You Shall Go Out With Joy!

A friend of ours loves to meet our needs and do 

special things for us. And then when we express 

our joy and gratefulness for his gift, he replies, 

"It makes me so happy that you enjoy it."

God is so much more like that.  He is a cheerful 

giver who "takes pleasure in the welfare of His 

children."  He has given us "all things that pertain 

to life and godliness" according to 2 Peter 1:3.   

What glorifies and pleases God most is when we 

receive His gifts with joy and thankfulness.

Therefore, it follows that every Christian that has 

received His gift of salvation and the "all else" 

provided should be someone who continually 

exhibits joy and thankfulness.  While It is God's 

will, according to 1 Thess 5:23, that we give 

thanks in all circumstances, this message will 

focus on being filled with joy.

In John 15, Jesus shares about abiding in Him 

and in His Word which enables us to bear fruit.  

He compares our relationship to Him as close as 

branches joined to the vine.  Then Jesus points 

out why He has given us this truth, "that My joy 

may be in you and your joy may be full."  Likewise, 

in Psalm 16, God declares "in His presence is 

fullness of joy."  Being with and in Jesus is being 

filled with His joy.

Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness 

is what Jesus instructed all men.  But what is the 

Kingdom of God where Jesus reigns as King?  

According to Romans 14, the kingdom of God is 

"righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit."  

Clearly, our joy is a testimony that Jesus rules in us.  

This joy is so strong and dominant that we can even 

"count it all joy" when trials come, knowing that our 

loving Father is working good in us.

As Christians we are told to "rejoice, and again I say 

rejoice."  This is a command.  We can choose to 

reject any other thought or feeling that tends to focus 

on the troubles of the world and instead, focus on the 

goodness and mercy of God.  Surely goodness and 

mercy will follow each of us today and forever.  We 

are so blessed that our only honest response to all 

He is and has done for us is to be filled with joy and 

thankfulness.  This attitude so pleases God that He 

declares in Isaiah 55:12, "you shall go out with joy, 

and be led out with peace; the mountains and the 

hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all 

the trees of the field shall clap their hands."    

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