Abiding Joy
Adapted from a sermon preached by Ruffin Hill on December 28th, 2025
Jesus speaks often about peace, love, and truth, but in John 15:11 He speaks directly about joy. Not joy as the world understands it, and not happiness that rises and falls with circumstances, but a joy that lives within the believer and remains. This message explores that promise and why so many believers struggle to live with the joy Jesus intended.
John 15:11
"These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."
Jesus is careful with His words. He does not say His joy would be placed upon us, but within us. He does not describe a temporary emotion, but something meant to remain. And He does not speak of partial joy, but joy that is full and complete. This immediately tells us that joy is not dependent on outward appearance or emotional expression. A smile can be forced. Happiness can be faked. But joy is something deeper.
Many believers are not worried about losing their salvation. They trust in eternal life through Christ. Yet the Joy that Christ provides is often missing from their life. We know the truth, we know the doctrine, but joy seems elusive. That absence affects not only our personal walk with God, but also our testimony to the world.
Joy and Happiness Are Not the Same
The world relentlessly chases happiness. Happiness depends on what happens. When circumstances are good, people feel happy. When circumstances change, happiness disappears. Life teaches us quickly that situations change without warning. Health changes. Relationships change. Financial stability changes. But God never changes.
Scripture never commands believers to be happy. It does, however, command us to rejoice. That distinction matters.
1 Thessalonians 5:16
"Rejoice evermore."
Philippians 4:4
"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."
Joy is not rooted in circumstance but in the Lord Jesus Christ. Happiness lives on the outside, like makeup that is applied and eventually fades. Joy lives on the inside. Happiness measures conditions, but joy controls them. Happiness disappears in hardship; joy often shines brightest in hardship.
Even Jesus Himself was not described as happy in the earthly sense. Scripture calls Him a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, yet also anointed with the oil of gladness above all others. Joy does not deny sorrow. It exists alongside it.
Isaiah 53:3
"He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief."
Psalm 45:7
"Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."
Why Joy Matters So Much
Joy is not merely a personal benefit; it is a powerful witness. A joyless Christian life sends the wrong message to a watching world. A discouraged, constantly defeated believer is not an advertisement for the transforming power of Christ.
People are drawn to joy. It is attractive. It is noticeable. Just as we notice families who laugh and engage with one another rather than staring into phones, the world notices believers who genuinely enjoy life in Christ.
Psalm 51:12–13
"Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee."
David understood that restored joy led directly to effective witness. Joy is proof that salvation is real and satisfying. Without joy, faith appears hollow. With joy, faith becomes compelling.
Nehemiah 8:10
"For the joy of the Lord is your strength."
Joy strengthens the believer. It sustains us under burden, removes weariness from service, and keeps us moving forward when life is difficult. Without joy, even good work becomes exhausting and unsustainable.
The Foundations of Abiding Joy
Biblical joy does not appear by accident. Scripture reveals clear foundations upon which abiding joy is built.
First, joy begins with cleansing. Justification by faith brings peace with God, and peace with God produces joy. To know that sin has been forgiven and that nothing stands between us and God creates deep and lasting joy.
Romans 5:1–2
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."
Justification is a legal declaration. Our sin was placed upon Christ, and His righteousness was credited to us. The debt was paid in full at Calvary. That cleansing brings joy that nothing else can replicate.
Second, joy is sustained by confidence. Biblical hope is not wishful thinking; it is confidence in God's promises. The believer is never hopeless, because God is faithful and unchanging. Even in tribulation, joy remains possible.
2 Corinthians 7:4
"I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation."
Third, joy requires commitment. Jesus must be Lord, not merely Savior. Partial surrender blocks joy, but full surrender restores it. When every key of life is yielded to Christ, joy flows freely.
Finally, joy grows through fellowship. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit and is produced as we walk closely with Christ. It cannot be manufactured or imitated. It must be cultivated through communion with Him.
Galatians 5:22
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith."
Joy Is a Choice
Joy is commanded because it is a choice. Believers are told to rejoice, not because life is easy, but because Christ is sufficient. Choosing joy begins with salvation and continues through daily trust, commitment, and fellowship with Christ.
Happiness may be found temporarily in possessions or circumstances, but lasting joy is found only in Jesus Christ. He offers a joy that fills the heart and sustains the soul. That joy is available, but it must be chosen.
