Joy Made Full

 Joy is defined as a delight of the mind arising from the consideration of a present or assured approaching possession of a future good. In its natural form, it can also be referred to as gladness or exultation, depending on its degree. When speaking of possessions, it is contentment. When joy is derived from some comical occasion or amusement, it is mirth; if it arises from considerable opposition that is overcome in the pursuit of the good we desire, it is then called triumph. When joy has so long possessed the mind that it is settled into a temper, we call it cheerfulness. These types of joy are related to some natural condition.

Then there is a spiritual joy, derived from the Holy Spirit, and it is directly related to the quality of the believer's ongoing fellowship with the Son through the Spirit.

He Must Increase

John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.                        John 3:27-32

In the above passage, John the Baptist reiterates that he is not the Messiah. Instead, he speaks of his relationship with the Messiah, the Christ, as His forerunner, the one sent before Him. John understands that his ministry is not derived from himself, but is received from heaven, even as Jesus received His ministry from the Father through the Holy Spirit. As Jesus's influence grew, John found his own joy fulfilled. He illustrated this for his disciples by referring to a custom at Near Eastern weddings. The friend of the bridegroom was only an assistant, not the main participant in the marriage. The assistant acted on behalf of the bridegroom and made the preliminary arrangements for the ceremony. His joy came when he heard the bridegroom coming for his bride. John the Baptist’s ministry was to prepare for the arrival of Christ, the bridegroom. John baptized only with water, not with the Holy Spirit. John’s fullness of joy comes from the disciples’ seeing the distinction between Jesus and the disciple: He must increase, but I must decrease. John willingly and with joy accepted Jesus's growing popularity as God's plan.

The Culmination of Abiding 

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy [chara -gladness, delight] may be in you, and that your joy may be made full [pleroo – fully accomplished].                          John 15:4-11

In Old Testament times, those who remained faithful to the Lord despite severe consequences were called the remnant. Now in that day the remnant [sar – remnant, remainder] of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 10:20). As the remnant defines the faithful Jew, the abiding Christian (Greek word meno – those that continue, endure, and remain) characterizes the committed Jew or Gentile believer in Christ. He is the one who recognizes that, apart from Christ, he can do nothing (verse 5).

On the evening before His crucifixion, Jesus instructed the disciples that, like the branch attached to the vine, the one who abides in Christ will bear fruit, more fruit, and much fruit, thus proving their discipleship. Jesus encourages each one to abide in the Father’s love by keeping His commandments. Joy for each believer is Jesus’s joy and is found complete when the believer abides in Christ. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).

In My Name

"In that day, you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now, you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.        John 16:23-24

While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.                    John 17:12-13

The Apostle John repeats this idea of joy made full in chapters 16 and 17 as a means of confirming the Lord’s hand in their ministries. “I tell you the truth” introduces an important statement. They would be His ambassadors and therefore had the right to ask the Father for whatever they needed to accomplish His will. The words in My name are not a magical formula that enables the user to get His will done. As in John 15:7, asking in His name ties the requests to the work of the Son in doing the Father's will. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight (1 John 3:22).  Up until now, the disciples had not prayed in the name of Jesus. Now they are to do this since Jesus's death and the Holy Spirit's coming would enable them to enter into God's new covenant program for the Church Age. Answered prayer brings complete joy because God is at work in them.

The words of comfort spoken by Jesus (these things I speak) to His disciples were of great benefit to them. Following His Passion, they would recall His words and experience the full measure of His joy. Joy came to them because they knew from His words that He had conquered the evil one and brought eternal life to them. As Jesus had spoken in the Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). The disciples would experience Jesus's joy amid their persecutions. Paul prayed (Romans 15:13) that the God of hope would fill each follower with all joy and peace in believing, to abound in hope.

Spiritual Joy

They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading. Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy [hedwah – joy, gladness] of the Lord is your strength.”                        Nehemiah 8:8-10

This ceremony reflects the form of Israelite worship that had developed during the people's exile. The people assembled; there was a request to read the Torah. Someone opened the scroll, and the people stood. In this case, it was the Feast of Trumpets (a foretaste of the Rapture), and Ezra offered praise, the people responded, and they received instruction from the Torah in Aramaic, the language of the Persian Empire. Conviction of their departure from God's will fell on the people as they heard the Law read. Their initial reaction was to mourn and weep. Eating the fat means eating the best parts. The exposition of Scripture taught the Israelites God's will, convicted them of their shortcomings, corrected their conduct, and fitted them for righteous living. The Feast of Trumpets was to be a joyous occasion, so Nehemiah urged them to rejoice in the Lord. This joy would strengthen and sustain them as a tonic. It was the people's joy in the Lord that enabled them to accomplish such a remarkable restoration of the wall and fidelity to the covenant.

