Appointed To Bear Fruit: A 90 Day JourneySample

Filled with Jesus’ Joy

It might seem strange that on the night of His arrest, and knowing that He would be crucified on the following day, Jesus spoke a lot about having joy. Jesus was filled with joy not because His life was comfortable, but because He was fulfilling the Father’s plan. No earthly pain or loss could deny Him of the heavenly joy of knowing that He was doing the Father’s will. The world continually offers us pleasure and entertainment as a counterfeit to keep us from choosing heavenly joy. Satan even made that same offer to Jesus, when he offered all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus, if Jesus would bow down and worship him. What an offer! Jesus could have all of earth’s pleasures, power, and status and, at the same time, avoid bearing our sins on the Cross. But Jesus knew that all the suffering and hardship of the Cross were nothing compared to the overwhelming joy He would have in heaven. Jesus is our example because “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2).

Choosing heavenly joy over earthly pleasures is a mark of spiritual maturity. As we abide more in Christ, we will grow in maturity, and deny ourselves, choosing heavenly joy over our earthly pleasures. Jesus again puts this choice before His disciples. He told them that He spoke these things so that their joy might be made full (John 15:11). He promised to answer their prayers so that their gospel witness would not be hindered and that their joy would be fulfilled (John 16:24). Jesus is again speaking of joy. He wants joy to fill His disciples. He is praying that the disciples will choose obedience to the Word of God, rather than choosing the path of accommodation with the world. 

Being filled with Jesus’ joy is attainable to each and every disciple, but it’s only found in rejecting Satan’s offer. We must always be aware of Satan’s schemes. The Devil is trying to sell us a false, shallow pleasure by calling it joy. Satan is a counterfeiter. In many parts of the world, you can purchase designer purses, watches, etc. I was offered a Rolex watch for $10 once. It worked for three days before it stopped. Counterfeits like this look like the real thing, but they are cheap fakes. Satan continues to offer us cheap counterfeits that look like the original that God wants to give us, without the cost that must be paid to attain it. Jesus could have avoided the Cross, if He bowed down to Satan, but the pleasures that Satan offered Jesus would have soon turned to shame. Now Satan, through the world, is trying to trick us into buying his counterfeit joy, by wrapping it up in materialism and prosperity. Beware of Satan’s junk! 

Real joy is experienced when sinners repent. The New Testament is filled with declarations of joy. There was joy at the birth of Jesus, because the Savior was born. There is joy when one person finds the gospel (Matt. 13:44). In fact, all of heaven rejoices (Luke 15:10). Jesus was filled with joy because He made a way for sinners to be redeemed. His disciples were filled with joy when they proclaimed the gospel and sinners found redemption. The early church faced persecution with joy, because they knew that the gospel was going out to the people who needed to hear it. The Apostle Paul, in prison, could write with joy, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). Nothing can replace the joy heaven gives to disciples when they do the greater works of proclaiming the gospel and sinners repent. 

Application:  Are you filled with this joy?