Lisa Roome

Romans 14:17

Romans 14, 17, For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Welcome to Bridgeway Christian Church Daily Advent Devotional for Thursday, December 19th. My name is Lisa Rome, and I serve as the co-leader of Bridge Builders with my husband, Mark, at Bridgeway.

Today I'm going to talk about joy from the Holy Spirit. As we begin, let's define joy. Joy as a noun, it says it's a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire, gladness, exaltation, exhilaration of spirits.

Joy is a delight of the mind from the consideration of the present or assured approaching possession of a good. Now, joy as a verb is to rejoice, to be glad, to exalt. I will joy in the God of my salvation, Habakkuk 3, 18.

In an article I read recently, the question arises, what is joy? One writer states, joy is a deep primary emotion individuals experience when they feel truly connected in relationships, are in alignment with their values, and or have a sense of meaning and purpose. Another writer said, joy is the ability to affirm the goodness of life in the midst of sorrow. So what is happiness? One researcher explains, happiness is an emotional state that can occur through the momentary experiences and is often dependent on external factors such as an achievement or gaining material satisfaction.

Another notes, happiness is temporary, whereas joy is enduring. Joy comes from the inside out rather than the outside in. Some think that joy is being happy, but it's much deeper than that.

Joy is seeking meaning and purpose in life. Happiness is seeking pleasure and comfort. Joy is an inner feeling, but happiness is an outward expression.

Happiness is a state of being happy, but joy means satisfaction. Joy endures hardship and trials and connects with meaning and purpose. Happiness is finding pleasure in any activity.

A person pursues happiness but chooses joy. As one who has worked for decades with children, I love getting to break down biblical concepts and easy-to-understand thoughts. One I've often used as the illustration for joy when teaching children is the acronym for joy, Jesus, Others, and You.

If we think of ourselves in this order, it's a means for us to experience true joy. This past year, our family has endured a number of trying situations. Several have had serious medical conditions leading to major surgeries, some huge financial hurdles to climb over, and the sudden death of my precious mother-in-law after a fall, just to name a few.

And yet, in the midst of it, I seldom felt defeated, but rather often sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life, reminding me that He has everything—did I mention everything?—in control. I stand firm believing God is good and He does all things well. And even when Satan tries to destroy and overwhelm us, we can stand firm on the Word of God and His promise in Romans 8.28. And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

As we remind ourselves of this truth, the circumstances of today's trials don't have to defeat us. We can rest in the joy of the Lord that only He can provide. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. Matthew 5.11. There's a current worship song called, Firm Foundation, or He Won't. The second stanza says, I've still got joy in chaos, I've got peace that makes no sense.

I won't be going under, I'm not held by my own strength. Because I've built my life on Jesus, He's never let me down, He's faithful through every season, so why would He fail now? He won't, He won't, He won't fail. I've lived long enough now to say with boldness, He has never let me down, and I'm confident He never will.

He's proven Himself over and over again in my life, and this truly is why I can find joy in the chaos of life's struggles and trials. In all actuality, the scripture declares with boldness that we are to rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, rejoice.

Philippians 4.4. In closing, we'll read again from the book of Romans, chapter 15, verse 13. 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. Let's pray.

Lord Jesus, we love you so much. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in us. Thank you for filling us with your joy.

Help us to keep our eyes focused on you and not our circumstances. Remind us you are the giver of all good things, including unexplainable joy. In the midst of our trials and troubles, you are there.

You are so good, and we love you deeply. In the precious and mighty name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.