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.