When Your Joy Is Lacking
Have you found your joy lacking of late?
What is your solution for that? Do you think about solutions for the lack of joy? Do you go buy something you have been wanting or engage in a hobby that you like? While there may not be anything wrong with doing those things, is that really the solution for when our joy is lacking?
Here, at Ammudim...
As is our custom at Ammudim, we believe that God by His Spirit and Word, has provided everything we need for life and Godliness, and that includes what to do when we find our joy in lacking.
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that [pertain] to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 2 Peter 1:2-3 NKJV
2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that [pertain] to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 2 Peter 1:2-3 NKJV
So what does the Scripture instruct us to do when we find our joy lacking?
Well, first we have to keep in mind that joy is a fruit of something and so is the lack of it. We must understand and identify what will cause the fruit of joy to spring forth in our lives. Actually what we are going to see is that joy is not just a fruit but an anointing from God Himself. It is not a joy we have to drum up, it is something He will give us if we meet the conditions.
That said, if we want more joy, it is not joy itself that we should pursue directly but something else that will bring the fruit and anointing of joy. Let’s go to the book of Psalms and Hebrews to find out what it is we need to pursue.
6 Your throne, O God, [is] forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness [is] the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. Psalm 45:6-7 NKJV
8 But to the Son [He says]: "Your throne, O God, [is] forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness [is] the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions." Hebrews 1:8-9 NKJV
Obviously, the verses in Hebrews are taken directly from the book of Psalms in the Tenakh, but that just goes to show us that this is ancient wisdom that has proven true and the writer of Hebrews knew it from both knowledge and experience. This is also a Messianic prophecy that details the core nature of the ruler of the Kingdom of God, who we know as Yeshua, Jesus.
Now what caused God to anoint with the oil of gladness (which could just as easily be translated joy)? Even the joy that Yeshua experiences… It is that He hated iniquity and loved righteousness. Hating iniquity and loving righteousness is the flagship characteristic of the Kingdom of God.
That said, if we want more joy, it is not joy itself that we should pursue directly but something else that will bring the fruit and anointing of joy. Let’s go to the book of Psalms and Hebrews to find out what it is we need to pursue.
6 Your throne, O God, [is] forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness [is] the scepter of Your kingdom. 7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. Psalm 45:6-7 NKJV
8 But to the Son [He says]: "Your throne, O God, [is] forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness [is] the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions." Hebrews 1:8-9 NKJV
Obviously, the verses in Hebrews are taken directly from the book of Psalms in the Tenakh, but that just goes to show us that this is ancient wisdom that has proven true and the writer of Hebrews knew it from both knowledge and experience. This is also a Messianic prophecy that details the core nature of the ruler of the Kingdom of God, who we know as Yeshua, Jesus.
Now what caused God to anoint with the oil of gladness (which could just as easily be translated joy)? Even the joy that Yeshua experiences… It is that He hated iniquity and loved righteousness. Hating iniquity and loving righteousness is the flagship characteristic of the Kingdom of God.
Joy flows out of righteousness. Romans 14 gives even more understanding of how this works in the Kingdom of God.
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things [is] acceptable to God and approved by men. - Romans 14:17-18 NKJV
When we practice righteousness, which simply means doing the right thing according to our conscience in the ways and will of God, we have peace and we have joy. Hating iniquity is important to this equation because we do not separate ourselves from things we do not hate. If we hate iniquity we are far less likely to engage in it, thus trangressing our conscience toward God and causing conflict within ourselves. You see when we feel good about our conduct and believe it is acceptable to God there is no inner turmoil and the result is peace and joy. This is not to say we are saved by our works, but it is very practical for our day to day and in preparing for our life in the Messianic Kingdom to come.
So back to our original question, Are you lacking joy? If you are and what I have taught from Scripture resonates with you let me suggest examining your life for a few things:
When we practice righteousness, which simply means doing the right thing according to our conscience in the ways and will of God, we have peace and we have joy. Hating iniquity is important to this equation because we do not separate ourselves from things we do not hate. If we hate iniquity we are far less likely to engage in it, thus trangressing our conscience toward God and causing conflict within ourselves. You see when we feel good about our conduct and believe it is acceptable to God there is no inner turmoil and the result is peace and joy. This is not to say we are saved by our works, but it is very practical for our day to day and in preparing for our life in the Messianic Kingdom to come.
So back to our original question, Are you lacking joy? If you are and what I have taught from Scripture resonates with you let me suggest examining your life for a few things:
- Are you in a difficult situation in life and have somehow made God responsible for the problem? When we do this we actually call God unrighteous! God is for us, not against us.
- Are you holding onto bitterness and resentment toward someone? James 1:19-20 states that the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
- Is there something you know God has called you to do, but are shrinking back in fear from doing it? If God has called you to do it, it is the righteous thing to do.
- Is there unbelief that God wants to anoint you with joy and therefore you look to other things to fill the void? Abraham believed God and God accounted it to him for righteousness.
- Are you jealous of others or comparing yourself to others? It is righteous to store up treasure in heaven
- Are you engaging in sexual immorality? The will of God is for us to abstain from fornication.
- Are you gossiping or being critical of others? Maybe yourself? God is a merciful God and therefore mercy is righteousness.
I am sure there are more questions I could ask, but from my experience in helping others, these questions cover many of iniquities that we cling to and steal our joy. If you recognize any of these dynamics in your life go to God in repentance, ask for forgiveness by the blood of Yeshua, and ask for the righteous path that leads to joy. Joy may not come immediately, but be sure that it will surely come.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11 NKJV
I hope you are encouraged that if you lack joy, it can and will return as we line our lives up with these conditions of hating iniquity and loving righteousness. Continue to search the Scriptures for an understanding of His righteousness. When you find an area of sin and iniquity go boldly to your Father in the name of Yeshua who takes pleasure in being merciful, forgiving, and imputing His righteousness to us.
11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11 NKJV
I hope you are encouraged that if you lack joy, it can and will return as we line our lives up with these conditions of hating iniquity and loving righteousness. Continue to search the Scriptures for an understanding of His righteousness. When you find an area of sin and iniquity go boldly to your Father in the name of Yeshua who takes pleasure in being merciful, forgiving, and imputing His righteousness to us.
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