THE JOY-FILLED LIFE
Part 3c

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you"
(Matthew 5:11, 12).

8. BE CHEERFUL

Three different Greek words for joy occur in the passage of 1 Peter 4:12-14: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:" but REJOICE, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be GLAD also with EXCEEDING JOY. If ye be reproached for the name or Christ HAPPY are ye, for the Spirit of God resteth upon you, on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified."

The first word "rejoice" is the Greek word chairo and means to be "full of cheer, joyful." It can also be used as a welcome or parting greeting. In Matthew 28:9 Jesus greets his disciples and says: "All hail." In other words, "Be full of cheer and joy."

The second word "glad" is the same Greek word as rejoice. It is repeated for emphasis in the context of suffering for Christ. Most of us feel miserable when we are suffering, don't we? But the Bible encourages us to be full of cheer. It's the same word used of the disciples in Acts 5:41: "And they departed from the presence of the council, REJOICING that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."

Even when we are sorrowful, we can experience joy because Christ dwells in us. Paul confessed in 2 Corinthians 6:10: "As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing."

9. JUMP FOR JOY

We find four different words that mean "to jump for joy," two in the New Testament and two in the Old Testament.

1. Peter encourages us in 1 Peter 4:12-14 when going through suffering to go further than chairo. We are to be "EXCEEDING GLAD." It is the Greek word agalliao which literally means "to jump for joy, to show joy by leaping and skipping, excessive or ecstatic joy and delight."

It is used in Matthew 5:11,12 in Jesus' famous sermon on the mount. He tells us that when we are persecuted, or people say false and evil things against us that we are to rejoice (chairo) and JUMP FOR JOY!

This is not just a feeling in our hearts, but an action. Have you ever tried jumping for joy when people persecute you? Have you ever skipped with delight when people say false things against you? I have tried it, but I think I should do it more often.

The same word is used in 1 Peter 1:6 where we are to jump for joy during many trials.

2. Luke 6:22, 23: "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and LEAP FOR JOY; for behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets." This time the Greek word is skirtao and also means "to skip and jump for joy."

Now we look at the Old Testament:

1. Psalm 5:11: "Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." The word "joyful" is alats and means "to jump for joy, to triumph." Are you beginning to see the kind of joy the Bible speaks about? It's full of action.

After long infertility God blessed Hannah miraculously with a baby boy. Let's see her response. In 1 Samuel 2:1 it says: "And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth (jumps for joy) in the LORD." This is the kind of joy we should have when God blesses us with a baby.

2. Psalm 28:7: "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore heart GREATLY REJOICETH; and with my song will I praise him." The Hebrew word in this Scripture is alaz and also means "to jump for joy."

I am challenged when I read this word in Habakkuk 17, 18: "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice (alaz) in the LORD, I will joy (giyl - spin around) in the God of my salvation."

What would we do if everything was taken from us? Nothing to eat. No provision. We'd most probably be in a state of depression. But this man of God jumped for joy and spun around with joy. Not because he was happy about the devastation, but because his joy was in God!

10. BE HAPPY

The third word for joy in 1 Peter 4:14 is "happy." It is the Greek word makarios meaning "fully satisfied." This word does not mean happiness because of favorable circumstances, but being fully satisfied because Christ dwells within us, no matter what the circumstances! In Christ we can "be happy" no matter what difficult situation we face. When we embrace this truth and live in it, "the spirit of glory and of God" rests upon us.

My Lexicon says: "Makarios is the one who is in the world yet independent of the world; his satisfaction comes from God and not from favorable circumstances."

Blessings from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

PRAYER:

"Dear God and Father, please lead me up the ladder of Your ways, which are so much higher than my ways. Teach me how to live in joy even when facing ridicule and rejection. Teach me to find my satisfaction and joy in You, not in my circumstances or the things of this world. Amen."

AFFIRMATION:

When I am insulted for the name of Christ, I am blessed, for the Spirit of Glory rests upon me.