The fruit and force of Joy

“Ye shall know them by their fruits…”

Matthew 7:16,20

Just like a tree can be identified by its fruit, Jesus declared that people can be identified by their fruits! One of the true identity of a Born-Again, Spirit-Filled Christian is the one who bears the fruit of joy.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…”

Galatians 5:22

Joy is a product of the Spirit.

Christian people are joyful people.

No seed = no fruit

What seeds produces the fruit of the Spirit?
What seed produces joy?

A seed has a pre-program future to produce after its own kind.

“The seed is the word of God.”

Luke 8:11

So, the word of God is the seed that produces fruits in our lives.

No word = No fruit of the Spirit
No word = No love
No word = No peace
No word = No faith
No word = No joy

If you want to be more like Jesus, then the word enables you to be more like Jesus.

No word = No Born-Again Christian

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

1 Peter 1:23

So, the WORD OF GOD produces the fruit of the Spirit, and that of joy.

“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 (moment in time), if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto(a) praise(b) honour and (c) 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."

1 Peter 1:4-9

You greatly rejoice, when:-

Rejoicing in and out of seasons
Rejoicing through good times and tough times
Rejoicing in miracles and rejoicing in challenges of life

It does not say to rejoice in good times and get discourage in bad times. To rejoice when all is good and to give up when all is bad. To rejoice when life treats you peacefully and to sulk and murmur when challenges rise. It says to be stable in Joy.
Trial of your faith:-

Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God.

No Word = No faith
and No faith = No victory

“…and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

1 John 5:4

What you act on what you believe (faith), you will go through trials. Passing the test means victory.
Three things according to the Word that will be found in you even though you go through trials, tribulations and troubles:

Praise
Honour
Glory

Therefore rejoicing at all times brings praise, honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. This means that discouragement, disheartened, disappointment, murmuring, complaining and frustration does not bring praise, honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
Your action and reaction in times of trouble will reflect who you really are.
Your action and reaction must bring praise, honour and glory to Jesus Christ.

How to obtain Joy in times of trouble or at the trial of your faith?

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer (Rejoice); I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Jesus said troubles will come but we are not to allow it to trouble us. So even though we are going through trouble and tribulation, we are to be of good cheer or to rejoice.
Peace is found in Jesus and it comes by the spoken Word of Jesus.

Written Word is Logos
Spoken Word is Rhema

Peace comes from a rhema word. The word has to speak to you in order for you to experience peace in the midst of the storm. When you start to believe God, the word speaks to you and produce faith. Now faith without action is dead so when your faith is being tried, you must not allow the circumstances to speak to you but keep that rhema word that you have received and let that only influence you constantly.

Jesus tells be to be of good cheer!

That must mean then that there are benefits to being of good cheer.
That must mean that I can use joy to affect my troubles.
That must mean that joy is a force.
That must mean that I can trouble my troubles with the force of joy.

Joy is a spiritual force that comes from the spoken word.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”

John 15:11

Jesus expects us to live with a full tank of joy. If you have a full tank of joy, you do not have room for discouragement.