DON’T LET THE (SPIRITUAL) GRINCHES STEAL YOUR JOY!! DECEMBER 3, 2023 SESSION 1

Sfmin

è Luke 2:8-14 è Jesus is the JOY OF THE LORD PERSONIFIED! (See John 17:13) è Is Joy a feeling or a FORCE? • True Joy can involve the emotions but is not just a feeling. • Real Joy is a spiritual force which precedes from your reborn spirit!! • A fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22; John 15:11) • Real Joy sustains us (Nehemiah 8:10; Hebrews 12:2) • Real Joy energizes our will to go on and go through! (James 1:2) ✸ Grinches: the killers of joy!! Three “spiritual Grinches” that attack our Joy …. Especially in this season: è Condemnation: • Personal condemnation is from satan (Revelation 12:10) • Focus is off Christ and on “me” • Is rooted in unbelief! • God’s Word is His view of you! (2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:3-7) • Walking in condemnation is an insult to the God of Grace! • Self-condemnation spreads to criticism of others è Culture: set patterns of life, seasons, observances producing expectations, pressure to perform, fear of failure to please others, etc. • Recognize the source of these pressures, fears, and bring them to the Lord in prayer for His correction and Grace to help! • This season can sometimes be emotionally painful. Memories can rush to the surface and bring pain. • It’s not sin to feel pain and express it. It is not spiritually healthy to allow your emotions to paralyze you and keep you from functioning and working through the pain. • Consider: reach out to an inner circle you can trust to listen and pray. Don’t neglect individual and corporate worship. Don’t neglect food, rest and movement. Professionals are usually allies!