Our third and final division in the subject of personal revival. The first of those divisions, if you recall, was the general signs we need revival. The second division we considered last week, Sunday morning, evening. The various helps to obtain revival. And that brings us today, both this morning and evening, to the third of those divisions, namely the benefits of personal revival. Perhaps I can put it like this, having seen who needs reviving, how they get reviving, we come this week to why they want reviving. And the reason for reviving, the desire of God's people behind Their seeking revival is clearly stated for us in our text, Psalm 85 and verse 6. Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you? Thus I suggest the basic result or benefit of personal revival is the restoration of Christian joy. the restoration of Christian joy. And thus, that's going to be our theme for the day. This morning, we'll consider the first of two questions. What is it? And then this evening, why is it? This morning, what is Christian joy? And then, Lord willing, this evening, why is Christian joy important? What is it? Why is it? Well, let's come then to prayer asking God's blessing as we begin to consider the first of these two questions this morning. Our Father, we do indeed pray that you would revive us and that you would revive us that we, as your people, might rejoice in you. We ask that you would grant this mercy in no small measure unto us, your beloved people, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. What is it? Well, here I simply want to answer the question, what is, in fact, Christian or gospel joy? If rejoicing in God is the result of our revival and is the desire of every Christian's heart, what is it? But before I do that, I have to clarify at the outset that you might know it's not an easy task. to define what the Scriptures mean by joy. Peter refers to it as joy unspeakable or joy inexpressible. That is, it's better experienced than explained. It's joy unspeakable, inexpressible with words. And thus I want to, this morning, suggest not a technical definition of Christian joy, but really a working or practical definition of what the Scriptures mean by joy. And I want to give it to you on the front end. In fact, I even put it for you there in your outline. And then I want to open it up under five heads. In fact, this definition, this practical working definition of what Christian joy is, is really an extended statement that can be divided into five smaller segments. And those will be our five heads for the morning. Christian joy is a grace of the Spirit rooted in the heart of God's people whereby they are made satisfied in God and comforted by His gospel. I suggest to you that Christian joy is a grace of the Spirit rooted in the heart of God's people whereby they are satisfied with God and consoled or comforted by the gospel. And notice the first of five points then. Joy is for God's people. And this is where we have to start, doesn't it? Our working definition states that it's the grace of the Spirit rooted in the heart of God's people. This is Christian joy that we're here addressing. It's the result of believing the gospel. And thus we might refer to it, and I do, use the terms Christian and gospel interchangeably. It's a Christian joy. a gospel joy, or I might even use the phrase, it's a truly religious joy. And this is found in our text, in Psalm 85, 6. Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you? Christian joy is something that only Christian people can have. And thus the psalmist expressly states and clarifies, this isn't a joy for everybody, it's a joy for God's people. John Newton said in a famous hymn, Fading is the worldlions pleasure, all his boasted pomp and show, solid joys and lasting treasure, none but Zion's children know. But here I want to underscore, brethren, that true joy is not only for Christians, but true joy is for Christians. That, in a sense, we could say it's the right of every Christian. It should be experienced by all Christians. It's not something reserved for the elite. This is a common, generic blessing or benefit for all of God's people. In fact, it's not only a privilege, but elsewhere the Scriptures would teach us it's a command. For example, Philippians 4.4, Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. And thus, brethren, Christian joy, religious joy, Gospel joy, the joy only that God's people can have is a joy that we ought to have. Now this doesn't obviously imply that all Christians always have it. And this is again found in the text, for why would the psalmist ask for it if he already had it? It's not a denial that he could and likely had it in its seed form, but he knew he needed it more. He lacked it, and hence he asked for it. Brethren, it's a faulty view of Christianity that it's always, and without exception, mountaintop experiences. Nevertheless, I want to teach you today that this joy is a joy that should be experienced on the mountaintop, and it's a joy that ought to be experienced in the valley. It's a joy for God's people that they're to have, even as Philippians 4.4 says, always, rejoice always. 