SNT 0469 Joy
Format: audio, pdf
Publication Date: 09-20-1970
Pages: 10
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
Heb 2:1-4; 12:1, 2; Psa 16:8
Psa 16:10, 11; 105:37-45; 106:1; Jer 15:16; 1Th 1:2-6; Act 8:4
Act 8:5-8; Luk 15:7; 1Jo 1:4; Gal 5:22
Phi 4:1; Act 20:24; Heb 2:2
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Joy
Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille
Sunday Night Teaching – 0469
Take your Bibles and turn to Hebrews, please, chapter 2. On one day this summer, four different individuals came to me on the same day, unsolicited, and neither one or the other knew what the other had talked to me about. But all four of them related how that life had really taken on a new vista with a great deal of zest and a great deal of joy since The Way Ministry had entered their life. How that they anticipated with great joy even the coming of another day.
Sometimes things happen in life that you're real thankful the day is over with. It's like I've told you many times, I've just had to go to bed at night and I say, “Well, Lord, I thank you this one's finished. Hallelujah. Amen.” And go to sleep because it's been a day. And yet, somehow or other, there is a way to walk that, when that day comes like that, you can close the shop and get up the next morning longingly anticipating and expecting the goodness that the day holds.
These people that came to me were from four different entire backgrounds. One was a man, a farmer, and he said how he had such joy just anticipating the next day, being able to go out on the farm among the animals, in the fields; and just have the joy of knowing that God's blessing was upon this work that he and his wife and family were doing on that farm. Another was a man in a factory. And most times factories just get to be drags. You know, you have to be there. You go there because this is where you get your weekly salary, but you just don't longingly anticipate the coming of another day to go back to the shop. And yet this man had so renewed his mind that he went back to that job with great joy day after day, anticipating not only getting his salary when the week had terminated, but how he could witness to people during the day. And every time they gave them a break – in the morning a coffee break, in the afternoon, and when they gave them permission to go to the bathroom and this kind of thing – how he carried little writings with him. And he would read these things on his spare time that the company gave him. Two of the others had the same type of record.
I got to thinking then all summer long, and it's never been out of my heart since. And tonight, I want to share a little bit of that which has been incubating in my soul all these months, and that is the great joy of this ministry.
Sometimes people looking at it, perhaps because we live so close to the forest, you wonder, well, is there really the greatness of this joy there? There is. And this word “joy” has a tremendous thing to offer. And that's what I'd like to share with you tonight.
Before we get specifically into this Word, in the second chapter are perhaps the words of God, which we need regarding the subject that I want to teach on.
Hebrews 2:1:
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
The more earnest heed to the things we have heard, the accuracy of God’s Word, Hebrews 2:1. So… lest at any time we should let them slip – Satan causing us to let these things go.
All of us in The Way Ministry have an abundance of joy today in comparison to what we had before we got the knowledge of God’s Word and the ability taught to us on how to walk on it. And therefore, we should be absolutely steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, giving the more earnest heed to that Word, and steadfastly applying it.
Hebrews 2:2-4:
For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
In the twelfth chapter of Hebrews it says,
Hebrews 12:1a:
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, . . .
Those who have been listed previously in the eleventh chapter, but there are many, many more with which we're surrounded when you work the Word of God. A man like Paul is not in that eleventh chapter, and yet we’re surrounded with his wisdom; not that he is living, but what he did in believing while he was living. The joy that was his in the ministry of the Word and holding it forth, even when he was in prison. We are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses. Therefore, because of this believing that we see round about us . . .
Hebrews 12:1b:
. . . let us lay aside every weight, [we've got to lay it aside. We have to put these weights aside. Don't pray about it, just put them aside, the weights] and the sin which doth so easily beset us, . . . [Isn’t that beautiful? Aren't we just easily beset many times by the problems or by the sins with which we're surrounded? Easily beset. But let us,] let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
In order to run a race, you must be disciplined. You must be practiced up. You must have been involved before the race. This is why we work the Word in our smaller fellowship here at the Headquarters and other areas. We get into the depths of that Word, and we work that Word so that we're prepared to run that race; day after day, and week after week.
