"Joy in the midst of Trials "

INTRODUCTION:

The main two Greek words used
in our text for Joy and Rejoicing are:


Charo - Joy, delight, gladness of heart. This is the word often translated "joy" the root of this is Chairo.

Chairo - To rejoice, be glad. This is the word often translated "rejoice".

Much can be said about the subject, but after looking through out the Bible on the subject of joy, I believe God showed me one of the patterns of Joy that you find consistently through out the Bible. Though joy can be experienced at other times, what I want use to look at today is the association of Joy in the midst of a TRIAL. How can one Rejoice or have Joy during a TRIAL? For starters we must understand it is a work of God and His grace, that He (God) gives Christians the ability to have Joy during a trial. This Joy is a supernatural Joy that comes from the Holy Spirit, and it is not based on good circumstances. Let's now take a look at the Word of God as to TRIALS and JOY!

I Thess. 1:6 - And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction (tribulation, persecution, trouble), with joy of the Holy Ghost (as its source of joy)." Received the Word with MUCH Affliction WITH joy, and that Joy comes from the Holy Spirit. Praise God, lets go on!

NOW WE ARE GOING TO DIG INTO 3 MAIN SCRIPTURE TEXT FOR OUR STUDY ON "JOY" TODAY:

James 1:2-4
1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

To save time and space and to keep from making it to difficult to follow, I'm going to add the Greek meaning into this passage, so please read slowly and carefully to get the fuller meaning.

Greek expanded translation of James 1:2-4
1:2 My brethren, count (wholly without any mixture of sorrow) it all joy when (whenever- which implies that trials may be expected in the Christian Life.) ye fall into divers temptations (manifold trials, and carries with it the meaning of a diversity of trials, meaning you'll have trials that are different in variety, not just the same one.);
1:3 Knowing (experientially) this, that the trying (testing, the proving) of your faith worketh(or accomplishes) patience (or endurance).
1:4 But let patience (or endurance) have her perfect (complete/ finished) work, that ye may be perfect (complete/finished) and entire, wanting (or lacking in) nothing.

Let us summarize this passage:
1. We can have a joy that has no sorrow in it because it is a supernatural joy in that it come from the Holy Spirit (I Thess. 1:6).
2. Trials may be expected in the Christian Life.
3. The trials will vary, it won't be just the same one repeated. You may say, this doesn't sound like "Good News" to me!! It is when you understand the purpose of trials that you can have Joy in the midst of it. I personally feel many Christians have had "shipwrecked faith" they were taught WRONG, in that they were taught that trials weren't a necessary part of the Christian life, and thus did not understand the purpose and how Normal trials are for the most Godly of Christians, and thus were devastated by the trial. Sad story because of erroneous theology!!! But Thank God, even shipwrecked Christians can be rescued by God!!!
4. You will know by experience what it means to have you faith proved.
5. This test of you faith will accomplish a patience or endurance that will make you not lose heart or quit! AMEN!
6. When that patience/endurance has come to completion in every detail you will be lacking nothing as to the outcome.

Now let's look at two passages in I Peter:

I Peter 1:6-7
1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

I Peter 4:12-13
4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Again to save time and space and to keep from making it to difficult to follow, I'm going to add the Greek meaning into these two passages.

Greek expanded translation of I Peter 1:6-7 & I Peter 4:12-13

Now let's look at I Peter 1:6-7
1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice (form of Greek word joy), though now for a season (a little while, a space of time), if need be (if necessary, implication here is that some people need more trials than others), ye are in heaviness (distressed, or having been grieved or put to grief) through (in) manifold temptations (carries with it the meaning of a diversity of trials, meaning you'll have trials that are different in variety, not just the same one.):
1:7 That the trial (approval, genuineness, quality) of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried (tested, a test of your character) with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

So let's summarize this passage:
1. Joy is there, though for a space of time you are going through a trial.
2. It might be deemed necessary that you go through a time of distress/grief, but this varies with each individual. Often the amount of trials coincide with the purpose of God for your life, so you think God is going to use you in a mighty way in your lifetime well I suggest you prepare yourself for some trials, as some require more trials in the making of that man of God. As Kenneth Wuest put it "we must be ground between the millstones of suffering before we can be bread for the multitudes." NOTE: Please keep in mind some trials come into our lives because we are NOT living close to the LORD, and hopefully you will let them draw you back into a closer walk with God. YOU know if that's you!
3. The trials will vary, it won't be just the same one repeated.
4. This trial will show the genuineness, quality of your faith.
5. Trial with fire will help to cleanse us of impurities that will rise to the surface of our lives, with the result that our lives will become purified and will be come Christlike and to be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Now lets look at I Peter 4:12-13
4:12 Beloved, think it not strange (stop thinking it a strange/alien thing, don't be surprised) concerning the fiery (burning like a furnace) trial which is to try you (in the KJV it sounds like it's talking about the future, but it should read "which is taking place", the trial/testing is actually taking place present tense), as though some strange thing happened (were happening) unto you:
4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch (in so far as) as ye are partakers (share in common) of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy (rejoice).

So let's summarize this passage:
1. We are told to STOP thinking our trial is some strange/alien thing, this is normal for the Christian.
2. It's a burning furnace like trial that will test us and just as the last passage we read it will help to cleanse us of impurities that will rise to the surface of our lives, with the result that our lives will become purified and be will be come Christlike. See Prov. 27:21 and Psa.66:10.
3. Again emphasizes this is not strange, but normal, to be expected.
4. We are exhorted to Rejoice to the degree that we share in common with Christ in suffering for righteousness sake. So this passage is directly talking about suffering due to our living for Christ.
5. When his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

So in conclusion:
I personally exhort all Christians to prepare themselves for the trials/tests that will come their way as they grow in Christ, and don't be surprised by them coming, as it is normal, and they will help to mature you into the Christian that God has called you to be. I'll be the first to admit No trials/tests are fun (or we wouldn't look at them as trials) but somehow by the working of the Holy Spirit and the Grace of God we can also have a JOY within while going through them, not a natural joy, but a Joy that is OF the Holy Spirit. May you not forget this message in the coming days of trials and testing, and may you give God glory by the way you handle them, and for the JOY He will give you as you turn to Him during the trials!!! 1