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 16. In every circumstance, in every situation, when you're on the mountain peak, when you're in the valley, when you feel like you're buried beneath the ground, Rejoice. Rejoice always. And thus, we have to steer clear from the idea, the faulty idea, one, that only certain Christians should have it, but the other error that we have to stay clear from, and that is that all Christians always have it. But just back up, for example, and let me show you this from Psalm 51. Look at verse 8. Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones you have broken may rejoice." Now here, as we saw in the psalm last week, David is confessing his sin. And he lost his joy due to his sin, and thus he's asking for it to be restored by God. Verse 12, "...restore to me the joy of your salvation." So the implication is, brethren, that to some degree he lost it. And he's asking God to restore it. Verse 8, make me hear joy and gladness. It's as if God had broken his bones. He was in a time of excessive sorrow because of his sins. And the heavy hand of God upon him for his sins. So do away, brethren, with the notion that it's all mountaintop. But again, Let us be clear on the point. This is a blessing for all of God's people, and it should be possessed by all of God's people all the time, mountaintop or not. This is a commandment from God. Rejoice always. Thus, Christian joy, true joy, must be distinguished from, first, The joy of the worldlian and secondly, the joy of the hypocrite. Notice the joy of the worldlian. By worldlian, I mean a worldly or everyday unconverted person. Person of the world. A person who's in and of the world. A non-Christian. A regular, everyday, worldly person or non-Christian. Non-Christian people experience some kind of joy or kindness is evident upon every page of society. But this kind of joy that the worldlian experiences is far from Christian joy. For example, Acts 14, 17, Paul says to pagan worshippers in Lystra, God did not leave himself without witness in that he did good He gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. God did that to wicked worldlians. He gave them food. He gave them sunshine and rain and even a sense of worldly or carnal, not sinful, worldly, generic, carnal joy or gladness. This is what sometimes our forefathers referred to as common grace or common kindness. For example, we find that lost people, non-Christian people, worldly carnal people find happiness in various things. A non-Christian person finds happiness, joy, gladness in the birthing of a new baby, in marrying perhaps a husband, a wife, in their job, in various things of this world. I mean, you watch an unconverted mother have her little child there, maybe at the store or at the bus stop or wherever, and you watch her, and it's rather evident she's not Christian. You make the assumption she is. Maybe she is, but likely she isn't. But she plays with the child, and the child is laughing, and she's laughing, and she's obviously enjoying that child. Brother, nobody denies that the world has a joy, they experience a joy. And in a generic, general sense, providing it's not sinful joy that they're rejoicing in wicked things outrightly, God is the author of it. He gives good things to the world. Yes. One important difference between this and Christian joy is that the joy of the worldly end terminates in the worldly object. For example, the mother, her joy terminates in the child. The child is the ultimate source of her joy. She rejoices in the gift and not the giver. That's what we do by nature. And so when the child is gone, her joy is gone, right? Because her joy is fixed upon, focused upon an object. A man might find joy in his work. When his job is depleted, his joy is gone. In a marriage, when his wife dies, his joy leaves, etc. A person might rejoice in things like fame, appearance or possessions, but their joy is contingent upon the possession of those things. And when those things are gone, their joy is gone. But this is obviously not true with regards to Christian joy, because Christian joy is fixed ultimately upon an object that will never leave us, and that is God. But should a Christian then also rejoice in the gifts? Of course he should. But the difference lies in this. The Christian rejoices in things given him as things given him from God. Let me illustrate it. Look at Deuteronomy 26, verse 11. Deuteronomy 26, 11. foretelling of what's going to happen when they enter into the land. Deuteronomy 26 and verse 11. So you shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given to you and your house, you and the Levites and the stranger who is amongst you. When you get in there, I'm going to give you good things. I'm going to give you vineyards. I'm going to give you houses. I'm going to give you children. I'm going to give you all these things. And, God says, you shall rejoice in every one of them. Brethren, it's the height of a hard heart not to acknowledge the good things God gives us and rejoice in them. It's very appropriate for a Christian to rejoice in his spouse, in his children, in his grandchildren, in all of the things, lawful, good gifts that God has given