Joy
The Fruit of The Spirit - Joy
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, gentleness, self-control.
Did you know that America has the highest depression rates in the world, ranging from 5% to 9.5%? This means that at 5%, approximately 15 million Americans suffer from a depressive illness, while at 9.5%, that number rises to about 29.58 million. National data from 2020 indicated that West Virginia has the highest rate of depression in the country, while Hawaii has the lowest.
Many people dealing with depression often turn to antidepressants, drugs, alcohol, or, in some cases, choose to suffer in silence. This struggle with depression affects everyone, including those who are believers. Today, we can find a wide variety of creative solutions to this issue, leading to a booming happiness market. The reason for this growth is simple: there are many unhappy people seeking relief.
What about believers? Some may think that having faith in YHWH and His son Yeshua protects us from sadness and depression, but that is not the case. We all experience feelings of sadness, discouragement, or depression at some point in our lives. The Bible teaches us that there is a spiritual remedy for depression. This brings us to the second Fruit of The Spirit “Joy”.
What does the Bible say about Joy
The word ‘Joy’ appears in the Bible 430 times.
The word Happy or Happiness only appear 10 times.
We often associate joy with happiness, but joy encompasses more than what appears on the surface. In the Apostolic Writings (New Testament), the Greek word for joy is “Chara.” According to Strong’s Concordance, “Chara” is defined as “cheerfulness, calm delight, gladness, and joy.” Additionally, Vine’s Dictionary describes it as both a noun meaning “joy” or “delight” and a verb meaning “to rejoice” or “to be glad.” Thayer’s Dictionary further defines it as “joy” or “gladness”.
First let’s define what Joy ‘Chara’ is not:
It is not ‘AGALLIASIS,’ another term translated as joy in the Apostolic Writings (New Testament). Vine’s Dictionary defines AGALLIASIS as “exuberant joy, exultation.” This refers to a state of exuberance.
Luke 1:44 (The Context is the announcement by Gabriel to Mary that she would conceive the Messiah.)
38 And Miryam said, “See the female servant of YHWH! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the messenger went away from her.
39 And Miryam arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Yehuḏah,
40 and entered into the house of Zeḵaryah and greeted Elisheḇa.
41 And it came to be, when Elisheḇa heard the greeting of Miryam, that the baby leaped in her womb. And Elisheḇa was filled with the Set-apart Spirit,
42 and called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 “And who am I, that the mother of my Master should come to me?
44 “For look, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. (AGALLIASIS).
Jude also used this Greek term in his writings.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (AGALLIASIS)
The word “EUPHROSUNE” can also be translated as joy. Vine’s defines it as “good cheer, joy, mirth, gladness of heart.” This type of gladness arises from the simple joys of life, such as enjoying good food, spending time with friends, and celebrating festivities.
Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
In Galatians, the joy that Paul refers to is expressed by the Greek word "Chara."
This type of joy is not excessive exuberance; it is not simply a reaction to life’s little pleasures. Instead, it is a different kind of joy that can reside within us continually, provided we do our part. While this joy is not dependent on circumstances, it can be amplified by them.
After the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, a letter was sent to the Gentile churches explaining the decision the apostles had made concerning circumcision and the adherence to the Law. The ‘Law’ or ‘Torah’ referenced in relation to the Jerusalem Council included both the written and oral laws, which were man-made traditions. Yeshua refers to these as the traditions of the elders. This is why the disciples did not want to impose a burden on the Gentile believers that they themselves were unable to bear. More on this at a later time.
So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. When they had read it, they rejoiced (CHARA).
They were filled with Chara, which was already within them but multiplied as a result of the letter. Chara is not produced by joyful occurrences or news, but it can be amplified by them. Paul mentions feeling a high amount of Chara because his brethren showed him abundant love.
And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced (Chara) the more.”
In this example, we can see that Chara was already inside Paul, but the news he received amplified this presence. In addition, we see that Chara was also magnified in Paul, because the Philippians abounded in support toward him.
And I rejoiced (Chara) in YHWH greatly that now at last your concern for me has revived again – though you were concerned, but had no chance.
Lastly John rejoiced (Chara) greatly, because he received news that the church was staying faithful in the truth.
"I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
We need to emphasize again that Chara is not related to our senses. Food, drink, and other worldly pleasures do not create Chara. It is not something we experience temporarily and then continuously crave. Chara represents a deep joy that resides within us and cannot be amplified by fleeting pleasures. This is the unique kind of joy that Paul tells us we should seek to be filled with consistently.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice always.”
Thus, according to Paul, it is possible to be filled with this special kind of Joy continually.
What are some obstacles that can rob us of our joy?
It’s important to recognize these challenges so we can actively work to overcome them and reclaim our happiness.
The News
Sickness
People
Our World
Wal-Mart
Murmuring and Complaining
ETC…
This list of obstacles could obviously continue, but what if it didn’t have too? Let’s focus on one obstacle that in reality contributes to all of these, murmuring and complaining.
Biblical Leprosy
Did you know that Biblical Leprosy is associated with murmuring and complaining?
