Myrna's Morsels

Issue 4: Joy

Specializing in Scriptural Tidbits & Treasures

PART 1

Myrna Drew is co-founder of Drew Family Ministries Int'l Phoenix, Arizona.

~ JOY ~

What is "joy"?

According to the dictionary, "joy" is a condition or feeling of high pleasure or delight; happiness; or gladness and the expression or manifestation of such feelings. "Joy" means a source or object of pleasure or satisfaction. It means to "take" pleasure and "rejoice in" that pleasure. It means to fill with "joy" and to "enjoy". It is the Latin word "gaudium" which means "gladness or delight" and "gaudium" comes from the Latin word "gaudere", and it means "to rejoice".

According to the Biblical Law of First Mention, the first time a word is mentioned in the Bible, the meaning, the usage of the word, and it's context, sets the precedent for the usage and meaning of the word throughout the scriptures.

According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, the first mention of the word "joy" in the Bible occurs in Deuteronomy 28:47. Deuteronomy 28 contains the list of blessings and cursing that God gave through Moses to the children of Israel. Quoting verses 45 through 47, "Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake the, till thou be destroyed; "because" thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seed forever. Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with "joy-fulness, and with gladness" of heart, "for the abundance of all things".

In Deuteronomy 28: 45-47, the word "joy-fulness" means blithesomeness or glee, which means cheerful, or merry. It also means exceeding gladness, pleasure, and "rejoicing". And it comes from a word that means "an exceeding great merry making heart". Therefore, "joy" is an exceeding great and merry heart or mind, will, and emotions. That is the action of an obedient heart or obedient mind, will, and emotions. It is a heart that is thankful to God and "rejoices" for the abundance of all things! Therefore "joy" is associated with obedience and abundance. "Joy" is the proper attitude toward God "for the abundance of all things" and the proper attitude of the heart "in serving" the Lord.

If obedience produced joy-fulness and abundance under the Law what should we have now that we are living in the dispensation of Grace?

Where does "joy" originate?

"Joy" originates in God. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also "joy" in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received atonement" (Romans 5:8-11). Since "joy" originates in God, then "joy" originates through surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

"Joy" is the sound of the soul set free. "Joy" is fruit of the Spirit and His fruit eminates out of obedience to Him (Galatians 5:22). "Joy" manifests by obeying the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). "Joy" manifests by obeying Jesus words, "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:29-31). God does not command us to have or do something that He does not enable us to have or do. Through grace God has given us a free will and the ability to chose. And hearkening unto the voice of the Lord is a matter of choice. We chose to obey or disobey. We chose life or we chose death. We chose blessing or we chose cursing. We chose Christ or we chose self.

Jesus declared to his disciples, "If you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). He also declared, "If you keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things I have spoken unto you, that "my joy" might remain "in" you, and that "your joy" might be "full". This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you" (John 15: 10-12). Hebrews 5:8 declares, "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things he suffered". It is the obedient spirit of Jesus Christ Himself living His life out through the life of the individual that produces "His" joy"…in "full"….in …the individual.

To the same degree you spend time with Jesus, is to the same degree you will love Him, and to the same degree that you love Him, is the same degree that you will obey and serve Him "joy-fully"! It is through obedience that Jesus "measures or compares" your love for Him. Because obedience is worship. Who do you love, "serve joy-fully", worship, and to what degree?

Does "joy" depend on circumstance?

Since, Jesus Christ Himself is "joy", "your joy" does not depend on circumstance. And it does not depend on your "feelings". It depends on your relationship to Christ! Redemption alone is the total reason for obedience and "joy". Romans 14:17 declares, For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and "joy"……. in…….. the Holy Ghost. Salvation provides righteousness, peace, and "joy", but obedience provides the proper "in" relationship to maintain the "manifestation" of righteousness, peace, and "joy".

