“But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control.”
(Galatians 5:22-23 GNT)
According to our Scripture verse for the day, the Holy Spirit produces
joy. Isn’t it interesting that joy is mentioned /immediately after
love? Obviously God doesn’t want us to live depressed, cranky, and
bitter lives.
He knows that happiness is fleeting, so through the
Spirit, he gives us supernatural joy //that transcends our circumstances.
Joy is a beautiful gift that accompanies salvation /through faith in
Jesus Christ. It is a gift imparted by the Holy Spirit to our innermost
being.
If joy is a gift, we should expect to see more of it /in the church, yet
we’re often surprised /when we do.
However, when we recognize that true
joy doesn’t come from our circumstances but rather from God,
we begin
to see joy as a blessing for everyday life.
And that joy from the
Spirit will make us distinctive /to the culture around us.
- Pastor Cymbala (excerpted from Spirit Rising)
Read Galatians 5:16-25.