1-- Pfhl 121 Divine Joy

Preparation for Heavenly Living Correspondence School http://www.geocities.com/bibleloverbill

PFHL Course 121-- Divine Joy from God for Believers (5 pgs.) (compiled & sorted by Bill Stevenson, 8/2/94 & 1/19/99) Directions: Try to figure out why the verses were put where they were and why the underlines. You might want to copy the verses that really “hit you directly” on 3 x 5 cards. Write an essay about divine joy and what you think the best verses in this collection are. How would you teach the best 3 verses? My underlining might help. This assignment is worth 3 units, so write at least 4 quality pages. Introduction (8/2/94, 1/19/99, & 8/5/03) There is a prophecy about Christ’s joy in Psalm 45:7-- “Therefore God, Your God, has set You above Your companions by anointing You with the oil of joy.” Joy is promised by Jesus Christ for all believers in Him, His love, and His commandments. Jesus Christ spoke of His joy in John 15:10-11 and 17:13 in which He claimed the ability or power to bestow His joy into His believers. Joy is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit for believers (Galatians 5:22-23). Jesus Christ’s followers should be joyful people. It is the best testimony about the wonderfulness of being a Christian: that one is able to be very positive in a very negative world. So many individuals are usually sad or indifferent; just surviving. If you would work for someone who is joyful, wouldn’t you probably become joyful? Luke 10:21 tells us that Jesus was full of joy through the Holy Spirit after seventy-two disciples returned from to witness. If we have the same joy, we will want to praise God. Jesus Christ did in that verse. No one will be the same as before after committing his or her whole being to Jesus and knowing Him as personal Savior and Master. It is not easy to describe this joy which the Apostle Peter referred to in 1 Peter 1:8 as an “inexpressible and glorious joy”. It is far more than the happiness which relationships with humans and animals can give. Certainly there are legitimate pleasures in the world that can be enjoyed more fully when one has the joy of the Holy Spirit. But the joy of the Holy Spirit is set apart from all the levels of purely human joy. It is the result of faith in God. Romans 15:13 says, “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”. Divine joy is much better than the best happiness in secular situations/activities. In English, the word “happiness” is not in the KJV Bible and the twenty-five verses with the word “happy” give no indication that happiness is from the Godhead. Doesn’t that sound exciting to you? Don’t settle for less than joy just because you are lonely. God’s best for us is always worth waiting for. Joy from the Holy Spirit is not dependent on our outward circumstances. Also knowing about the joy in Heaven should help all Christians to tolerate any kind of persecution. Also, about 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ’s hope for future joy in Heaven sustained Him in His painful crucifixion. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus “endured the cross for the joy set before Him”. The Apostle Paul recognized this when he wrote to the Thessalonians: “In spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit”. Spiritual joy endures even in hardships, because it is developed from within by the Holy Spirit. In Philippians 4:4, just before he was to be beheaded for teaching Christianity, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice.” When I share that tough command, I add, “In any situation, things could always be worse and there is always something to be thankful for, right?” So having joy is a matter of choice and proper relationship with God. A famous anagram is appropriate: J-Jesus O-Others Y-Yourself {in that order chronologically} God’s timing is the best and the study I did on the “joy”, “joyful”, and “joyfulness” verses in the Bible is an excellent example of this. I was not ready for the wonderful conclusion of it for seven months. I even had to get married to the most joyful woman I have ever met. Joy is different than what is usually meant for happiness or good feelings; it is from God and requires unselfishness by humans. The Holy Spirit gave me five topic areas for the verses I thought were the best. Read these bolded category headings first. After you do that, read each of these wonderful Bible verses in the order I have placed them with the goals of 1

trying to determine why I put each where it is and how a teacher would teach it. This could easily take several “sittings” to complete, but I guarantee you will be blessed as much as I was in developing this inductive teaching tool. ***Hoping for joy and divine promises*** 1. Proverbs 10:28-- “The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.” 2. Proverbs 12:20-- “There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.” 3. Psalms 126:5-- “Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” 4. Psalms 126:6-- “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.” 5. John 16:20-- “‘I [Jesus] tell you [His disciples] the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.’” 6. John 16:22-- “‘So with you [Jesus’ disciples]: now is your time of grief, but I [Jesus] will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.’” 7. John 16:24-- Jesus said to His disciples, “‘Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.’” 8. Psalms 5:11-- “‘But let all who take refuge in You [God] be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.’” 9. Psalms 90:14-- “‘Satisfy us in the morning with Your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.’” 10. Psalms 86:4-- “‘Bring joy to your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.’” 11. Psalms 71:23-- “‘My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You— I, whom You have redeemed.’” 12. Isaiah 12:3-- “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” 13. Psalms 68:3-- “But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.” 14. Romans 15:13-- “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.” 15. Isaiah 35:10-- “And the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” 16. Jeremiah 31:13-- “‘Then maidens will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.’” ***Source of joy*** 1. Psalms 43:4-- “Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight...” 2. Psalms 16:11-- “‘You [God] have made known to me [David] the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.’” 3. Psalms 28:7-- “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.” 4. Psalms 105:43-- “For He [God] remembered His holy word 2

