Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

When we think about joy we think about happiness. The fruit of the spirit joy isn’t like that. If I were to try to put a voice to in, it might sound more like a celebration. You know when you are at a sporting event and the home team scores and the whole place stands up and roars? It is more like that.

So often we think of joy as being emotional wellbeing. That is personal, individual, but now that you are part of the body of Christ, you are part of something bigger, better and spiritual. The one thing we all have in common is the same spirit.

Ephesians 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

When one part of the body of Christ shines forth in obedience of faith, the whole body rejoices. When a sinner accepts Christ and joins the body, the whole body rejoices. When God is glorified in one part of the body the whole body rejoices.

This is why when Jesus was telling the parable of the talents He said “enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” It is not something you have, it is something you are a part of, having joined by faith.

Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Rejoice in Christ.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The difficulties in identifying fake love is the prominence of love in society. It is seen as the most common and desirable of emotions. We all have a sense of love, to love and be loved. We were created to love and be loved. Our capacity to love is so great it is hard to distinguish God’s perfect love from man’s idea of love. This is what God says about His love.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

That is a really good list of attributes. I measure my quality of loving acts based on this list. I come up short in some cases but towards my wife I do a fairly good job. But does adherence to principles mean that my love is Agape, perfect love? It is more likely erotic love and friendly love. (Eros and Philio) From my wife’s point of view it might seem to be Agape. But is it?

The disciplined acts of love point to the disciple, not the author. What if you mixed the acts of love with obedience of faith? The author of our faith would send His love through you to be received by the object of your attention. These acts would not be limited only to those you know and love in a familiar sense. They would be extended to strangers, perhaps even enemies.

The issues of Agape love are the same as those of the power of the Holy Spirit, they are of God and are not subject to our command nor our stain. They remain perfect. We do not possess Agape love we are possessed by it.

Psalms 68:18-19 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

I am captivated by His love.