Restore to Me the Joy of Your Salvation
Things are really tough right now. How can you have joy? You can. God created you to live in joy. The joy Holy Spirit gives you isn’t human, it doesn’t depend on circumstances. God’s joy makes even your worst days better. Let God restore His joy in your life. Here’s how.
As promised, here is the link to Demos Shakarian’s book, “The Happiest People on Earth.” https://amzn.to/3X9Y3Ft This is an affiliate link.
0:00 Joy Restored
1:42 Joy is the normal condition of a son or daughter of God.
2:38 Do You Struggle to Live in Joy
Joy No Matter What
6:02Joy comes from the presence of God.
7:21 Joy From Following God’s Path for Your Life
8:38 Joy Comes From Renewing Your Mind with God’s Word
9:33 Joy is contagious
9:50 Activation
Joy Restored
You are born again, a son/daughter of God. But it will take time for God to restore the ravages of sin in your life. Your soul has been wounded.
After David committed adultery, he repented and wrote: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:12
Restore - to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition
Joy is the normal condition of a son or daughter of God.
Psalm 16:11 “in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Adam and Eve were made to be like God – full of joy. So were you.
Christians should be the happiest people on earth. People should be running to us because we are filled with joy.
Do You Struggle to Live in Joy?
Paul wrote: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4
Rejoice simply means renew your joy. Renew your joy always. Always? In all circumstances? Yes!! Paul was in jail when he wrote these words.
Think of God’s joy as a river that constantly flows through you. It’s true! Joy is always available. You can drink any time you want. It is always there. The choice is yours, but God’s river of joy never dries up. Rejoice!
This is a key that can unlock joy in your life.
Joy No Matter What
I give 2 examples of Christians showing great joy while in prison (Paul and Silas, Acts 13) and persecuted believers in Philippi (Acts 16).
Joy comes from the presence of God.
Psalm 22:3 and Psalm 16:11
Joy From Following God’s Path for Your Life
Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
In the path God prepared for you, there is fullness of joy – God’s joy. Deep abiding joy. See John 15:10-11
Joy is Restored by Renewing Your Mind with God’s Word
Romans 12:2
Emotions follow thoughts. Have you noticed? Change your thoughts and you change your emotions.
James 1:17 tells us that all good things come from God. Think on these things. Fix your thoughts on the good things and joy will fill your hearts. (see Philippians 4:8)
Joy is contagious. Hang out with people who are filled with God’s joy and you will catch their joy and learn how to carry it. We become like those we spend time with.
Proverbs 13:20
Spend time with the wise and you will become wise,
but the friends of fools will suffer.
The same is true of joy, of peace, of love, etc. We literally become like the people we are with.