Fruits of the Spirit: Joy

There’s no more familiar expression of the Holy Spirit’s beautifying work within the church and the lives of individual believers than Galatians 5:22–23, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” At our salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells us and begins to produce fruit in our lives to authenticate our union with Christ. Last time together, we examined the first fruit of the Spirit that Paul mentions: love. Second, we come to joy. When the buds of joy blossom on the branch, the Spirit is generating more than mere happiness. The result is a “joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Pet. 1:8). A joy unconditional, independent of the circumstances around us.