And we run this race looking unto one person, and that's the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:2a:
Looking unto Jesus [who is] the author and finisher of . . . faith; . . .
He’s not the author and finisher of our faith, he is the author and finisher of all faith. There is no more faith than what came with Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 12:2b:
. . . who [Jesus Christ] for the joy that was set before him [That's the word I wanted you to see: the “joy.” The joy that was set before him.] endured the [what?] cross, . . .
Was the cross a joy? Nope. But he saw beyond the cross. He saw beyond the crucifixion, he saw beyond the punishment, the crown of thorns, the slapping in the face, the spitting in the face, the whipping. He saw beyond that. “Who for the joy that was set before him.” He saw that great joy over there, and because of that, he was able to endure the cross,
Hebrews 12:2c:
. . . [despise] the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Now, somehow or other, Jesus Christ had developed within himself this ability of joy. And as I've taught it, joy is an inside job. Happiness is dependent upon the things with which you're surrounded. But joy is never dependent upon the things with which you're surrounded, because joy is something that you have built within yourself. It's an inside deal. It's like a firm rock, and no matter how the tide may go or how the winds may blow, in the midst of all of those things, we still have joy. Because we know where we're going, we know the outcome. It’s like Walter said tonight, we are assured of seeing him face to face.
This is why we can walk with this abundance, because that joy is an inside job, and it's deep down within us. And it's not dependent upon people; it's not dependent upon the environment or the surroundings with which we may be engulfed or not engulfed. It is dependent upon what Christ, Jesus Christ, wrought for us. And therefore, because we have him, and we have renewed our mind on God’s Word, we have that joy.
Going back to the Book of Psalms – Psalm 16. Look at verse 8.
Psalms 16:8:
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be [what?] {moved}.
If we have come to the place that we put God first, and first always, then I shall what not? be moved. And in that, lays the key to joy: putting God first and being so absolutely sure that what God said, God meant. And that His Word is His will. Then you're not moved. And if you're not moved, then you're going to have the joy.
But when we trip out, or flip out, or freak out, or blow it; at that point we have not renewed our minds and stand unmovable. We are not steadfast at that point. Now, all of us are unsteadfast maybe at times and points – all of us have been at least – but as we grow in the knowledge and grace of the greatness of His Word, we become more sure. And the more sure you become, the greater the joy in living.
Sometimes you must just be so anticipating the next day, you can hardly go to sleep at night. I get that way. Just so excited, I wish somehow or other you wouldn't even have to go to sleep and waste all those hours or something, because, boy, the next day you can be up and at it again. And it's just a joy. Why? Like he said in here. I shall not what? be moved.
Verse 10, of course, is quoted later on regarding the Lord Jesus Christ, where he said,
Psalms 16:10b-11:
. . . thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; [in the grave, the person in the grave] neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Thou wilt shew me the path [of what?] of life: in thy presence [in God’s presence] is fulness of joy; . . . [not just half joy, just not 99 and 44/100ths, but full joy. And if you want to be full of joy, you have to get into that presence of God in Christ.] at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
In the 105th Psalm, in verse 37, it talks about God and the children of Israel. It says,
Psalms 105:37-38a:
He brought them forth . . . [out of Egypt, that is] with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
[And] Egypt was glad when they departed: . . .
You can have this unmovable joy so deep within you that even your enemies can’t stand you. That you are just full of joy, they can't understand what's going on with you. They can't even put up with you any longer. They've got to be like Egypt; they're glad when you depart. Because you're just so good and wholesome, and you're so full of joy, and they're so miserable that they just like gas . . . water and oil or something. It just won't mix. And they're glad to have you on top, as the oil is on the water.
Psalms 105:39-42:
He spread [verse 39. God spread] a cloud for a covering; and [a] fire to give light in the night.
The people asked, and [God] brought [what?] {quails,} and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
He opened the rock, and . . . waters gushed out; they ran in the dry places like a river.
For he remembered [God remembered] his holy promise, and Abraham his [what?] {servant}.
