That Your Joy May Be Full

As Jesus is preparing to die, He has so much to tell His disciples. He tells us about our future home, about the coming of the Holy Spirit - the Helper, about loving each other and keeping His commandments. He tells us He is the only was to God the Father and we must abide in Him. He tells us our life will probably be hard as we speak His name in the world because the world will hate us. He has told us not to be afraid because He gives us peace.

Four times in this discourse recorded in John 13-17 Jesus tells us to ask the Father for anything and He will do it. Twice He tells us God gives us what we ask for so the Father is given glory. But in John 16:23b Jesus says, "Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." 

As I read this text, I see that all this asking is tied up in love for Jesus and love for others. So does that love effect what I ask for? It should!

And what about joy. Joy is fruit of the Spirit of God and is not the same thing as happiness. Happiness comes and goes with our circumstances but joy overflows from our hearts and lives when we know we are a child of God because we have received His gift of salvation through His son, Jesus Christ.

Asking and receiving means we are asking God to do things only He can do. Like raising the dead. Last night at the Colonial Center in Columbia, SC, NewSpring had the first of two Night of Worship celebrations as we prepare for Sunday. We are asking God to save 3000 people across all our campuses on August 26, 2012. Last night we saw 63 people raised from the dead as they met Jesus and surrendered their lives to Him. THAT brings fullness of joy.

I have five people I have been asking to church for a couple of years. I am asking God to save them, to radically change their lives. Will it be this Sunday? I'm asking for it! They always have excuses for not coming but I fully belive that one day they will cross over from death to life and whenever that happens my joy will be full.