Yesterday, I mentioned that God is a God of joy. When people are right with God and sin is confessed and he or she is willing to do God’s will, that there will be joy in the heart. This is because the joy of the Holy Spirit will overflow the heart of the believer.
Getting sin out of the way is the greatest step you can take if you want to be happy in the New Year – and beyond. After confessing sin and being willing to forsake it, the characteristics of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22,23) will become more and more evident in you – that is the new nature God promised that His children would have (II Cor. 5:17). King David expressed God’s will for the believer in Psalm 5:11: “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.“ He wants His people to have joy – and lots of it.
The Lord Jesus also talked about how to find happiness. He taught His disciples and then told them: “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.“ Notice that Jesus talked about having full joy in this verse. This is the kind of joy that every person wants – and He is willing to give it to you.
In the verse immediately before this one, however, Jesus mentions a condition to having this kind of joy. It is this: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”
While obeying commandments is not going to appeal to many people at first, it really is much simpler than that. Remember that the joy comes from being in fellowship with Him. The Lord Jesus has promised that believers can have fellowship with Him – personal fellowship.
The apostle John talks about how fellowship with God leads to full joy. He said: “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (I John 1:3,4).
Believers find that after salvation, walking with God leads to the greatest joy, satisfaction, and comfort that anyone can have in this life. It does not get better than that in this life! It does not necessarily mean an easy life. It is an internal joy and it can remain even through difficulties. He will provide strength to get through it, too.
The individual that walks close to God is not going to care so much about wealth – although it may include it. Popularity will not matter, either, or even great health. Fellowship with Him is sufficient for life, because, “in His presence is fulness of joy.” Keeping His commandments enables the believer to maintain that fellowship because: “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Of course, there must be agreement that God’s ways are not only right, but they are the best choice possible.
Christian, are you walking in fellowship with God now? If not, why not make a new commitment to do so right now and start the new year right?
Tomorrow: How to Be Happier Next Year (Pt. III). See you then.