tells her about the living water that will become an unending fountain springing up within her. She then runs to tell the city. I can picture this woman: her heart beating out of her chest, maybe even tears in her eyes, running full speed ahead, mind racing about everything she needs to tell others, leaving her jar behind, filled with what she really needed.

Today the Holy Spirit supernaturally gives us great and lasting joy. Paul spoke of the joy of the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 1:6. It is through His Spirit that God shares and communicates His joy. We in turn can REJOICE, which is the verb form of joy, meaning to feel or show joy. God’s word repeatedly tells us to rejoice and express the joy that lives within us. I love the words of Paul from Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” Let us run to the city, or maybe share the joy with others through social media, social distancing, or any innovative ways God leads.

His joy lives in us and we should rejoice!

For further reading: Psalm 16:11; Psalm 30:5; John 7:38; John 15:11

Dear Heavenly Father,

I pray that our relationship with the Holy Spirit would deepen today, and reveal the joy that lives in us and is so real and strong that others see it in us. May we rejoice and praise you like never before! Please let others see you in each one of us. Let them see the JOY.

In your son’s name I pray. Amen