“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalms 16:11 NKJ

God is love and in His presence there is great joy and great peace. In His presence are life and blessing and every good thing. The scripture says that there is fullness of joy in God’s presence. Another meaning for the Hebrew word for “fullness” is to be satisfied. When you are satisfied, you have everything you need – you lack nothing. In God’s presence we are filled and satisfied with His joy. We don’t just have a little bit of joy – we have fullness of joy.  

“You shall celebrate the Feast of Booths seven days after you have gathered in from your threshing floor and your wine vat; and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns. “Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you shall be altogether joyful. Deuteronomy 16:13-15 (NAS)

Contrary to popular religious opinion, God is not sad and sour and He does not want us sad or sour either. He wants us to be joyful in His presence. When God gave Israel instructions concerning the solemn feast of tabernacles, He told them, “you shall rejoice” and “you shall be altogether joyful!” Even the Hebrew word “solemn” means to move in a circle, more specifically: to march in a sacred procession or to observe a festival. By implication, it means to be giddy. It is translated in the KJV as celebrate, dance, to keep or hold a solemn feast (holiday), or reel to and fro. God loves for us to joyfully celebrate Him.

A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, but when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.  Proverbs 15:13NAS

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.Psalms 98:4 KJV

When you are full of joy, it will be evident. You will have a cheerful face. You will be loud and bold in your praise.

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.  Romans 14:17 KJV

The kingdom of God is not about rules and regulations – it is about us being filled with the Holy Ghost and about being made righteous and filled with peace and joy. The Holy Ghost is the author of joy in our lives. We are full of joy, not just happiness. Happiness is temporal and is affected by our feelings and our circumstances. Joy is eternal and it is constant in any and every situation.

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10 KJV

When you are in a time of need, when you feel weak and defeated, there is a strength that rises from out of your spirit with comfort and encouragement, empowering you to overcome the fear and the doubts and the discouragement that try to destroy your life. No matter what you go through or what you have to face, the joy of the Lord will rise up in your heart and cause you to see not just the circumstance you face, but to see God’s answer and His miracle working power.

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.John 15:11 KJV

And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 13:52 KJV

If you need joy, just get full of the Word and full of the Holy Ghost! When you realize how much the Father loves you and how precious Jesus is and how awesome God’s grace and mercy are, you will be rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory!

Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 1 Peter 1:8 KJV

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Isaiah 12:2-4 KJV

Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.Isaiah 51:11 KJV