JOY – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22-23a NIV)

Jesus promises that if you abide (remain) in Him you will produce this kind of spiritual fruit as a direct result. (John 15:4)

Joy is the second of the nine fruits of the spirit listed in this passage. Each one is a promise!

Joy defined

Joy is a good feeling in the soul, produced by the Holy Spirit, as He causes us to see the beauty of Christ in the Word and in the world.

“For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.”(Psalms 33:21 NKJV)

Believers rejoice because God has surrounded them with his steadfast love (Psalms 32:11) and brought them to salvation (Psalms 40:16; Psalms 64:10). David rejoices that God has delivered him from the hand of his enemies (Psalms 63:11). Joy is a response to God’s word (Psalms 119:14) and his reward to believers (Isa. 65:14) and their strength (Neh. 8:10).

Two more joy promises

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom. 15:13 ESV)

“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isaiah 55:12 ESV)