Since, "joy-fulness" starts with a faith decision to accept and obey God and to serve Him joy-fully, "for the abundance of all things". It only makes common sense that it continues, by "being with" and "staying filled with" Jesus Christ who is "joy" and serving Him from the position of obediently "abiding" in His love. "Joy" is not only the Spirit of Christ, and the Holy Spirit, but "joy" is the Spirit of Refreshing and Restoration (Galatians 5:22; Acts 3:19-21). Christ's Spirit of "joy" is manifest in the Person and Presence of the Holy Spirit. The more you abide/live/dwell in the secret place of the most High the more you abide/live/dwell under The Shadow of the Almighty or the Presence of the Person of the Holy Spirit. The more you are obedient to the Holy Spirit the more He honors that abiding with the manifestation of His fruit of love, peace, and "joy".

Matthew 7:14-20 declares, "Ye shall know them by their fruits". The more manifested Presence of the Holy Spirit, the more "joy"! In His presence is "fullness of joy" (Psalms 16:11).

IN YOUR PRESENCE
IN YOUR PRESENCE
THERE IS FULLNESS OF JOY
IN YOUR PRESENCE
IN YOUR PRESENCE
YOU ARE ALL THERE IS
IN YOUR PRESENCE
IN YOUR PRESENCE
I ALONE AM HIS
IN YOUR PRESENCE
IN YOUR PRESENCE
LOVE IS

PART II

Why Christians lose their "joy"

Christians lose their "joy" when they "chose" to disobey God and enter into sin.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica and commended them for their good example. But, before he finished his letter to them he warned them and commanded them "do not quench" the Spirit. In I Thessalonians 5:19, "Christians of this day" are warned and commanded " do not quench" the Holy Spirit. If it were not possible to "quench" the Spirit then God would not have used the Apostle Paul to say it. The word "quench" in this scripture is the exact same Greek word used in Matthew 25: 8, used in speaking of the "foolish" virgins whose lamps had "gone out". The "foolish" virgins had "quenched" the Spirit and they were left behind in the Rapture! The word "quench" in both of these scriptures means "to extinguish", literally "to go out". The word "extinguish" means to put out a light or to put out a fire. It means to put an end to, destroy, to obscure, to eclipse, and "to nullify". It is a picture of a fire that has had sand thrown on it over and over again, until the fire has gone out, it has been "extinguished", it is "smothered out". The fire is dead, there is no blaze, no light, and no brilliance. Once a natural fire has "gone out" completely there is "no life" left to the fire and nothing remains but dead ashes or the remains of what was once alive. We are commanded not to "put out the fire of the Holy Spirit through the sands of sin in our lives" or not "to nullify" His personage or power in our lives. "Joy" is fruit of the "holy" Spirit. I Peter 1:15-16 declares, "But as He which hath called you is "holy", so be ye "holy" in all manner of conversation (behavior); Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy". No Christian can practice sin without paying the price of losing their "joy". Willed, or even unwilled sin, "smothers and quenches" the Spirit in you. Peace and "joy" are the thermometer of righteousness or being "in" the Holy Ghost. When you lose the position of practicing daily holiness, obedience, and righteousness living before God, you will always lose your peace and your "joy".

The Apostle Paul also wrote the "letter" to the church at Ephesus. He started his letter by blessing them and then goes into admonishing them or instructing them that they are now to "put off the old man and to put on the new man" which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. He then goes into admonishing them that they need to be "renewed in the spirit of their mind". He tells them what to do and what "not" to do. Then he commands them " And "grieve" not the "holy" Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed (as a mark of genuineness) unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:4; 4:17-32). The word "grieve" in that scripture means to put in distress, suffering, and constrain by harassment. It means to cause to be sad or low in spirit, dejected or thrown down. It means to be depressed or pressed down, cause grief, to be in heaviness, be full of sorrow, and be and make sorry. That is what the sin of disobedience does to the Holy Spirit.