us. But here's the difference. Look at it. You shall rejoice in every good thing which the Lord your God has given you. You're to rejoice in them, not as ends in themselves. But as means to an end, God has given me them. And when God takes them from me, I say, God has given, God has taken. Let the name of God be praised. And I rejoice in God nevertheless. He's given me a child. I rejoice in that child. Guys, I tell you, our last child has brought grief too, but a large amount of joy. And all of the kids do. Sometimes I just look at them and my heart is going to burst at its seams with God's kindness toward me, to think these are such a joy. How many times have we said that in our home? This last one, He brings so much joy to our house. And He does. And if God was to take him, we would, with weeping and sorrow, praise God and continue to rejoice in God, because ultimately our joy was not in the object given, but in the gift giver. And this is the difference between Christian joy and what I've called the joy of the worldly joy. But secondly, the joy of the hypocrite. That is, a religious joy, or a joy in religious things that doesn't last, but soon goes away. This is not just a pagan whirlwind, but this is a, quote, religious person, a churchgoer. And he or she has supposed joy in religious things. But this joy in religious things is transient. Let me illustrate. Look at Matthew 13 and verse 20. Matthew 13 and verse 20. parable of the four soils. This is the stony place. Verse 20, he who receives the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives that with joy. He's all excited. He's, quote, on fire for Jesus. Verse 21, yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word he needed, he stumbles and he doesn't go to heaven. Because he was never converted. But he gave every impression of it. And he even had, on some level, to some degree, we could call them, religious affections, or he had some measure of joy in religious things. He liked to hear about religious things, and he genuinely had some kind of joy in them, brethren. But obviously it wasn't a joy that lasted. It wasn't a joy that endured. And this is the obvious difference between the joy of the hypocrite and that of the true convert. They differ in duration. They differ in many ways, many ways, because the one's a counterfeit. But in this, at least, is the evident difference, and that is duration. For example, think of the hypocrite's joy as a sugar buzz. He eats a lot of candy and has a spurt of energy for a couple of hours. Maybe he drinks a couple of those energy drinks and he's got a good buzz for, I don't know, a couple of hours, however long it lasts. But it's the surface. But contrast that with the energy level of a man who eats right, exercises right, and sleeps right. He has energy too. He has a high energy level, but his isn't surface and transient. It may not have the highs that the sugar buzz does, but it's a stable energy level. Well, that's similar to Christian joy. Christian joy has a longevity to it. It's sturdy and stable. It's enduring. And it has highs and lows, but it may not give the appearance of the highs of a sugar buzz. But, brethren, the sugar buzz, how long does it last? Then he has to what? Get another fix. Get another can. Have some more candy. Eat some more sugar. Drink some more caffeine. It's short term. It's short lived. It's the joy of the hypocrite. He has to go to church and get another buzz. Brethren, that is very common today. I suggest to you that much of what's called joy today in most churches is hypocritical, sugar-buzz joy. Turn up the bass. Turn up the music. Put a little bit more entertainment, a little bit more excitement. Raise the hands higher. Stomp the feet louder. Get a little buzz. Feel real good. But does it last? Does it last into Monday and Tuesday where there's this consistency, this duration of holy living? Or is it just a quick fix, sugar buzz? Obviously, brethren, I'm not denying the place for emotional religion. The religion of Scripture is emotional. But that's different from what we might call emotionalism, where that's the extent of it. And some of us have been a part of sects and groups and denominations where this is most problematic. But nevertheless, there is a real danger, isn't there? Confusing the joy of our texts in Psalm 85, with the joy of Matthew 13. But in contrast to that, look at Matthew 13 again. Look at verse 44. