Thursday, November 17, 2011

Infectious Joy!

Can joy ever be an infectious virus with no known cure- an infection that draws the lost and hurting to a Savior who wants to fill them with His joy and also renews the discouraged Believer? Can we as a broken sinful people ever hope to be so full of joy that we could be that vessel. That Patient Zero?

The Bible states that our joy can be made full in Him when we abide in Him (John 15:11). The Greek word used for "made full " is pleroo which means: to render full, i.e. to complete. Its further definition is even more enlightening: to fill to the top; so that nothing shall be wanting, to full measure, fill to the brim, to receive fulfilment. God wants us to be in perfect unity with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in order to experience the same joy They experience as They abide in eachother as One. Christ said that since His joy is in us that our joy will be made full. I am not saying we are God or could ever be God. We are still that broken, sinful people in need of salvation and renewal. But we do have the ability to live lifes in victory through His joy. Our joy is found in Him, in His Word, in His commands, in His people, in His Holy Spirit. As our character grows and we reflect Him, regardless of our circumstances, our joy becomes infectious.

I want Christ to make my joy pleroo. When I imagine what that looks like I am forced to think outside of the box of the natural. I have to look outside of myself and the mundane. I am forced to think of the amazing! I have to focus on Jesus Christ and His promises and of my eternal home with Him in Heaven. Now if that doesn't get your "joyful" juices flowing! So let's be JoyFULL together! Let's be that Infection of the Holy Spirit! Let's share our experience, Strength and Hope who is our Messiah!