The Fruit of Joy

The Fruit of Joy

But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control.
Galatians 5, 22

Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. If He reigns in us, the joy starts to spread! It is His fruit and grows in our hearts, just like an apple growing on an apple tree. If there is an apple tree without any apples, it maybe isn’t an apple tree; or if there grows a pear, then something is wrong. There is no other way: At the apple tree grow apples. And even when the tree tries to produce pears as he might, he will always be unlikely to reach it. Or to bear fruit in winter: It all remains, as the creator has arranged it. The same way joy is growing inside of us, when our heart is ruled by the Spirit of God. There is no other way. Joy is a trademark of the man who belongs to God.
That is why the Bible often commands us: Rejoice, and again I say unto you, Rejoice! Or in Romans it is written: The kingdom of God is peace and joy (Rom. 14:17). Joy can be smothered by too much serious work, by worry or by the deceitfulness of wealth. But we rather want to hang on to Jesus and believe His Word! We must not think that everything just turns around ourselves. Work is good, but it must not be a permanent stress! Money is good, but may not capture all our thinking! Care and prevention is good, but this endless worrying about every little thing does certainly not mean to trust in Jesus!
Let us get infected by the heavenly joy! Let us decide again to believe in Jesus and put away everything that keeps off joy! Come, dear Holy Spirit, fill my heart with Your overflowing joy!

Jesus, forgive me, sometimes I get robbed of my joy and permit it. But I want to go back to faith, because You care for me in a wonderful way. I want to open up my heart for You, so You reign there; – You shall be my king! Yes, fill me today with Your heavenly pleasure!


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