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man found and hid. And for joy over it, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. You see the longevity of this man's joy. His joy leads him to sell everything he has to purchase the field. There's something of such value in it that I'm willing to go at great pains to keep it. You see, there's a sense of longevity to this man's joy in contrast to the joy of the stony ground hypocrite. He's found something in the Gospel, perhaps better said, he's found something in the Christ of the Gospel that has warranted him to sell all of his possessions to obtain it. Such a joy is durable and long-lasting. It's rooted deep into the heart and it endures trouble, hardship and affliction. But this, of course, again, is in contrast to the hypocritical joy that's that lacks root system and is but a surface emotionalism that quickly fades away when the winds of persecution come. So let's not be confused, brethren, with those two imitational joys. The joy we speak about this day is the joy for God's people. Secondly, joy is a grace of the Spirit. And again, This, of course, militates against some view that we can whip it up if we only turn it up. Galatians 5.22, but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc. Thus, true joy isn't a mere byproduct of our own doing, but it's the work of God in our soul. And this, of course, is again implied at least in our text in Psalm 85 and verse 6. Will you not revive us again? Why else would he ask God to revive him unless he understood that it was ultimately the work of God in his soul? Let me show you this from a text or two. One from the book of Acts and the other from the epistle to the Romans. Look at Acts 13 in the last verse. Acts 13 and verse 52. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Luke makes this statement something as an aside or a commentary on the previous passage. The disciples were experiencing opposition from the Jews. Verse 50, for example, But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women, and the chief men of the city raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their region. But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and came to Iconium, And the disciples, either those in Antioch or else Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, and the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. In other words, brethren, to be full of the Spirit is to be full with joy because the Holy Spirit is the author of our joy. He's the creator and the sustainer of our joy. In spite of the persecution, they were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. They were filled with joy by the Holy Spirit. And we see how it's able to operate in the midst of persecution, in the midst of suffering and affliction. Of course, this is, again, in contrast to that of the hypocrites, the stony ground hero. When the affliction and the difficulties come, he goes away from the faith. He leaves it. His joy goes away because his joy was in things other than, ultimately, God in Christ. Or another text, look with me at Romans 14 and verse 16. 14, 16. Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. This statement is a part of the discussion whether or not it was lawful to eat meat offered to pagan temples. Verse 16, let not your good be spoken of as evil, that is, forgo your liberty, even if it's lawful, if it hinder your brother. Four, the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking. These are not the things that define the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is ultimately in you. It's ultimately spiritual and not physical. It's primarily an inward spiritual kingdom concerned with inner and spiritual realities. Righteousness, peace, and joy. These are the things that characterize this kingdom. To use Augustine's analogy, We live simultaneously in two distinct cities or kingdoms. One is outward and physical. The other is inner and spiritual. The one is characterized by unrighteousness, characterized by war, characterized by misery. The other characterized by righteousness, peace and joy. And so the Christian is to experience these things even while he or she exists in the midst of another kingdom, this wicked world. We live in a world that's characterized by unrighteousness. We live in a world characterized by war and conflict. We live in a world characterized by misery. And yet all the while, we are characterized by righteousness, peace, and joy. But my purpose in turning you here is to note with you prepositional phrase, joy in the Holy Spirit. That is, joy produced by the Holy Spirit. Real, true, lasting, Christian joy. It's the fruit or the work of God the Holy Spirit. And just like many things, brethren, that doesn't negate our responsibility to get it and maintain it, but ultimately it's the work of God and not the result of our own determination. It's supernatural. It's the work of God, the Holy Spirit. Thirdly, joy is rooted in the heart. And this, of course, is evident from what we've just said. It characterizes Jesus' kingdom, which is inward and spiritual. True Christian joy goes far deeper than the countenance and it finds its base in the heart of man. It's not just something you find on the expression, but it's deeply rooted down into the soul of a man. Do you remember those words of Hannah? 