The word "grieve" comes from another Greek word that means sadness and grudgingly. Grudge means to be reluctant to give or admit. It is a deep seated "feeling" of resentment or rancor provoked by some incident or situation and the provocation of that situation, causing that "feeling" of sin, of resentment or rancor. Grudge comes from the Middle High German word, "grunzen", which means to grunt! Does resentment and anger make you unwilling to give or admit guilt before God and man? Does it make you grunt? Grunt means to utter a deep, guttural sound, as does a hog. It is to utter a similar sound in disgust, annoyance, indifference, strain, or effort. Grunt comes from the word "grunion" which means to be a grumbler. "Grunion" comes from the word "grunir" which means to grumble or grunt. Do you "grieve" the Holy Spirit by your sinful grunting and grumbling?

The Word teaches in Exodus 16:7-9, that all "murmuring" directly or indirectly, is the sin of deep seated resentment and anger and is speaking "against" the Lord. The word "murmur" in Exodus 16: 7-9 is the Greek word "teloonaw", which means "to grumble"! "Teloonaw" comes from a word that means to "to stop and stay overnight" and by implication it means "to stop and stay permanently because of obstinate grumbling and complaining". Murmuring, grumbling, and complaining in any form is mumbling in discontent "against" the Lord, not against any human person or situation! The "stopping and staying in one place" speaks of being taken into spiritual captivity, as the Children of Israel were taken into spiritual captivity as they stopped and stayed or wandered in the wilderness for forty years, the result was death in the wilderness. The Children of Israel all died in the wilderness, except the "two" who "chose to obey" and to believe God and did not grumble and complain. To "grieve" the Holy Spirit of God is to take Him into captivity within you, hence, handcuffing or tying Him up into stillness or the inability to move on your behalf, thus, bringing grief and distress to Him.

The word " joy " is synonymous with "obedience" and "obedience" is synonymous with right "covenant relationship". You can't have one without the other. When you "quench or grieve" the Holy Spirit who is your source of "joy" you will automatically lose your "joy". Christians lose their "joy" and their anointing when they "chose" to lose their proper focus and mentally focus upon "self" instead of Jesus, who is the Christ. When a person loses their focus they will then focus upon the wanting "for the abundance of all things", regardless of what it is that "they want" in any given situation. Self is carnality and the carnal mind is enmity against God. The wages of sin is death. When this happens, instead of wanting Jesus for Himself and being grateful for what He did for them at Calvary, they lose their focus, they lose the Presence of the person of the Holy Spirit, and when they lose Spirit Presence they lose Spirit joy. He alone is Joy! No Jesus "focus". No joy! That is why the Apostle Peter said, "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye "greatly rejoice", though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations; That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth, through it be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye "rejoice" with "joy" unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls" (I Peter 1: 2-9).

Obedient rejoicing by faith "for the abundance of all things" and "serving the Lord joy-fully" brings His Presence, and presence brings "joy". Have you lost your "joy", because you have lost your "focus" on Him who is "joy"? If you have, then all you have to do is to cry out to Him and "repent" of your sin, and your "joy", or Him, who you have quenched, grieved, and neglected, His precious Holy Spirit, will rekindle your fire. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). Jesus said, "I will never, never, never, leave, nor forsake or desert you" (Hebrews 13:5).

He has not forsaken you. Have you forsaken Him?

"Joy" is to "take" pleasure and "rejoice in" that pleasure.

Is Jesus Christ the object of your "rejoicing", high pleasure, satisfaction, and delight?

Is He your "joy"?

Enjoy
Enjoy
Enjoy your God
Enjoy His love
Enjoy His peace
Enjoy His joy
Enjoy His humor
Enjoy His presence
Enjoy Him
He is Joy!

If you would like to obtain a copy of Food For Hungry Lambs, please send a check or money order for $7.00 payable to "Drew Family Ministries, Int'l" to:

Drew Family Ministries, Int'l.
P. O. Box 35054
Phoenix, AZ 85069

Please feel free to write Myrna for her powerful testimony or more information regarding the Drew Family Ministries.

You may also communicate directly here through emailing Myrna Drew, or visit our Contact form and select "Myrna" in the subject selection.

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