Why Am I A
Joyless Christian
Notice verses in the Bible
that encourage us to be joyful Christians…
Psalm 32:11 –
Be glad in the LORD,
and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in
heart!
Psalm 9:14 – I will rejoice in thy salvation.
Psalm 35:9 – …my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.
Isaiah 12:3 – …with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Habakkuk 3:18 – Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Luke 10:20 – …rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Phil. 4:4 – “Rejoice
in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”
Many Christians have lost the joy. They cannot rejoice in the Lord and they
don’t shout the victory. Yet, that is where our strength in the Christian life
comes from. “The joy of
the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah
8:10)
For people to be fulfilled in
life, they must serve the purpose of their creation and design. We were created
and designed to worship and serve and have fellowship with God. Outside of that
purpose and design, there will be no real joy.
King David lost his joy, and in Psalm
51:12 he prayed to God – “Restore
unto me the joy of thy salvation.”
One man said:
“The Christian life that is
joyless is a discredit to God and a disgrace to itself.”
The great English preacher,
Spurgeon, said: “It
is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness.”
Have you lost your joy? Have you
lost your shout of victory?
Christian, if you don’t have
the joy of the Lord and the joy of your salvation today…
1. Could
it be that your BIBLE STUDY is being NEGLECTED?
Jeremiah 15:16 - Thy
words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and
rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of
hosts.
In Psalm 119, just about
every verse contains some thought about the word of God!!
16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.
47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
77 …thy law is my delight.
174 …thy
law is my delight.
Psalm 1:1, 2 – 1 Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the
way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight
is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
| A born again Christian derives pleasure and happiness from the word of God. |
| A born again child of God obtains gladness and joy from the word of God. |
| A Spirit-filled believer gains great satisfaction from the word of God. |
The apostle John wrote: “And
these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
(1 John 1:4)
| Delight thyself in the word of God, and you will experience the joy of the Lord and the joy of your salvation. |
2. Could
it be that your PRAYER LIFE is being NEGLECTED?
Isaiah 56:7 – Even
them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of
prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon
mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
John 16:24 – Hitherto
have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may
be full.
3. Could
it be that your SOULWINNING EFFORTS are being NEGLECTED?
Psalm 126:5, 6 – 5
They that sow in tears shall
reap in joy. 6 He
that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again
with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Luke 15:6, 7 – 6
And when he cometh home,
he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice
with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
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, which need no repentance.
4. Could
it be that your SPIRITUAL WALK is being NEGLECTED?
Romans 14:17 – For
the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy
in the Holy Ghost.
Galatians 5:16, 25 – 16
This I say then, Walk in the
Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.25
If we live in the Spirit,
let us also walk in the Spirit. [see context
regarding the “fruit of the Spirit” being: love, JOY, peace,
etc.]
Ephesians 4:30– And
grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption. [See
the context, vss. 25-32]
| Could it be that you are grieving the Holy Spirit and limiting His ministry in your life, and that is why you lack the joy of your Saviour and His Salvation? |
5. Could
it be that your CHRISTIAN SERVICE has been NEGLECTED?
Psalm 100:2 – Serve
the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Acts 20:24 – But
none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that
I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have
received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
1 Cor. 15:58 – Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Chronicles 22:16 – Arise
therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.
1 Chronicles 26:30 – …in
all the business of the LORD, and in the service of the king.
Romans 12:11 – Not
slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
If instead of neglecting these things you begin to attend to and give heed to these things, you can have the joy of the Savior, of His Salvation, and of His Soon Return.