1 Samuel 2.1, my heart rejoices in the Lord. David said in Psalm 4.7, you have put gladness in my heart. The Prophet said, Isaiah 60, verse 5, God, in describing His recovered people, says of them, Your heart shall swell with joy. Now, to clarify, obviously this doesn't deny that oftentimes Christian joy finds its expression on the face, and it's evident to those around us by way of our countenance. But all I'm saying here is that Christian joy is rooted in the soul and mustn't be equated merely with a smiling face. We all know people who are not Christians who are natively happy people. And they're always joyful and they're always smiling. And I'm thankful for it. But that mustn't be misunderstood to be Christian joy. Because Christian joy may or may not find its expression on the face. To prove this, all I need to do is to remind you of our Savior, who was anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows. Never was there a more joyful man. Jesus was always perfectly joyful. Always. And yet, brethren, as we read across the pages, as we follow him across the pages of the gospel records, not one time has he ever recorded as having smiled or laughed. Now, did he smile? Did he laugh? I'm sure he did. The Bible says that children came to him easily. I mean, if he had some sour face or expression all the time, children probably would be put off from him. He was a man who probably was very inviting. But my point is, is that he's a man who was always happy, always joyful, always rejoicing. He had Christian joy in the full. And it's interesting to notice that the Scripture never describes him as laughing or smiling. But it often describes him both doing things and saying things that smiling or laughing would have been inappropriate. But was he joyful while he did it? Yes. He never lost his joy. He was never defeated of his joy. But my point is that joy can and does exist with other graces. Gospel sorrow. He was a man of sorrows. And yet he was a man anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. righteous anger. Twice he went into the temple and cleansed it from its filth on the front end and the tail end of his ministry. Do you think he was smiling when he did it? But he was joyful in doing his Father's will. And in all of his stern preachings, you hypocrite, he didn't smile, he didn't laugh, I assure you. But he was always joyful and was rejoicing in his father. Thus I suggest true Christian joy is the spiritual reality that finds its first and primary expression in the heart. And to the degree that it shows itself externally, it does, but it doesn't have to, of necessity. Ezekiel Hopkins, our Puritan forefather, said, it is not, that is Christian joy, it is not so light and frothy so as to float upon the expression of the face. It lies deep and hidden in the center of the soul. Thomas Madden said, Carnal joy is like the morning dew, which wets the surface. But godly joy is like a soaking shower that goes to the root and makes the plants flourish. Let me illustrate it from an Old Testament text and New Testament text. Zephaniah. Zephaniah 3. Look at verse 14. Zephaniah 3.14. Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away your judgments. He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord is in your midst. You shall see disaster no more. This is the result of gospel joy. God saves sinners. He takes away his wrath. He placates it in punishing his son. And what is the result? A joy that merely finds its expression in a smile? It might. I'll even say it ought But it doesn't always, brethren, because this is the kind of gladness and rejoicing that's rooted in the heart and soul of a man. Be glad and rejoice with all your heart. You'll find the same thing in the New Testament Scriptures. How about Jesus' words in John 16, verse 22? John 16, 22, Therefore, You now have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice. In your joy no one will take from you." Now, here Jesus is talking about seeing them again after His crucifixion, but He's also going to see them again in the person of His Spirit. Sometimes he speaks of returning or coming to them. Remember he said, I won't leave you as orphans. I will come again to you. He was referring to him coming in the person of the Spirit. Here he's probably referring to the fact that he will see them after the crucifixion. But either way, the point being is, they would lose their joy for a time and they would be overcome with sorrows. But, says Jesus, I will see you again. And when I see you again, your heart will rejoice. And no one will take this joy from you." Well, why can't no one take this joy from them? Because, brethren, the world doesn't give it, and the world thus can't take it. If their joy was contingent upon their circumstances, that can change. If their joy is contingent upon a woman, a man, a child, a job, a house, health, fame, appearance, All of that can go to the wayside. But the reason why this joy will never be taken from you is because my Spirit will be given you and He will be with you and in you always. And thus, this kind of joy transcends circumstances and it thrives. It ought to thrive in the deepest and darkest valley as much as in the highest mountain regions. Because what ultimately makes us joyful never leaves us nor forsakes us. And thus, thirdly, joy is rooted in the heart. Fourthly, joy is satisfaction in God. And it's at this point, brethren, that we come perhaps the closest to defining it. It's inner spiritual delight in God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It's delighting in God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Again, this is in our text. Notice very carefully how it states. how the psalmist states his petition. Will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you? This is the very essence of Christian joy. God's people rejoice in Him. This is what distinguishes it from all other kinds of joy. It is a joy in God. Joy necessarily means that we're finding something that answers to our longings. It's a joy or delight that finds everything needed in God. It rests in God. It's satisfied or content with God. And thus, the term delight is very akin, if not synonymous, with rejoice. And the concepts of contentment and satisfaction and complacency are all very closely associated with Christian joy. Psalm 92, I will be glad and rejoice in you, my joys in you, because you are the object of my desire. You are my delight. Let me illustrate it from a texture, too. Look at Psalm 43. Psalm 43. Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill and to your tabernacle." David's in a way, whereas he's separated due to persecution from the visible place of God's presence, the tabernacle. And he wanted to be led back to the tabernacle. But here's why. Verse 4, Then I will go to the altar of God to God my exceeding joy. And on the harp I will praise you, O God my God. You see, God is His joy. God is His exceeding joy. He delighted in Him. He found all that He needed in Him. And the rest were but the trimmings. Yet, joy or delight, as I've already intimated, is often associated with the concepts of satisfaction or contentment. I introduced some of you, I think last week or the week before, to the older word complacency. For example, think of a place that would bring you joy, perhaps a beach in the Bahamas, white sand, blue sky, warm water. Let's say all of the ingredients are just right. It's just perfect. You feel a sense of complacency or satisfaction. You need nothing more. All that you need to satisfy your desires and your longings are found and thus met in this place. You're happy all by yourself. You need nothing nor no one. You have all that you need. You're content. Well, brethren, this is similar to Christian joy. It's the satisfaction or the contentment of the soul in God, and thus the soul needs nothing or no one other than God. Whom have I in heaven but This is the thinking of a content, satisfied soul with God. And on earth, I desire nothing but you. Brethren, this is the essence of Christian joy. I need nothing but Him. And the rest, just trimming. Let me illustrate it from a few texts. How about Psalm 63? This aspect or idea of satisfaction, complacency and contentment as the essence of Christian joy. Psalm 63 and verse 3. Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you. Thus I will bless you while I live, I will lift up my hands in your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with morrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips." Have you ever heard of the phrase, a full stomach makes a happy heart? When our hunger is satisfied, our hearts are happy. But so too here, the psalmist's soul is satisfied with the fatness of God, and thus his mouth praises Him with joyful lips. We can say joy is the result of this satisfaction, because his heart is full. His heart is satisfied in God. His heart is content with God. And because of it, his lips sing joyfully. He's happy. He's happy. His heart's content. His heart's satisfied. His heart has all that he needs, brethren. And this is at the very heart of Christian joy. Psalm 90. You find it several places throughout the Psalms. Let me give you a couple of examples. Psalm 90, 14. Return, O Lord, verse 13, how long? And have compassion on your servants. Now listen to how he couples these together. Satisfy in joy or delight. O, satisfy us early with your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad according to the days in which you have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil. Satisfy us, verse 14, is synonymous with make us glad in verse 15. It's the same thing. Satisfy us. Make us happy. Make us joyful. Make us glad. Or, satisfy our soul with you. There's another example of it found in Isaiah 66 A beautiful graphic expression. Look at verse 10, Isaiah 66. It's a prophecy of the salvation of the Gentiles. You can read the whole section and find that out for yourself. But take it. as truth, brethren, that this is really what's happening here. The Gentiles are going to come and they're going to come, verse 10, rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad with her, all you who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her. The Gentiles are going to come and they're going to align themselves with God's people. And they're going to rejoice with her. And they're going to mourn with her. But notice verse 11. that you may feed and be satisfied with the consolation of her bosom, that you may drink deeply and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. They will rejoice with her. They will be fed from her. That is, they will be nourished with the same source that she's nourished with. The imagery is that they will come as a child in her bosom and will draw from her milk and be satisfied. But this milk, this grace that's found in Christ, is not only going to satisfy them, but, brethren, is going to delight them. Satisfied and