For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17

How can a kingdom be full of joy without a joyful king?

But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Hebrews 1:8-9

CHRIST WAS FULL OF JOY!!! JESUS WAS NOT THE SAD, SOBER LOOKING PERSON, PEOPLE PICTURE HIM TO BE.

Yes, Christ was a man of sorrows when he went to Calvary. I believe one of the greatest proofs of the earthly joy of Jesus Christ can be found as we watch His relationship to little children.

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16

Children as a whole do not like to be around crabby people, and yet you continually see them flocking to Jesus, to be taken up in his arms, to be sat upon His lap, and no doubt, even to laugh over lighthearted things with Him. You will search in vain for any references of the children climbing all over the disciples, being held in their arms, and having special attention paid to them by that important group of men. Why?

I believe the reason is simple, the disciples were both too busy and too crabby.

Notice the reaction of the disciples of Jesus when the children were brought to Him. His disciples went so far as to rebuke the parents of these children for bothering their master. Jesus seemed to love every minute of it. I long to see some artist paint a picture of the master with a small child on His lap, both of them with their heads thrown back in laughter.

We must realize that Jesus was a joyful person. Not only does the Bible tell us that God anointed Him with the oil of gladness above His fellows, we also know that Jesus lived and moved in the Spirit. According to Galatians 5:22, part of the fruit of the Spirit is joy. Remember again that the Word of God tells what the kingdom of God is.

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17

Yes, Christ wept when he looked over the city of Jerusalem. Yes, Christ wept when He was at the tomb of His friend Lazarus. There is no doubt that Christ spent a lot of His time weeping, and yet I have noticed that many times those who weep much are those who laugh much. The fruit of the Spirit is not dependent upon how we feel.

This would be good for us to keep in mind. Many times, when we are going through the greatest trials in our life, when we spend much time weeping, we will also find that the joy of the Lord fills our hearts and we will wonder at the laughter that comes out unbidden at the most unlikely time.

...Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5

I firmly believe that many times, those who weep most laugh most.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Notice in Hebrews 1:8 and 9 that the joy comes with righteousness, and notice in Hebrews 12:2 that the joy gives us strength to complete the task set before us. They knew this secret way back in the Old Testament.

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them. Nehemiah 8:10-12

Notice how on this occasion God's people were instructed not to be grieved because the day was holy. Real holiness brings real joy. The world is looking for real joy. There is laughter that comes from telling jokes, and there is no doubt in my mind that that laughter has a healing effect, but the laughter that has the greatest effect is that that comes from way down deep in our soul when we are living a holy life before our God.

I well remember several years ago, at the close of one of our services where many people were around the altars praying, one individual began to laugh with a holy laughter. We call it "laughing in the Spirit". It was so contagious that one then another would burst out in this holy laughter. I was sitting at the edge of the platform and noticed that there was a young man looking through the glass of the door to the foyer of the church. I went back to ask him if he would like to come in, and I noticed that he was intoxicated. He stated that he did not want to come in, but he wanted to watch this thing that was going on.

As we were in a revival meeting, the next night everyone was gathered around the altar again, when the same type of holy laughter broke out. Again our attention was directed to the door leading to the foyer, and this time the young man had brought a friend with him. I went back and spoke to them both. The young man who had been there the night before stated that he had brought his friend to see this demonstration of laughter. These two young men had come from the tavern, possibly from what they thought was the "Happy Hour", to see what real joy and laughter was all about.

To live a holy life without joy and laughter is a real drag. I feel sorry for those who say they are holy and yet have no real joy. I have no doubt that they will make heaven, but I wonder how many people they will turn off to the cause of holiness on the way.

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Proverbs 15:13,15

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? Proverbs 18:14

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them. Psalm 126:1-2

Even the heathen knew something had been done for God's people when they began to laugh. Too many times, I am afraid, people are turned off to the cause of holiness because the one professing holiness goes around with such a long face.

There is much to rejoice about in this holiness walk with the Lord. A time when everyone should rejoice is when a sinner comes home to the Lord Jesus Christ.

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luke 15:4-7

Notice also in the fifteenth chapter of Luke how the father of the prodigal son rejoiced when his son came home.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Luke 15:22-24

WE SHOULD HAVE A PARTY WHEN OUR LOVED ONES GET SAVED!

HOW THEN CAN WE FIND REAL JOY?

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. John 15:8-11

Holiness and joy are inseparable. Not only are they inseparable, they are necessary to make heaven.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

Notice how God ties happiness and holiness together here. That word blessed all through the New Testament is from the Greek word makarios, which means, "supremely blessed, fortunate, well off, happy". So you see, even in this last book of the Bible, which is so serious and so sober, God gives us the instruction that to make heaven we must be both happy and holy.

When I meet people who claim to live the holiness life and yet have no happiness, I feel certain that all is not well with their soul. I find in my own life that it is the joy of the Lord that gives me the strength to live a life of holiness in a perverted generation. We cannot spend time in the presence of God and not have joy.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

I remember reading some years ago, a book telling the story of the outpouring of God's spirit upon an orphanage in China. One by one as the young people were influenced by the Holy Spirit, many of them fell into what was called a trance, and as they were worshipping God in the Spirit, many of them began to laugh, almost uncontrollably. As the children were questioned, one by one, after they came out from this experience, the question was put to all of them, "Why were you laughing?"

The children told of how they were ushered into the very throne room of God Himself. These children, many of whom had been disowned by their own parents, and others sold on the streets to a life of prostitution, revealed that in the presence of God, in His very throne room, there was such laughing that was almost uncontrollable. They related that they had never seen such happiness.

To be sure, it is a deep shame that so many people have a wrong image of our Heavenly Father and of His Son Jesus Christ. While it is true, God requires a life of holiness for each individual, it is also true that God is interested in our happiness and joy. If we could somehow do away with the conception that God is sitting on His throne with a big stick waiting for us to make a mistake so that He can hit us, we could then realize that God is also a God of love who is deeply involved and interested in our happiness, wanting us to have joyful times on our way to heaven.