Let’s review these verses found in the book of Leviticus and then we’ll discuss below:
33 And YHWH spoke to Mosheh and to Aharon, saying, 34 When you come into the land of Kena‛an, which I am giving you as a possession, and I put a plague of leprosy in a house in the land of your possession,” 35 then shall the one who owns the house come and inform the priest, saying, ‘It seems to me that there is some plague in the house.’ 36 “And the priest shall command, and they shall empty the house, before the priest goes in to look at the plague, so that all that is in the house is not made unclean. And after that the priest goes in to look at the house. 37 And he shall look at the plague and see, if the plague is on the walls of the house with sunken places, greenish or reddish, which appear to be deep in the wall,” 38 then the priest shall go out of the house, to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days. 39 “And the priest shall come again on the seventh day and look and see, if the plague has spread on the walls of the house, 40 then the priest shall command, and they shall remove the stones with the plague in them, and they shall throw them outside the city, into an unclean place, 41 while he lets the house be scraped inside, all around, and the dust that they scrape off they shall pour out in an unclean place outside the city. 42 “And they shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones, and take other mortar and plaster the house. 43 “And if the plague comes back and breaks out in the house, after he has removed the stones, after he has scraped the house, and after it is plastered, 44 then the priest shall come and look and see, if the plague has spread in the house, it is an active leprosy in the house, it is unclean. 45 “And he shall break down the house, its stones, and its timber, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall bring them outside the city to an unclean place. 46 “And he who goes into the house, all the days while it is shut up, becomes unclean until evening.
Biblical leprosy is linked to the sins of evil speech, gossip, and murmuring. The sages attribute leprosy in a house to the words spoken within it. Much of the negative speech we engage in occurs within the confines of our own homes. Our spouses often become our confidants as we unburden our hearts, vent our frustrations, and express complaints about others, work, and the burdens of daily life. This kind of murmuring might seem innocent—after all, there are no direct victims, and the words never leave the house. But is that really the whole story?
Within our four walls, we can become desensitized to the words we speak. The content we allow to flow from our lips, as well as what we entertain through our eyes and ears, can infiltrate our very beings. When we feel safe in our comfort zones, the walls come down, and our family members get to see the ‘real’ us. However, if what we allow into our spirits is not filled with virtue, righteousness, holiness, goodness, shalom, purity, humility, and the spirit of the Messiah, we risk diminishing the joy we can experience from the Holy Spirit.
In truth, there is a victim in all of this: you are the victim. By indulging in critical speech and sinful behavior, we train ourselves to adopt a critical spirit and foster spiritual decay. Day after day, we condition our minds to focus on the shortcomings of others. Furthermore, we poison other members of our household, spreading increasing bitterness and a desire to toe the line between Egypt (the world) and the Promised Land. One could argue that the very walls of our homes absorb the defilement we create, resulting in the entire household becoming defiled.
Our light is then put under a bushel and the house is no longer filled with brightness. But the mold, while slow, will continue to grow until our homes and our temples are cleansed and inspected by our high priest Yeshua. The solution to this issue is to break the habit of allowing negativity. We must be doers of the Word, not just hearers. Make a pact with everyone in your home to avoid evil speech and reject worldliness, the lust of the flesh, and even seemingly innocent sins. It’s time to remove the infected spiritual plaster from our walls and start anew with a fresh coat of kindness, righteousness, and peace.
See how this transforms your environment and watch your joy increase.
Five Principles to Cultivate Joy in Your Life
1. CULTIVATING THE FRUIT OF JOY THROUGH PRAYER
“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
2. CULTIVATING THE FRUIT OF JOY BY TRUSTING YHWH
May the Elohim of hope fill you with ALL JOY and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
3. CULTIVATING THE FRUIT OF JOY THROUGH THE WORD
Now I am coming to You. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with MY JOY.
4. CULTIVATING THE FRUIT OF JOY IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
And the Elohim of expectation fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you overflow with expectation by the power of the Set-apart Spirit.
5. CULTIVATING JOY BY CHOOSING TO REJOICE ALWAYS
Rejoice Always!
YHWH wants us to serve Him with joy not only when we worship in His presence (Psalm 100:2) but also in our daily lives. YHWH commanded the people of Israel to rejoice in Him for what he did for them.
Deuteronomy 26:11
and you shall rejoice in all the good which YHWH your Elohim has given to you and your house, you and the Levite and the stranger who is among you.
We have received a far greater benefit from YHWH, His greatest gift to humanity; His only begotten Son Yeshua (John 3:16). Therefore, we have every reason to serve Him joyfully!
YHWH IS THE SOURCE OF OUR JOY
The Psalmist in Psalm 43:4 NLT declares Yahuah as the source of his joy.
There I will go to the altar of Elohim,
to Yahuah—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
O Elohim, my Elohim!
Indeed, YHWH IS OUR EXCEEDING JOY!
Yes, challenging experiences can cause mental pain. However, with Chara, we can still experience ongoing joy, even in the midst of that pain. The joy referred to in the scriptures is indeed a paradox. It may seem inconceivable in certain circumstances, yet it can and does exist. The Bible assures us of this.
How do we get this amazing gift?
And the Elohim of expectation fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you overflow with expectation by the power of the Set-apart Spirit.
Yeshua is the source of this joy just as He is the source of the first fruit of spirit we covered agape love.