Choose Joy

 

“Choose Joy”
Rev. Jason Kim
Deuteronomy 30:15-19; John 16:19-24

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23

“A gloomy Christian is a contradiction in terms, and nothing in all religious history
has done Christianity more harm than its connection with black clothes and long
faces.” William Barclay

 

I. Sin depletes Joy - Psalm 32

II. Unresolved conflict drains Joy
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness
no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and
that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Hebrews 12:14-15

III. How to experience Joy
1. Know that our God is a Joyful being
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take
great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice
over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
2. Restart your engine for sharing the Gospel
“And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.
Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me;
I have found my lost sheep.’” Luke 15:5-6
3. Learn to remain in Jesus
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it
must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
John 15:4
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Romans 14:17