Testing God

The design of Psalm 78, ascribed to Asaph, is to vindicate the fact that Ephraim had been rejected and that Judah had been chosen to be the head of the nation. The reason for this was found in the conduct of Ephraim, the ten tribes, in revolting from God, and in forgetting the divine mercy and compassion shown to the Hebrew people in former days. In this Psalm, Asaph highlights three times when the people put God to the test.

He brought forth streams also from the rock and caused waters to run down like rivers. Yet they still continued to sin [sin added to sin] against Him, to rebel against the Most High in the desert. And in their heart, they put God to the test [nasah – tested, tried] by asking food according to their desire. Then they spoke against God; they said, “Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?                     Psalm 78:16-19

How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! Again, and again they tempted [nasah – tested, tried] God, and pained [tawah – discomforted] the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power, the day when He redeemed them from the adversary, When He performed His signs in Egypt and His marvels in the field of Zoan, and turned their rivers to blood, and their streams, they could not drink.           Psalm 78:40-44

So, He brought them to His holy land, to this hill country which His right hand had gained. He also drove out the nations before them and apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement, and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents. Yet they tempted [nasah – tested, tried] and rebelled [marah – rebelled, provoked] against the Most High God And did not keep His testimonies, But turned back [sug – backslid] and acted treacherously [rmiyyah – deceitfully] like their fathers; they turned aside like a treacherous bow. For they provoked Him with their high places and aroused His jealousy with their graven images. When God heard, He was filled with wrath and greatly abhorred Israel.             Psalm 78:54-59

From this psalm, Asaph was reminding the people that God's evident care for His people was not sufficient to keep them from asking for more. They were not satisfied with what God had provided but continually tested God, asking for more. They did not remember His power. Their hearts were not trusting in the Lord’s commitment to them as God. Eventually, they created graven images to worship.

Contentment

But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content [autarkes – spiritual self-sufficiency] in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.        Philippians 4:10-14

The joy that comes from the Holy Spirit is not dependent on circumstances. Paul wrote these words from a Roman prison near the end of his life, having experienced many dangers and trials. He understood what is said in Hebrews 13:5, Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU." No matter what Paul was facing, he knew that Jesus was with him in the trial and would give him, by the Holy Spirit, the strength he needed to face any trial or difficulty.

From Strength to Strength

How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion! Passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the early rain also covers it with blessings. They go from strength to strength; every one of them appears before God in Zion.                    Psalm 84:5-7

The psalmist declared the blessedness, the joyous privileges, and great benefits of those who demonstrate their faith by going on pilgrimage to appear in Jerusalem (Zion) before the Lord. On their pilgrimage, they were strengthened by God's blessings. The Valley of Baca ("balsam tree") was apparently a waterless place that became a place of springs. The rains would cover the arid valley with pools of water, a vivid picture of God's blessings on the faithful pilgrims. In God's presence, when the believer lives his life before God, his joy is full, and he goes from strength to strength to meet every need. Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and joy are in His place (1 Chronicles 16:27).

Eternal Life in Christ

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.                                1 John 1:1-4 

If this letter succeeds in fulfilling its aim for the reader, John himself and his fellow apostles would reap spiritual joy. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. This statement is similar to one the same author made in 3 John 4: I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. The apostles so shared the heart of Christ for His people that their own joy was bound up in the spiritual well-being of those to whom they ministered. If the readers retained their true fellowship with God and with His apostles, no one would be any happier than John himself. In Psalm 126:5-6, Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting. He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying his bag of seed, shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves [those won to Christ] with him. The believer will always reap what he sows (Galatians 6:7). 

The Joy of the Lord

Twila Paris’s words are appropriate:

The joy of the Lord will be my strength

I will not falter, I will not faint

He is my shepherd; I am not afraid

The joy of the Lord is my strength

 

The joy of the Lord

The joy of the Lord

The joy of the Lord is my strength

 

The joy of the Lord will be my strength

He will uphold me all of my days

I am surrounded by mercy and grace

The joy of the Lord is my strength

 

The joy of the Lord will be my strength

I will not waiver, walking by faith

He will be strong to deliver me safe

The joy of the Lord is my strength