Will He not remember us? Will He not remember His promises to the Body of Christ, the body of the Church? And we not His servants, but His what? {sons}. Would God do less for His sons than he would for his servants? He remembered His holy promise to Abraham, His servant.
Psalms 105:43a:
And he [God] brought forth his people with [what?] {joy}, . . .
Right. This is God's joy: for God to deliver His people. It tickles Him to death when He can deliver us. You never knew God had joy, huh? He sure does. When any believer comes to Him and says, “Lord, turn it on”; He gets tickled to death to deliver His son. He brought them out of that place, and He fed them, took good care of them. And it says He brought His people forth with joy. It was a joy to God to deliver His people – brought them out of Egypt. They had all that silver and gold. There wasn’t one feeble knee among them. He led them with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He gave them quail to eat, He gave them bread. They had all their need met. It just blessed God that He had the privilege to do it.
This is what I mean when I say in our classes at times; that in our believing, or in our prayer life, or going to the Father, we live far below par. Instead of asking God and thanking God for doing what His Word has promised, we wonder if He really will. If we question His ability, it would be like an earthly son coming to his father and say, “Well, dad, I don't know, but maybe do you think you could buy me a Dairy Queen?” That's living below par with your earthly father. Now, very few children lack that, or have that lack of ability today.
Well, what about children of God? Why not just turn on with Him? Why not just go to Him? If He can give them quail, and a cloud, and pillar of fire, and not one feeble knee; look at the joy God had in doing it. Well, God's joy today when He delivers people, when He sees people like those of us gathered here, and those around the country who will be listening to this teaching tonight, and many others; it brings joy to the heart of God that He's got people who turn to Him and say, “I need a little help, Father. I thank you for giving it to us according to the promise of your Word and for remembering the promises that you made to us, the Church of the Body.”
Psalms 105:43b-45:
. . . he brought forth his people with joy, . . . his chosen with gladness:
And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the labour of the people;
That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. [And then those great four words] Praise ye [what?] {the LORD}.
Amen. Isn’t that beautiful?
Jeremiah. They call him the Weeping Prophet. In Chapter 15, that tremendous 16th verse which we have used many times. After the Word of God had been destroyed, the king had even taken his pen knife, and cut one of the scrolls up, and threw it in the fireplace while the prophet was sitting there. Because he said there's nothing to this Word. And yet, after many years, when they returned from the captivity, another scroll was found beneath the debris that had accumulated in the temple area. And look what he's saying.
Jeremiah 15:16a:
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me [what?] the joy and rejoicing . . .
Not just joy, but joy re, re, re, re-joy – over, and over, and over again. The Word, the Word was joy, and the Word was rejoicing. Hasn’t this just so been so true of many of our lives? The first time we really got into the depths of the greatness of that Word, it was a tremendous joy. And yet we can hear that Word over and over again, and every time we hear it, we rejoice in it.
This was the prophet Jeremiah. The Word, the Word was the joy and the rejoicing of his heart. That's why the Word is joy. In God's presence, there's joy. God’s joy is the deliverance of His people, and it is His Word that is the joy of the believer.
In 1 Thessalonians, in Chapter 1, he says in verse 2:
1 Thessalonians 1:2-6:
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
Remembering without ceasing your work of [believing], and [your] labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy [spirit], and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
[verse 6] And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with [what?] joy of . . . [pneuma hagion, holy spirit.]
They received the Word surrounded with much affliction. But when they received that Word, it was with joy of pneuma hagion. What a tremendous truth. To receive the Word with joy. The same as Jeremiah when he found the Word. He had joy and he rejoiced. These people in Thessalonica and other Christians in the first century, they received the Word with joy. Did they have a few afflictions? Were they surrounded with a lot of unbelief, a lot of paganism, a lot of everything else? Sure. But that doesn't make any difference because right in the midst of hell itself, you can have joy. Because it's an inside job that comes by renewing your mind on the Word and letting that presence of that Word in your mind stay there, unmoved. And absolutely refusing to allow anybody to interfere with it.
