THE ROAD TO LASTING JOY

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 15:13 NLT)

This verse touches upon three important facets of the Christian life that should give you great joy:

1. You Have a New Identity. When you accept Jesus Christ into your life, God gives you a new identity. You discover that you are not merely some product of random chance. You are not a speck in the universe. You are a child of God. And as God's child you can rest assured that you will be loved and cared for by your heavenly Father.

2. You Have Power to Face Life. With that new identity and hope in Christ, you also have the promise of the Holy Spirit's presence and power in your life. The Holy Spirit works constantly in your heart, helping you to understand God's Word and to transform your attitudes and behavior. An expanded translation of Romans 15:13 says that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook will be "radiant with hope." God has not left you to face life on your own. He has promised to guide and strengthen you with His Spirit.

3. You Have Hope for the Future. As a Christian, you have the hope and knowledge that there is lite beyond the grave. Your last breath on earth will be followed by your first breath in heaven. We know this is true, because God has promised it in His Word. This verse asserts that your belief in Jesus and His promises to us as His followers will fill you with joy and peace.

The world offers many roads to happiness: sex, money, power, personal success. But they are all cheap and worthless substitutes in comparison to knowing that you are God's child and that you have the hope of heaven. This is the only road to lasting -- indeed, eternal -- joy. 

-- From “New Believer’s Bible:  First Steps for New Christians,” Greg Laurie, General Editor

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