Lesson 8 - Great Joy, Overflowing Joy

Scripture gives us examples, time after time, of how the Lord blesses our lives with His joy. The examples that we are going to look at today express to us the ways in which we can obtain that joy:

It is our heritage

As we worship

As we spend time God's Word

and more . . .

Other references will share with us instances in which others had the God's joy even in the midst of:

being afraid

being full of anxiety

What I would like for us to do this lesson, is to go to each of the references listed below, and spend time going over them . . . then write out how this references joy in our life, by applying some questions to yourself about what you have just read. Is this one of the ways we can obtain joy? If so, how? Is this an example of someone who was full of joy even though their life situation at the time was anything but joyful? If so, explain who, what, when, how and why. Okay . . . here we go:

1. Romans 14:17

2. Isaiah 56:6-7 & Isaiah 58:13-14

3. Psalm 119:111

4. Psalm 94:17-19

5. Matthew 28:1-8

6. Psalm 4:5-8

7. 1 John 1:1-4, 2 John 12 & 2 Corinthians 7:2-13

8. Psalm 45:7

One of the most wonderful things to me, from the Word, is Jesus' prayer for His disciples, and for all who would come to believe in Him - John 17. Within this chapter long, heart pouring out with love, prayer, we have verse 13in which He asks His Father to give to us the "fullness of (or full measure of) His (Christs') joy"! An excellent example of the Lord Jesus' joy in its fullness can be found in Luke 10:16-23. (note, in verse 21, He is full of the joy of the Holy Spirit - the rest of the passages shares with us why).

Write out what this passage in Luke speaks to your heart:

Dear ones, I leave you with Paul's words in his letter to the Romans. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13