In Acts, Chapter 8; this you have read many times, but we’ll do it again because it's one of the great, great truths on this joy and how it gets there. Eight . . . it says in verse 4,
Acts 8:4:
. . . they . . . were scattered abroad [because of a persecution. And they] went every where [however] preaching the [what?] {Word}.
The very same thing that got them the persecution is what they went to preach. And they continued preaching that very same Word that got them into trouble. Now, in order to do that, you must be settled down on something. There has to be something deep within you, whereby you're so absolutely sure that it is truth.
Acts 8:5-8:
. . . Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and [he] preached Christ . . .
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed . . . : and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great [what?] joy in that city.
Great joy in a city because of the preeminence of the Word of God, of the way in which the Word of God moved in a community. What a joy there was.
Gail, you were telling me tonight about the meeting up there in California that you were with in that park. What's the name of that park? {Golden Gate} Golden Gate Park. It at least has five acres in it. It's a big park. It's a whopper. I don't know how big it is, and I don't think you said you knew how big it was. Anybody know how big Golden Gate Park is? Well anyway, a whole group of The Way people up there all got together, if I remember correctly what he said, at one side of it, carrying their Bibles, and they started through that park. And where there were groups meeting, they’d walk up to them and ask them if they wanted to talk or rap about the Lord Jesus Christ. If they did, they witnessed to them and talked to them. And when they finally finished, they moved all the way through that park. And there was great joy among those believers as they moved through. Just like in Acts there was great joy in that city because the Word had permeated into the lives of people, and there were signs, miracles, and wonders.
This is always a great joy when you lead someone into the new birth. Have you ever had any greater joy? Or when you lead them in the manifestation of the holy spirit, or when you can just sit down and let one little word of God or one verse really help a person. Could you buy that any other place? That's joy! That's an inside job. And what a tremendous blessing that is!
In Luke, the 15th Chapter, and in verse 7:
Luke 15:7:
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, . . . [who] need no repentance.
Every time somebody accepts the Lord Jesus Christ, even the angels in heaven get all excited – because there’s joy in heaven, joy in heaven over one sinner who repenteth. What a tremendous thing! The angels rejoice over salvation. When people are born again of God's spirit, all heaven resounds with joy. God is joyful, all the angels of God are joyful; and God is so full of joy that He will do anything for that person according His Word.
In 1 John, the epistle, Chapter 1, he says in verse 4,
1 John 1:4:
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be [what?] full.
Write, that your joy may be full. The things are written in the Word of God that our joy may be full. And that can only be full when we have that knowledge of the Word, which is given in His Word.
So, you see, when you work this word “joy” down through the Word, you find out that in God's presence there is joy. God has real joy in delivering His people. That's . . . the revealed or written Word is joy. That the people, as they received the Word and heard the Word, received it with joy. That a whole city was turned on and was filled with joy. The angels in heaven have joy over salvation. And that this whole Word is written; not to frustrate people, not to defeat them, not to enslave them.
I was sort of amused at Mrs. Wierwille this morning at the 10:30 session, because I’d been working in the office earlier and I came out and I saw her sitting there watching TV. And if you want to get negative, you just have to turn it on on Sunday morning. And . . . heh-heh . . . but knowing her, of course, that wouldn't affect her, nor quite a few others. It's something, I think sometimes, maybe it's good. You just got to sit down and take a look to see how blessed we really are.
And when she came out to the… or was at the 10:30 meeting, and we were praying together as a group of people. And she prayed, and she simply thanked the Lord that He had delivered us from all the enslavement, from all the. . . the burden that sin brings. Because apparently what she listened to this morning was somebody again on the sin trip, you know, of getting you all feeling like unless you come my way, you haven't got it. And to be able to walk out, to go God's way, where we know we have not only been forgiven, but we've been cleansed of all sin, and that this righteousness of God is our righteousness. And we have renewed our mind, and we have thrown off those shackles of enslavement where somebody says, well, this is what you have to do. You know, you've got to wash your hair in Lux, or else you can't make it. Aren’t you just so thankful that the Word of God, is written for our joy?
“These things I write unto you . . . ” If they would only say what the Word says, because the Word’s the joy. It’s a tremendous thing.
