There are two kinds of joy spoken about in this verse: Jesus' joy and your joy. I like that Jesus says He told us these things so His joy could remain in us. I don't know about you, but I really do want Jesus' joy to remain in me! I don't want it to just hang around for a day or two; I want it to last my whole life. To me, that's what it means to be full!
Full, Remaining Joy Comes From the Inside, Not the Outside
Joy is one sought-after fruit. People are looking to be happy, and they'll do just about anything for some joy. Sadly, even Christians often think it's an unattainable thing. But joy isn't some mysterious gift from God. It isn't somewhere out there, waiting for you to find it. It doesn't come from other people or accomplishments in life. You can get some happiness from life, but lasting joy? No way!
Joy is a spiritual gift that doesn't come from the outside. It comes from the inside. Joy isn't around you, but it is literally in you. That is the miracle of the new birth. Consider that. The joy of the Lord is in you right now, regardless of how you feel. Because you are a believer, you can tap into it and watch it go to work for you.
Jesus knew that life would be tough sometimes. He knew we would go through tribulations in this sin-filled earth. And He told us what to do about tribulation. He said, These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).
In response to tribulation, Jesus commands us to draw on the spiritual fruit of joy. Our comfort comes from knowing that He has already overcome the world and all the tribulations that are in it. And as His kids, we're entitled to share in that victory.
Some people want God to dump joy on them first, and then they'll be of good cheer. But that is like putting the cart before the horse. The way to get down the road fast is to put the horse before the cart and let the horse do the hard work. Draw on the fruit of the Spirit dwelling in you first. How? By fulfilling His command to abide in Him and allowing His words to abide in you. The action of abiding is the horse that pulls the joy cart. It is where your power comes from.
When tribulation comes, I've seen a lot of people who actually back away from God. Then they wonder why they're so depressed. I always say, "If you want to be depressed, just stop talking to God. Skip church. Stop reading your Bible for a while. Stop praising Him.
Let the world wear on you a little, and sure enough, the devil will start throwing all kinds of depressing thoughts at you." He'll even throw in a little cynicism with your depression. Cynicism and depression - now, there is a bone-drying combination! Mix that with a tribulating circumstance, and you've got problems!
Now, I understand that it is hard to be happy when you're sick. It's hard to be happy when you're struggling with something or someone in your life. That's understandable. You are human. You are an emotional creature, and I understand that sometimes the flesh tries to take over. But I believe that joy is a choice. It is a spiritual choice that can change soulish emotions.
A Merry Heart Doeth Good Like a Medicine
God gave us a clue about the effect of joy on our bodies when He put Proverbs 17:22 in the Bible. There it says, A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. God said a merry or cheerful, joyful heart works like a medicine!
I think of joy like a prescription for my body. It is one of the active ingredients for my success. It isn't a filler, an optional fruit of the Spirit that I can do without. I know that if I want to live well, I've got to tap into the Source within me and take a dose of Holy Ghost joy.
I don't just do it because I'd rather be happy than sad. I do it because I know it's a way for the healing power of God to flow through my mortal body. The joy of the Lord becomes my strength in every way. And with the kind of family medical history mine has, I know I've got to do whatever God says to stay strong!
Depression Is in Direct Opposition to Your Success
Now, if joy strengthens a person, then what does a broken, sad or grievous spirit do? It works the opposite way - it weakens a person. Like a bone-drying poison, a broken spirit makes you even more sick. So depression is in direct opposition to your success in breaking natural law in your life and receiving healing.
Now, don't misunderstand me. I'm not talking about feeling down sometimes. While we all have emotions, depression is the deep sorrow and grief that tries to get inside you and shut you down. That kind of sorrow is from the devil, and it's damaging.
Don't think Jesus doesn't know what you're going through. He does. Hebrews 4:15-16 lets us know,
"For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Even Jesus Himself knew what it meant to be troubled by personal tribulation. Go back and read about His time in the Garden of Gethsemane if you don't believe me. He went to His Father in His time of need (Luke 22:39-46). But notice that Jesus didn't stay weeping in the garden forever. He got up and finished the work God had called Him to do.
Thank God for that, because without Jesus' work on the Cross you wouldn't have a way out of grief and sorrow. Jesus made a way for you to be of good cheer when He overcame the world by way of the Cross! Isaiah 53:4 says, "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrow: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted."
Joy Is a Healing Force
Depression can be paralyzing. It can steal your joy and take away your normal ability to function. Just as joy is a healing force from God, depression is a sickening force from the devil. You can't mess with self-pity too long and not expect Satan to try to dump a load of bone-drying depression on you.
When Satan tries to hand me his spirit of brokenness, I have to make a conscious decision to stop myself from taking the road to sorrow and grief. When tribulation is hitting full force, I'll tell you, the easiest road to travel is the one that leads to depression. I know this. So I stop that idiot devil in his tracks. Boo-hooing never helped me out of one tribulation.
I have never felt any better dwelling on everything bad in my life. In fact, I've always felt worse. But when I resist the devil, do you know what he does? He flees! He has to. He has no other choice (James 4:7). And do you know what flees with him? All the garbage he has tried to hang on me, including depression and sadness. When I choose to refuse depression, when I choose to go to the throne of grace and tap into the fruit of the Spirit, the force of joy comes in and pushes the force of depression out.
Joy creates a change in my emotions. Suddenly my spirit starts telling my soul what to do! And you'd better know my emotions line up! Merriness makes its presence known, and that surge of joy creates a river of living water that starts to come out of my belly - my innermost being! Then I can pass it on to others who need a shot of joy.
We Give Our Power Away
When We Confirm Satan's Lies
I heard a preacher say that we give our natural law-breaking power away when we confirm Satan's lies. That struck me as true. He said that the devil doesn't have any power on his own. We give him power when we confirm his lies. Why? Because we have power! We are made in the image of God! We are God's kids, powerful beings created by a powerful God, and our words mean something in this earth. So we lend power to whatever words we speak - good or evil.
This is a critical truth when it comes to breaking the power of natural law. When we listen to God and choose His words, His power within us is released to flow and heal. When we listen to the devil and choose his deceiving words, we stop up the flow of healing. We actually give power to something Satan said. And that's dangerous.
Satan has no rightful power over your life. He may be able to hinder you by throwing his fiery darts of tribulation, but he doesn't have the power to stop you. Why? Because you are a blood-bought child of God. You're literally in God's family.
If you want to break the power of sin, sickness, addiction, financial trouble, relationship trouble, or anything else that is hindering you from living an abundant life in Christ, you need to realize the importance of being connected to Him and His Word. You need to know the power of being in union with God, His Word, His work and His kids!
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Jesse Duplantis is a dynamic evangelist who has traveled throughout the world since 1978 preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries (JDM), which has its International Headquarters in America and additional offices in the United Kingdom and Australia. 
