Written by ktmom15 on April 23, 2024

The Fruit of the Spirit Prayer Challenge Joy (Day 3)

Prayer Challenges . Praying the Fruit of the Spirit

Yesterday we reviewed what love is in our second day of our prayer challenge. As a reminder, you can join our prayer group on Facebook.

Praying With Intention Facebook Group

I am so excited to be doing this prayer challenge. If you ever wonder how I prepare for these prayer challenges, let me share with you. I pray about what God wants me to be intentional in prayer about, and then when He reveals something. I research it and consider how to best go to Him in prayer. Then once I get an idea, I actually do a Bible Study/Prayer Time with my children each day. I take the thoughts and ideas from that time with my children and turn it into a blog post, and prayer.

Then once I get them written, I invite the Facebook group to pray through them intentionally day by day. So, I actually pray each prayer twice, once when I write them, and once when I go through them with the group. It has been a huge blessing to me to see Yehovah God work in my life and answer so many prayers.

Today, my children and I read Galatians chapter 3, and James 1. I hope you will take time to read and ponder both these chapters too. They actually go together so well.

We then took time to pray for God to fill us with His JOY. We discussed how Joy is built on hope which stands on the firm promises of God. Some passages on joy that really spoke to us are:

Joy produces Endurance James 1:2-4

Joy brings Hope Romans 12:12, 15:13

Joy comes through Faith Romans 5

Joy is not happiness, but is the deep rooted security that comes from knowing that God is faithful and keeps His promises. Joy is the strength that stays with us even when days are challenging, even when persecution comes, and even when we are faced with death.

Joy is knowing that in all things God is good and He never fails.

We can understand a glimpse of that joy when we celebrate a wedding. As a child, most young people, hope for the day they will marry and begin a life together with their own spouse. Parents, also, hope for that day, and train their children and prepare them for such a day. Deep down both parent and child, has a hope, a desire for that day, but neither knows for certain when, how, or even if it will actually come. But, it would be neglectful not to prepare for that which is hoped for. As, the child grows and comes to adulthood, there may be friendships and relationships that seem like potential spouses. There may be relationships that don’t work out. But, in the disappointment, one must endure and trust, and work towards the goal even if it is painful and disappointing at times. Sometimes, it may seem like maybe this hope of marriage is not a reality. Then one day, it happens, the child has become a bride, or groom, the child is exchanging vows and making promise.

There are family and friends celebrating, and the joy is evident on the faces all around. The hope has been realized, and all rejoice in it.

This is how it is with God’s joy, the hope that comes from knowing His promises, His Truth, produces a hope that He is faithful and true in all things, and He has an eternal wedding day for us, His Bride. When we think of that day, we can’t help but be full of joy in anticipation. Even though there are trials, tribulations, disappointments, loss, and sadness, we know that deep down this is all just temporary and preparation for the Promised Kingdom.

Joy, real joy, brings us through and sometimes it bubbles over.