And then that favorite great truth on joy in Galatians, Chapter 5, verse 22:
Galatians 5:22a:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, [and number two, what?] joy, . . .
The fruit of the Spirit. Angels rejoice when we’re saved. The Word is written unto us for our joy. And the fruit of the Spirit is joy. When you see fruit, it brings joy. When you see fruit.
I looked out of the office a little while ago at those two apple trees, and every time I walk by them, it just blesses my soul, because it's loaded with fruit. Now, if you had that apple tree out there and it had no fruit on it, I wouldn't have had this joy. Had the buds frozen earlier this spring and there'd be no fruit, I wouldn't have the joy I have regarding those apple trees. I wouldn't mind if all of you had an apple. Would I, Norman?
So . . . isn't it wonderful to have that joy? And the fruit of the Spirit is joy. It's joy! And the fruit of the Spirit . . . fruit is something you have to cultivate, something you nurture, something you water, something you baby along. You fertilize, you pray for it; you do everything to get the fruit. Now, we operate the manifestations of the spirit. And when we operate the manifestations, we cultivate this Christ within us, this Word of God in the renewed mind. All of this we cultivate; and in the process of the operation of the manifestations, we produce the fruit, and the fruit is joy – on us.
Isn’t that beautiful? The fruit is joy. Time and time again, how your hearts have been filled with joy because you saw the fruit of the ministry of the Word that’s in your heart as you carried it forth. I think we are prone to forget at times the joy we've had, and we remember those incidents where it wasn’t so joyful – where somebody else said something which was contrary, or they sort of turned us off on something. It's like, a man can do you a hundred good turns; if he fails on one, you remember the one and forget the hundred. This ever happen to any of us?
The fruit of the spirit is joy. Well, so if we want an abundance of joy, we get an abundance of fruit. When we’ve got an abundance of fruit, we’ve got joy. Just like a tail on a dog, they come together. You know, they don't, they don’t come together in the middle. I didn’t mean that. When you get the dog, you get the tail. If you get a dog's tail, you usually get the dog. So, the fruit of the spirit, the fruit of the spirit is love and joy. What a tremendous thing! So we cultivate, and we produce fruit.
And look how beautiful the fruit looks this year – not only at Headquarters, but many other places throughout the area. Man, it's just gorgeous. And every time you see it, your heart gets blessed. I just get so blessed that you can come on Sunday night and enjoy it. You know, just to walk here, to be here. Too bad you weren't here last night, but it was joyful then too. And just sat outside in front of the house in a chair or something for an hour, and just enjoyed the joy of anticipating how much joy you get from being here tonight. It's just fantastic. The place was beautiful. The people were beautiful. God’s beautiful. Everybody beautiful. So, there was great joy.
It’s just something. Fruit of the spirit is joy, and you want some joy? get some fruit. And the way you get fruit is operate the manifestations. And it’ll just bless your heart.
Look at Philippians, Chapter 4:
Philippians 4:1:
Therefore, my brethren [verse 1] dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and [what?] {crown}, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
My joy . . . my joy – there is joy when you help people into the knowledge of the Word. When you bring them into salvation, for instance. When you lead them into the new birth, the fullness of the spirit, or anything along the line. And the Apostle Paul said to the Philippians that they were his joy because he led them to the Lord, perhaps, and he taught them the Word. And these people, as they walked on it, they were his joy.
Many of you, of course, are my joy, because it was through this ministry that the Word began to turn you on toward the greatness of the power of God. And every one of you to whom I've taught the Word (or to whom others have taught the Word) I feel in a kinship, and you're my joy. And when we walk, as we heard in prophecy tonight, with one mind – what a tremendous joy it is to walk hand in hand! And the Apostle Paul said that to the Philippians. They were his joy and his crown.
In Acts, the 20th Chapter, the scripture that I use in the Foundational Class – even though the Apostle Paul was wrong in the desire he anticipated here, the truth of the Word is singularly significant. He says in verse 24:
Acts 20:24:
. . . none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with [what?] joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify [to] the gospel [in other words, to witness to the gospel] of the grace of [what?] {God}.
