There are several things that stood out to me in my study of the scripture on joy. The first thing was, the writers of the new testament wrote often of the Joy they received from seeing and hearing of what God had done and was doing in the life of the believers. John says, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." (3 John 1:4) The unity of the church brings joy to us. When we come together and acknowledge what the Lord has done in our midst, we just might be "surprised by joy". Paul says he prays with joy because the Philippians are sharing the gospel (Philippians 1:4) God designed the church to be united so that we might mutually encourage one another and experience His joy.
The second thing is closely related to the third and is that Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. I believe that the Holy Spirit is constantly working in those who believe in Him and changing them to be more like Christ. Thus, he is producing in us the fruit of the Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit is capable of producing these fruits in us and changing us. I do not believe we can produce these on our own; but that we can hinder or help the growth.
Lastly, we receive joy from being in the presence of the Lord and obeying him. (Psalm 16:11; John 15:11) We must consistently seek the Lord. Praying is crucial in building a relationship with God. It is through this relationship that we receive joy. If the relationship is only a mere acquaintance, how can we expect his joy to be our joy? It is simple enough, seek him and you will find him. However, if you are anything like me, seeking him constantly can be a challenge. (One quick side note; God has been showing me how much he wants to give to me if I'd only seek him.) I have found that by seeking Him consistently his joy has been in me. The second part is to obey him. We must seek and obey. If we obey, Jesus tells us his love will remain in us and his joy may be in us and our joy will be complete. (John 15:11) Obedience may seem impossible at times, but through Christ we can do anything. Obedience is key if we want to be joyful; if we want the joy of the lord to be our strength.
God is not trying to trick us or make it difficult. He has very clearly told us what we should do in order that our joy may be complete. If we would only follow through, than we can be those persons who are overflowing with joy that it spills out everywhere, even in the midst of the valleys and storms. What a testimony that would be! I want to be that kind of person and with the Lord's help I know I can be.
Rejoice in the Lord Always! Part 1