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I. THE NATURE OF THIS JOY. It is spiritual joy, "joy in the Lord," and "in the Holy Ghost." The Holy Ghost is its author. Sometimes He produces this joy by showing the soul its interest in Christ, and thus it is essentially a "joy of faith." It is peculiar to faith or to believers, for it springs from believing "the record that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in His Son" (1 St. John 5:11); from believing that "He loved me, and gave Himself for me." Indeed, it is inseparable from faith, it is joy in believing — in the very act. (Romans 15:13; Acts 8:37; Acts 16:34.)

II. SOME GROUNDS OF OUR JOY.

1. Bear in mind it is a joy of faith, which appropriates to itself all God is as its own. God's wisdom, power, truth, faithfulness, goodness, grace, mercy, on all matters of joy.

2. His election in Christ is matter of joy to the believer (St. Luke 10:17-20). S. The covenant of grace is another ground of joy.

4. Again, salvation is a ground of joy (Psalm 20:5). Again, the hope of glory is a privilege which believers rejoice in.

III. SOME PROPERTIES OF THIS JOY.

1. It is a holy joy.

2. An elevating joy. It lifts the heart above the world.

3. A self-denying joy. Nothing so shrivels up self as joy in Christ.

4. A satisfying joy.

5. It is a joy a stranger intermeddleth not with.

6. It is independent of circumstances.

7. "The icy of the Lord is our strength."Let me close with a word of caution how you should preserve the sense of it in your heart.

1. Beware of sin and worldliness.

2. Keep close to a throne of grace and the study of the Scriptures.

3. Beware of grieving the Holy Spirit.

(J. Reeve, M. A.)

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KJV: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

WEB: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,