The Father's Menu

The Father's Menu

Apostle Dr. Richard Udoh

Friday, July 22, 2022

JOY

The Greek word for joy is chara. Joy is the natural reaction to the work of God, whether promised or fulfilled. Joy expresses God’s kingdom—His influence on earth Romans 14:17. the "fruit of the Spirit" is what happens when the Holy Spirit indwells a believer. The "fruit" is the product of the Holy Spirit’s cultivation of character in a heart. Some people never laugh unless they’re listening to some jokes by a comedian. A comedian may say or do some funny things to make you laugh, but all that is transient; true joy is inside you. Having received the Holy Spirit, God expects you to generate joy and excitement from within.

The joy you have is not of this world, but of God, therefore it’s independent and non-reliant on external circumstances. 1 Peter 1:8 describes it as “…joy unspeakable and full of glory.” Everywhere Jesus went, during His earthly walk, He brought joy to people, and He still does today. Having been born again, we’ve been brought into the life of unending joy. The Bible says in Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

The joy that comes from the inner man transcends physical circumstances; it’s permanent and will keep you strong and alive. The Bible says “A merry heart doeth good like medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones” (Proverbs 17:22). Learn to be joyful and maintain a happy spirit always. Joy is a feature of the recreated human spirit (Galatians 5:22), and it’s the nature of the recreated human spirit to be joyful at all times.

Confession:

The Joy of the Lord is my strength! I have joy in my heart, regardless of the happenings in my environment I remain joyful! Hallelujah

Further Reading:

Isaiah 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

Psalm 119:111 “Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.”

Read through the Bible in 1 year: 2 Chronicles 6:12-8:10 Romans 7:14-8:8 Psalm 18:1-15 Proverbs 19:24-25

Read through the Bible in 2 years: Catch-up day & Ps 17