and promise to Abraham His servant [Genesis 15:14]. He brought out His-- people with rejoicing, His chosen ones with shouts of joy.” 5. Psalms 145:7-- “They will celebrate Your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of Your righteousness.” 6. Psalms 51:12-- “‘Restore to me the joy of Your [God’s] salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.’” 7. Psalms 94:19-- “When anxiety was great within me, Your comforts brought joy to my soul.” 8. Psalms 149:5-- “Let the saints rejoice in the glory and beauty [which God confers upon them] and sing for joy on their beds.” 9. Psalms 126:3-- “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” 10. Luke 1:14-- “An angel said to the elderly High Priest Zachariah about his soon-to-be son John (who later became “John the Baptist), ‘He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of His birth.’” 11. Luke 2:10-- “But the angel said to them [the shepherds near Bethleham], ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.’” 12. Matthew 28:8-- “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples.” 13. Acts 13:52-- “And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” 14. 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.” 15. Galatians 5:22-23-- “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control....” 16. Acts 14:17-- The Apostle Paul told the Greeks, “‘Yet He [God] has not left Himself without testimony. He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.’” 17. Jude 24-- “To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy.” ***Commandments requiring joy*** 1. Job 33:26-- “He [or she] prays to God and finds favor with Him, he [or she] sees God’s face and shouts for joy; he [or she] is restored by God to his [or her] righteous state.” 2. Psalms 33:1-- “Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.” 3. Psalms 100:2-- “Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.” 4. Psalms 65:8-- “‘Those living far away fear Your wonders. Where morning dawns and evening fade, You call forth songs of joy.’” 5. Psalms 92:4-- “‘For You make me glad by Your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.’” 6. Isaiah 65:18-- “‘But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.’”

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7. Isaiah 49:13-- “Shout for joy, O heavens;

rejoice, O Earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.” 8. Romans 12:12-- “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” 9. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-- “Be joyful always.” 10. James 1:2-4-- “Consider it pure joy, my brothers [and sisters], whenever you face trials of many kinds. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” ***Joy is a result of obedience to God and His commandments for believers*** 1. Acts 16:34-- “The jailer brought them [the Apostles Peter and John] into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God-- he and his whole family.” 2. Job 6:10-- “Then I would still have this consolation-my joy in unrelenting pain-that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.” 3. Psalms 19:8-- “The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart....” 4. Psalms 119:111-- “‘Your [God’s] statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.’” 5. Jeremiah 15:16-- “‘When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear Your name, O LORD God Almighty.’” 6. 1 John 1:4-- “We write this to make our joy complete.” 7. Luke 8:13-- “Those on the rock are the ones who receive the Word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.” 8. 3 John 1-4-- “The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospered. It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 9. 2 John 1:4-- “It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.” 10. Psalms 45:7-- “You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” 11. Psalms 97:11-- “Light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart.” 12. Proverbs 21:15-- “When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.” 4

13. Proverbs 15:23-- “A man finds joy in giving an apt reply

and how good is a timely word!” 14. Luke 10:17-- “The seventy-two returned with joy and said,

‘Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.’” 15. Proverbs 15:30-- “A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the bones.” 16. John 15:10 & 11-- “‘If you keep My [Jesus’] commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.’” 17. 1 Thessalonians 1:6-- The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Thessalonica, “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” 18. Hebrews 1:9-- You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” 19. 1 Peter 1:8-- “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” ****A joyful attitude commitment*** 1. Habakkuk 3:18-- “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” 2. Ecclesiastes 8:15-- “So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man [or woman] under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him [or her] in his [or her] work all the days of the life God has given him [or her] under the sun.” 3. John 3:29-- John the Baptist giving testimony to his disciples of his position in relation to Jesus, “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” 4. Luke 10:21-- “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was Your good pleasure.’” 5. Romans 15:32-- The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome when he was in prison, “so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.” 6. Philippians 1:4-- He also wrote to Christians in Philippi, “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.” 7. Hebrews 12:2-- “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

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