The Joy of the Holy Spirit

Read: John 15:9-12 (NIV)

⁹“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. ¹⁰If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. ¹¹I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. ¹²My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Reflect:

We don’t often think of the commands of Jesus, yet in this passage, it is clear that Jesus commands His followers to love one another as He has loved us. Since most of us are clueless about what “love” looks like, Jesus uses himself as a model to illustrate how we are to express love for one another. Love has become devoid of meaning in our current time, but Jesus speaks of agape love, which is unconditional and self-sacrificing. Jesus, by His example, is saying, this is what love looks like:

·        Love lays down its life for its friends.

·        Love seeks to heal people.

·        Love speaks the truth even when it is difficult.

·        Love stands up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.

·        Love seeks out the hurting and rejected.

Is it possible to truly love each other as Jesus loved us? In our own strength, it is impossible. For who can discipline themselves into loving, truly loving, someone else? However, with the power of the Holy Spirit living within us, Jesus’ command to love each other is transformed into the “easy and light” burden of which Jesus speaks in Matthew 11:30. When the Holy Spirit writes the words of God on our hearts, the love of Christ flows naturally from our lives to touch those around us. Without us even being aware, the Holy Spirit is giving us words and prompting us to take actions that fulfill His commandment to love one another. The Holy Spirit gives us the joy that is within Christ and makes our joy complete. It is only by the Holy Spirit that we are empowered to love one another as Jesus has loved us and to remain joyful even when faced with rejection, poverty, and the threat of death.

 Act:

Jesus commands His followers to love one another as He has loved us. We can only accomplish this through the inner working of the Holy Spirit.

For those of you who have not accepted Jesus’ free gift of salvation, doing so will allow you to be reconciled to God and will also indwell you with the promised Holy Spirit.

For believers, we can pray for a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the sensitivity to hear and obey His leading to love those around us.

Pray:

Jesus, I am so thankful that You give me everything I need to be in the right relationship with You and to follow your commands. I want to love others as You love me, but I know I cannot do this without Your power. Please give me a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit, a sensitive heart, and a teachable mind so that I can listen and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit. Please use me as Your vessel to show Your love to those I come in contact with today.

Mike Kelly