Joy, or “chara” in Greek, describes a feeling of inner gladness, delight or rejoicing. In the New Testament, joy virtually always signifies a feeling of “happiness” that is based on spiritual realities and independent of circumstances. Joy is a deep-seated pleasure—a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful heart, which in turn leads to cheerful behaviour. Joy is not an experience that comes from favourable circumstances, but God’s gift to believers. Joy is a part of God’s very essence and His Spirit manifests this supernatural joy in His children. It is the deep-down sense of well-being that abides in the heart of someone who knows all is well between himself and the Lord.
Both the Apostle Paul and Jesus gave us a very good comparison between the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and the work of the flesh. If we abide in the vine, we will bear much fruit. Likewise, when we walk in Spirit, we will witness the bearing of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Therefore, we are asked to abide in Christ and walk in the Spirit. There is a freedom for us to choose to live in victory with the help of the Holy Spirit and the new creation realities.
However, if our mind is not renewed by the Word of God, it is easy to revert to carnality or listen to the flesh whenever we are affected by the world through its passions and desires stoked by our pride.
Galatians 5:6 (NKJV) Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
For instance, we have a tendency to compare our lives with others’. It is also easy for us to become proud, which causes us to be conceited and provoke one another. If happiness is measured by the success of someone in the corporate world, there should a lot of happy people in affluent cities. However, that is not the case because the problem with happiness is that it is subject to the environment, and both happiness and peace can quickly disappear when any factor that we measure happiness by changes.
Sermon Series: Joy – The Fruit of the Holy Spirit
喜乐不同于快乐
5:22 圣灵所结的果子、就是仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、温柔、节制。这样的事、没有律法禁止。凡属基督耶稣的人、是已经把肉体、连肉体的邪情私欲、同钉在十字架上了。我们若是靠圣灵得生、就当靠圣灵行事。不要贪图虚名、彼此惹气、互相嫉妒。
喜乐和快乐之间有着巨大的区别。作为基督徒，我们不能理所当然地认为喜乐属于我们，并使我们在生活中的任何情况下都保持喜乐。
喜乐，或希腊语中的“ chara”，描述一种内在的高兴，愉悦或欣喜的感觉。在《新约》中，喜乐实际上总是表达一种“幸福”的感觉，这种感觉是基于属灵的经历并且不受环境的影响。喜乐是一种深层次的愉悦感—一深深的把握和自信，点燃着一颗欢快的心，带来欢快的行为。喜乐不是来自于经历了有利的环境，而是上帝给信徒的恩赐。喜乐是上帝本质中的一部分，祂的灵在祂的儿女身上彰显出这种超自然的喜乐。这是深深地驻扎在信徒的内心的幸福感，他知道自己和主之间一切安好。
使徒保罗和耶稣都为我们在基督耶稣里生命圣灵的律与肉体的作为之间作了很好的比较。如果我们坚守连接在葡萄树上，我们就会结出很多果子。同样，当我们行在圣灵中，我们将见证圣灵在我们生命中结出的果子。因此，我们要与基督相连接，并与圣灵同行。有圣灵和新造物的帮助下，我们有选择生活在得胜中的自由。
但是，如果我们的心意没有被神的话改造更新，我们的骄傲所激发的对这世界的情欲和渴望，常常会影响我们，使我们很容易回到血气或听从肉体。
加拉太书5：6 不要贪图虚名、彼此惹气、互相嫉妒。
例如，我们倾向于将自己的生活与他人的比较。我们也很容易变得骄傲，这使我们自负并容易互相挑衅。如果快乐以通过职场的成功来衡量，那么在富裕的城市中应该有很多快乐的人。然而，事实并非如此，因为快乐的问题是在于它受制于环境，而当我们衡量快乐的任何因素发生变化时，快乐和平安都会迅速消失。
讲章系列：喜乐 – 圣灵所结的果子