Joy is Just the Beginning!

We’re focusing on joy, but we would be remiss if we didn’t note that it is only one of the precious gifts God has for us. When Paul writes about the fruit of the spirit, joy is right there, along with all the other beautiful ways that a believer’s life is transformed by walking with God and walking “in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). Of course, there’s something you have to do before you walk in the Spirit, and that’s decide to not walk in the flesh. Elsewhere, Paul wrote, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6).

Paul lists some of the works of the flesh, warning that these can rob a person of his or her inheritance in the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21). But when you walk in the Spirit, you walk in love, joy, peace and so much more, and of course you also find the only possible means of walking in the perfect will of God. Yes, some will come against you simply because you choose to walk that way, and you’ll have to walk all the more in the Spirit to deal with the resulting obstacles, but that’s okay—God will give us all the fruit we’re willing to let Him grow within us.

The truth is, there’s a war going on within us, and our flesh wants to win that war and leave us bereft of hope, convinced that there’s just no way to walk in the Spirit. Why would the enemy want us to experience love, joy, and peace, or live out patience, goodness, and kindness, or strive to excel in faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? If we do that, we become dangerous to him, we become light in the midst of darkness, and there’s no way Satan won’t throw every temptation he can in our way to prevent that from happening.

Every new day brings untold opportunities to choose which way to walk. One choice gratifies the flesh, and it always seems like the easy choice. Walking in the Spirit can be hard; we may have to forego some other things (saying yes to one thing always necessitates saying no to something else). But this walk brings the indescribable riches of the Spirit into your life, and along with all the other blessings, there comes—you guessed it—JOY!