FULLNESS OF JOY
“…In Thy presence is fullness of joy…” (Psalms 16:11)
What is “fullness of joy” and
how can you obtain it. Fullness is the same as completeness. You do not need to add
anything else to it. And joy is an intense, ecstatic or exultant happiness that is not based on your circumstances.
The “fullness of joy” has a source; an object of pleasure. The “fullness of joy”
comes from God. It is a grace gift from Him. It is something we don’t deserve,
yet something He promises all of us can receive.
The joy the people of God should have is holy and pure because it’s source is Holy and Pure.
It can only be produced by the Spirit of God. This joy will always rise above our circumstances,
so we can focus on the very character of God. If you desire this joy, you must abide in His presence.
John 15:1-11, “I am
the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away:
and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are
clean trough the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I
am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit:
for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is
withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and
my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified,
that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:
continue ye in my love. If ye 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 have I spoken unto you, that my joy
might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
To receive the joy God has
for us, we must abide in Him. In other words, dwell, persevere, or remain in God’s presence.
We can only accomplish this through fellowship of prayer and His Word. We as followers of Christ
must make a concerted effort to stay in the presence of the Lord. It should not be drudgery to spend time
with Him. It should be our heart’s desire because of our love for Him and His love for us.
If a believer does not have joy in their life, you can bet they’re not spending time with God. They
have allowed their circumstances to take over their focus. They have lost touch with the One who has the
answers to every problem or concern.
In the Scripture above, Jesus gives us a blueprint for “fullness of joy.” He
uses the example of the vine and it’s branches. Jesus states that He is the vine and we His followers
are the branches. God the Father is the husbandman or farmer. In order for us to be
fruitful, we must abide in Him. If not, the Father will remove us because we are of no use.
When we think of abiding, we should think of surrendering or yielding to His will. Once we have
surrendered, we then become dependent on Him for everything. Next, we find rest in His presence because
we are no longer focusing on our circumstances, but focusing on the One who can take care of it. And if
we are resting, we are at peace, which makes it easier for us to obey His commands. We won’t question
why because we trust Him. We will just obey God immediately. Finally, if we are doing
all of those things, we will be able to rejoice in the midst of our circumstances. And people will be amazed
and confused at the joy you have.
Are you walking in the “fullness
of joy”? Are you someone who looks like the definition of ‘Devastation’?
You don’t have to go through life this way if you’re a believer. You are living beneath
your means. God has so much more to offer you, but you have to desire Him more than anything else in your
life. Jesus must be your first love. Abide in Him! Dwell in Him!
Walk with Him! Submit your will to His and rest in His presence and you will
have “fullness of joy