delighted, these concepts are joined at the hip. You might feed and be satisfied, drink and be delighted. These are the benefits that the Gentiles would have with ethnic Israel as they would be joined in and grafted in by faith into Christ. Well, finally, fifthly, joy is consolation in the gospel. That is, it's the result of the soul experiencing the gospel and drinking deeply from the well of salvation. And this has been implied all along. Perhaps I can put it this way. Because of sin, man is a miserable creature and only in the gospel can joy be restored. Psalm 35, 9. And that's why rejoicing in God and rejoicing in His salvation are coupled together. My soul shall be joyful in the Lord. It shall rejoice in His salvation. He rejoices in the God of His salvation. He rejoices in God in Christ. This is where joy comes from. I have three texts. I'll just read them, give you a few comments, and we'll close. The first is Isaiah 12. Notice verse one, Isaiah 12, one. And in that day, you will say, oh, Lord, I will praise you, though you were angry with me, your anger is turned away and you comforted me. Behold, God is my salvation, I would trust and not be afraid. For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song. He also has become my salvation. Therefore, with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. the people speaking. In verse 3, it's the prophet, or God speaking through the prophet, telling them, this is what's going to happen. You're going to come. And in coming, you're going to find salvation. And salvation's going to issue in joy. Therefore, with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In other words, you're going to find true joy when you come and become a Christian. And as you ongoingly, continually, through the means of grace, dip your bucket of faith down into the well of Christ and find fresh supplies of salvation that are going to rejoice your soul. My friend, to put it very plainly, you can only find it in Christ. Joy is only found in Christ. Another text, Habakkuk. If you're in Isaiah, just go past all the major prophets, and you're going to come to Habakkuk. And notice with me, please, if you would, chapter 3 and verse 17. Habakkuk 3.17. Though the fig tree may not blossom, you know the story of Habakkuk, he's been given these strong warnings to preach of judgment, and he's beginning to tremble and even perhaps grow dim in his confidence and in his hope, and then he ends the book with this great restatement of his confidence and trust. Verse 17, though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit beyond the vines, though the labor of the olive may fail, fields yield no food, though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls." Verse 18, "'Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will joy in the God of my salvation.'" You see, because this joy is found in salvation, that's purchased by Christ, And it never depletes. It never runs dry. This is the wells of salvation. Your well may run dry. Your goats may run dry. Your refrigerators might become barren. Your car might break down. You might lose your job. You might grow sick. You might lose a child. But you'll never lose your salvation. you'll never lose the one who purchased that salvation. And this is what he's saying. Though everything else might go south, though the Lord might take it all away, yet I will rejoice, because my joy ultimately isn't contingent upon those things. It's ultimately found in God, and it's found in God in Christ. Finally, Isaiah 61, verse 1. This text, as you know, is quoted by Jesus and applied to His ministry in Luke 4. And He expressly says, This day this text is fulfilled. That's what He said. Listen with me then. Verse 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, said Jesus, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. This is one great benefit, brethren, of the Gospel. Deliverance. Deliverance. But notice, equally so is consolation. Deliverance, verse 1, Verse two, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, to console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. He plants them and He puts their roots deep down into Christ. And He delivers them and He comforts them. The Gospel delivers us and it comforts us. To give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. They come guilty, broken, penitent sinners. and he saves them from their sins and he anoints them with the oil of gladness. Well, this is something of a working definition. This is really preparatory to tonight's message where we wanted to come back and see why is it then that this Christian joy is so important, so important that it's the goal benefit or end of personal revival. Lord willing, the Lord give us help to consider that subject. Let us pray. Our Father, indeed, we do bless you for the gospel, the gospel that exchanges ashes with beauty, mourning with the oil of joy. Father, we know that all of this comes at a high, a very high cost, even the life's blood of the Son of God. So, Father, we do pray that you would help us to understand what it means to have joy and that you might give it to us for the good of Zion and for the glory of your name. Amen.