Choosing joy in the midst of a difficult season is not denial. Joy is a supernatural gift that is stepped into as we yield to the Spirit of God. Choosing joy transforms us, and gives us access to a perspective that is higher than our current circumstances. In this sermon clip, Bill Johnson challenges us to choose and surrender to joy in every season.

lifestyle Joy isn’t living in denial

that hard things are happening

neither should I subject my heart my

my personhood to the difficulties that

are going on around me otherwise they

Define me

[Music]

Joy is I was going to call it the back

door maybe it’s the front door

it’s it’s the entrance into the things

of God that that for so many for so long

have seemed Out Of Reach and yet there’s

something about The Obedience of

rejoicing

that does such a transformational work

in in US

that we find ourselves

living life at a level that we thought

was Out Of Reach

and it’s Joy

Joy is such a huge commodity in heaven

that the father took Joy

and it says and Jesus endured the cross

because of the joy that was set before

him

Joy

was such a Priceless commodity that

Jesus could endure the most horrific

thing

to ever happen in all of human history

he could endure that because on this

side was the reward and it was called

Joy

so when the Bible says the joy of the

Lord is your strength

it’s not just a smile it’s not just a

giggle it’s that internal combustion of

the presence and the activity of God

that makes everything else

bow everything else is inferior to that

reality of the spirit of God inside of

me that gives me an emotional

a mental encounter with a heart and mind

of God at a level I’ve never known

before and rejoicing introduces me to

that rejoicing is oftentimes is the Act

of Faith it’s the act of surrender that

engages me to that heartbeat of God

Joy is not just the fruit of things

working well

it’s actually

the expression that causes things to

work well

suddenly when you see these glimpses of

Grace

in the Old Testament like this

things in the New Testament at least to

me start making more sense

Rejoice always

pray without ceasing

in everything give thanks

foreign

if the people of God without the spirit

of God resident in them

could step into that Dimension that

reality in God

then how much more can those who

actually have the Holy Spirit

dwelling inside

enable us

to live with extreme extraordinary Joy I

personally think

in some ways

Joy is the Great

evidence

of conversion

and if you think about it

it’s not just because things always work

well because then then you’d be able to

say well these they’re just good at

their job or they have a good family

line or whatever you can trace it back

to Natural Things

but oftentimes

his most brilliant displays of joy

are in people

that just experienced the most horrific

loss

it doesn’t mean that’s what you have to

experience first it just means it stands

out there

it’s like the diamond against black

velvet on the jeweler’s counter is

there’s a there’s a backdrop that makes

this thing pop

and there’s something about the joy of

God that is not subject

to circumstances it is not subject to

World conditions it is not subject to

whether or not I got my dream answered

or not

it lives because the spirit of the

resurrected Christ lives in me and his

nature is a nature of joy

his nature is a nature of delight

so there

rejoiced greatly

because they understood the words

I especially want new Believers to get

that one

because sometimes it just seems like

there’s certain parts of life they’re

just they’re insurmountable so far Out

Of Reach

and and yet he invites us into this

this rapid growth process

that starts because of Joy it runs at

the pace of joy

it doesn’t run at the pace of

self-determination

it runs at the pace of joy

and the person who has just such a hard

time with whatever part of life money

and you you see what the Lord looks for

and requires and anticipates from her

life and it feels so overwhelming and

yet when you start to see it from his

perspective

and I choose Joy

find myself in joy doing out of my

nature was seemed to be impossible and

insurmountable there’s something that

takes place to the heart of a person

that yields enjoy

in many ways

the life of joy is

you’re just kind of stuck with it

it’s your it’s your Birthright

foreign

for you

it was designed for you you were

designed for it

a lifestyle Joy isn’t living in denial

that hard things are happening

that’s that’s not an answer you know

pretending it’s not it’s not good for us

but neither should I subject my heart my

mind

my personhood to the difficulties that

are going on around me otherwise they

Define me

I was just sharing with

the group down here when we took

communion one of my favorite all-time

quotes of George and facts yeah that’s

actually one of my favorite all-time

quotes ever and it’s from George and

banoff that Tom was quoting earlier

and he made this statement he said

if you’re not free from sin

until death

then Jesus isn’t your savior death is

[Music]

thank you

that’s amazing that’s amazing but but

think about how that pertains to Joy how

that pertains to every other aspect of

life

these things are ours because Jesus

bought them not because we earned them

we didn’t prove ourselves good enough

and somehow

rejoicing

before I’ve earned the right to be happy

transforms me

into a person that becomes qualified

to live at a dimension in Christ that is

otherwise unobtainable

so father we give you a thanks

for The Inheritance that we can never

earn

the joy

the peace the Delights all the things

that are just a part of your kingdom

that we can never earn on our own and

yet they belong to us because

Jesus went to battle for us so we just

give thanks

we give you thanks that that rejoicing

is not empty it’s not in vain

but our decision to celebrate your

goodness your promise

all that you are to celebrate it before

we experience breakthrough God I thank

you for that privilege I pray for a

special Grace on this family of

Believers our friends online from around

the world that you to release over us a

Grace

to rejoice

at the understanding of your word that

somehow there would be a connection a

personal breakthrough according to our

surrender to your purposes through Joy I

pray this in Jesus name

yeah I’m so glad that you watched this

video I do pray that it’s a great great

strength and encouragement to you and

I’ve got a verse that it really is My

Cry for all of us and it’s Psalms 20

it’s verse 4. may he grant you your

heart’s desire and fulfill all your

plans

that’s my prayer that’s my prayers that

this would be the season of rich rich

fulfillment

thanks for joining us