That's right. Even when the Apostle Paul was wrong in his action, he was still right in his words. He had so drilled the greatness of this Word within his life, the revelation God had given him had so dynamically come into fruition, that he says he was going to finish his course with joy even if it cost him his life . . . if he had to die. Now, that's getting to the place where you've got joy pretty deep.
But we started out with that tonight, basically, when we got to Jesus Christ, where we began when we said, “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the [what?] {cross} . . . ”[1] And I am sure that the Apostle Paul did not enjoy the beatings and all that we read about in the Word that he received. He didn't enjoy that experience. But what he . . . what gave this joy to him was the anticipation of the things which were his, not only then, but in the future. And who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.
Paul declares here in Acts, which is the same Word of God, “That I might finish my course with joy . . . ” Not thankful the day is over with – you know, to the end that there’s no joy left. Because in the midst of all the greatest problems with which we could be surrounded, there is still the opportunity for us to have joy deep within. And therefore, we ought to also look forward. That we are in a race, and we don't trip out in the race. We keep running till we finish the course. And we finish the whole course with joy. And finishing that course, we must finish it with that ministry that we have received of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is that grace of God that Walter so beautifully exemplified here tonight and sang about in that tremendous number, “Realization.”
Finish the course and the ministry. Never slack off on the ministry, as we read in Hebrews 2. Always be steadfast on the Word so we don't trip out. For it's that Word, and the accuracy of it, that makes us possible to joy and rejoice.
And what a wonderful opportunity and privilege it is to be living in the kind of environment, world we live in today, and have joy. Because the average person you meet just does not have it. And for you to have this joy, you are a beautiful example of what God is not only able but willing to do in our day and time.
Therefore, wherever we go, whatever we do, we manifest that joy within. And we . . . we get to the place that we're just so sure of it that we are convinced we're going to finish our course of life with joy. And the ministry that He's given us with joy, because it is by the grace of God. That's what I'd like to share with you about joy tonight.
And I'd just like for everybody in The Way Ministry just to get so alive with the greatness of this joy within them, that we are simply a manifestation of the love of Christ in the renewed mind. That we . . . we do not knuckle on the Word, but we share that Word lovingly but with great joy. And people who will receive it will have great joy. The angels will rejoice. God will rejoice. And I will rejoice with you, and you will rejoice with me. Because we are living at a wonderful time because anybody who manifests this joy has to be noticed, because it's few and far between.
Yet for those of us born again of God's spirit, we're like these lights shining in darkness. We've got to hold forth that Word. We have to manifest the greatness of that love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. That's our joy.
So don't be discouraged. Don't be downcast. Don't let people fool you with the things on the outside, the happiness feel; but know what you have on the inside – this joy. And living it that way, with that abundance, you'll begin to manifest more and more of it day after day; and that is walking, in part at least, this more abundant life – having that joy.
Shall we pray.
Our Father and our God, how truly grateful I am tonight for the joy of just knowing that we know that we know. And for our people gathered here and for others scattered around the nation and over the country, how I joy and rejoice with them in the outflowing of the greatness of your presence and powering of your Word.
Father, it just thrilled my heart again when I saw in the Word how that you rejoice. That it was your joy to set people free. That it was your joy to feed them, it was your joy to clothe them, it was your joy to take care of them. And how my heart is blessed over and over when I realize that the Word is our joy; and that individual lives, and even in whole areas, people rejoice because of the greatness of that Word. And that the angels in heaven have joy when a believer moves into the category of faith.
Therefore Father, I thank you for our people around the nations today, that we may all be of one mind because we are of one spirit. For these people are our joy and our crown. And like Jesus Christ who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, so we, who for the joy that’s set before us can walk day by day and moment by moment. And that we will finish our course with joy.
So, I thank you and praise you for the greatness of this joy within, and how wonderful it is to have the expectation and the anticipation of a new experience, of a new day, of a new hour . . . of a newness of the Word coming in – to have that abundance of that joy; through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
[1] Hebrews 12:2