DEEPER STUDY # 1 (1:4) Joy (chara): an inner gladness; a deep seated pleasure. It is a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful heart. It is a cheerful heart that leads to cheerful behavior. Several things need to be said about the believer’s joy. 1. Joy is divine. It is possessed and given only by God. Its roots are not in earthly or material things or cheap triumphs. It is the joy of the Holy Spirit, a joy based in the Lord. It is His very own joy (Jn. 15:11; Ac. 13:52; Ro. 14:17;
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