Goal: That all of us would regularly experience overwhelming joy from Jesus’ presence.

An Overwhelming Experience of Joy and Peace

1. Two passages that clearly teach this experience
2. How can you have this experience?
3. Some practical thoughts and suggestions

Phil 4 CSB

4. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5. Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
6. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
   will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

John 15 CSB

9. “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.
11. “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be completely full.

John 15 CSB

9. “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love.
10. If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
11. “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
12. “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you.
13. No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Phil 4 CSB

4. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
5. Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.
6. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
7. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Phil 4 cont’d

8. Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable ​— ​if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy ​— ​dwell on these things.
9. Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

John 14 CSB

27. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.

• He will send us his presence through the gift of the Holy Spirit...

John 14 – Jesus’s presence through the Spirit

18. “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.
19. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live too.
20. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you.
21. The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

Romans 15 CSB

13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5 CSB

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control.

Four steps

1. Love one another as I have loved you
2. Trust God with your worries right now, taking a step of faith (rest)
3. Start thinking about good things, not going down a rabbit-hole of bad stuff. Negative thoughts
4. Be continually filled with the Spirit, through the community of God’s people

1 Peter 1 CSB

6. You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials
7. so that the proven character of your faith ​— ​more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire ​— ​may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8. Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,
9. because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

My Jesus I love You

My Jesus I love you; I know you are mine.
For you all the pleasures of sin I resign.
My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art thou.
If ever I loved you, my Jesus it’s now.

I love you because you have first lov-ed me
and purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree.
I love you for wearing the thorns on your brow
If ever I loved you, my Jesus it’s now.

I’ll love you in life I will love you in death.
And praise you as long as you lend me my breath;
And say with death’s hand lying cold on my brow:
If ever I loved you, my Jesus it’s now.

In mansions of glory and endless delight
I’ll ever adore you in heaven so bright;
And sing with the glittering crown on my brow:
If ever I loved you, my Jesus it’s now.

Nine steps

1. Love one another as I have loved you
2. Trust God with your worries right now, taking a step of faith (rest)
3. Start thinking about good things, not going down a rabbit-hole of bad stuff. Negative thoughts
4. Be continually filled with the Spirit, through the community of God’s people
5. sing to Jesus
6. read Scripture aloud
7. conversational prayer (Is this really Jesus or is it my thoughts?)
8. make space (time & place) and invite
9. just stop and notice