Let Him Handle It

When you let God run things, He makes you right, He gives you peace, and He fills you with His joy through the indwelling Holy Spirit.


Scripture: John 15:11, Philippians 4

Transcript

Alright, thank you very much. And hello again, radio friends. How in the world are you? Oh, I’m fine, thank you. Nice of you to ask. [chuckle] I’ve just been praying that God would put His love, and blessing, and power, joy, encouragement into my voice, and the words that I speak, so that someone listening may get the needed lift of spirit, that will help you along through the day, or through the night, as the case may be. This is your good friend, Bob Cook, and we’re back again with some choice bits from the Word of God. I love God’s Word, it speaks to my heart, and sometimes it whips me, and sometimes it comforts me, but always God speaks.

You and I have been looking at John Chapter 15, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full.” Christ’s joy, He rejoiced over God’s method of revelation, hid these things from the wise, and prudent, and revealed them unto people, who are by comparison, just babes. God’s way of revealing His truth by simple faith. His joy was the joy of finding the lost sheep, “Layeth it on His shoulders rejoicing.” His joy was the joy of transmitting Himself through His Word, “I speak that they might have my joy.” And His joy was the joy of the finished work at the cross. “The work is done.” Have you realized that?

Oftentimes, you and I forget, although we’re trusting Christ as our Savior, and we’re sure that maybe there’s a place in heaven for us, and all of that. We’re doing our best day by day, but we forget sometimes, just to be thrilled, thrilled with the knowledge that Jesus paid it all. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” that means in our place. Christ died for us. It’s all paid for. And what God wants now, is your glad, loving submission to Him. Yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your bodies as instruments of righteousness unto God. What God waits for is the yielding now, because Jesus paid for all of the penalty of sin. It’s all done. And God waits for you to accept by faith, and then to yield to Him day by day, as the indwelling Holy Spirit guides you in God’s will. Don’t forget, He paid it all. The work is done.

Well, there are couple of other thoughts about joy and that have to do with the believer, “Thou would show me the path of life. In thy presence, is fullness of joy.” ‘Presence’ is the word. “Fullness of joy at thy right hand, there are pleasures forevermore.” I was talking about getting happy about God’s Word, the joy of God’s Word, the last time we got together, do you remember that? And he says, “In thy presence, there is fullness of joy.”

Who was it? SD Gordon used to talk about, “Practicing the presence of God,” one of the greats that lived in another time. Practicing the presence of God. Do you ever spend enough time with your Lord, that you’re aware of His presence? Now, I know that we can come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace, to help in time of need. I’ve prayed many a time on an emergency basis and gotten an answer. And so in all probability, have you? And I’m talking now about those times when your heart is hungry for God, and you need a special touch from the Lord. You may be discouraged or hurting. You may be fearful or you may be so utterly weary, that you don’t think you can live another day. Whatever the case may be, you just long for a touch from God.

Do you know that God wants you to have His presence in your life, so that you’ll have fullness of joy? Wait before your Lord in prayer. Worship, worship, not just a laundry list of, “God, do this and do that,” but worship and praise. “By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,” that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks unto His name, “For with such sacrifices, God is well pleased.” God likes it when you praise Him and worship Him. “The Father seeketh such to worship Him,” Jesus said. God is out looking for people who are sincere, and who, in the power of the Holy Spirit, will worship Him and praise Him. That’s the truth of it. God waits for you in the place of prayer.

If you want joy in your life, my beloved friend, take the time to realize, and then to enjoy, to savor as you would a tasty morsel on the tongue of your soul, to realize, and to enjoy the presence of your blessed Lord. Illustration of that fact, was the evening just after the resurrection. The disciples were gathered and everything was closed up tight, all the shutters were closed, the door was barred, because they were afraid they might be apprehended by the same people who were intent upon murdering the Lord Jesus. “The doors were shut for fear,” it says. Then came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace be unto them.” Then it says, “Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.” His presence brings fullness of joy. The word ‘full,’ “That your joy might be full,” is an interesting word. It comes from the Greek verb ‘pleroo,’ which means full to overflowing. Fill it up, until it just skims over.

Oh, fullness, overflowing joy, the kind that spills out. Many a person has a difficult time envisioning this matter of witnessing for Christ, Do I have to witness? Do I have to speak? I’m shy. It’s hard for me to talk to people and all of that. Listen, witnessing for Christ is a spillover function. When you’re close enough to Jesus and you’ve spent enough time with your blessed Lord, until your heart is full to overflowing with joy, [chuckle] you know you’re going to talk about the thing that’s on your heart.

Did you ever see a dear gal who had just been engaged? Now, the night before, he had popped the question, and brought out this diamond ring, and slipped it on her finger, and she is ecstatic. Well, she has a job, and so she goes to work the next day, and what do you think she does? If she shakes hands with anybody, it’s with her left hand, and she tells all the girls, “Oh, I’m engaged. He proposed to me and we’re gonna get married in June,” and, “Oh, everything is wonderful.” Why? Well, because the joy spills over.

Many people, let’s face it, many people don’t have anything to spill out of their hearts. It’s empty. They haven’t spent enough time with the Lord to get filled up with His joy, so it spills over. Think about that, and then spend a little time with your Lord, until he can just fill your cup of joy. The Psalmist said, “My cup runneth over.” [chuckle] He had just been walking through the valley of the shadow of death. He had just been with his enemies, and God had been protecting him, and reassuring him. And he said, “You anoint my head with oil, my cup runneth over.” [chuckle] He had everything, and then some. It was spilling over. That’s what God does for you.

What about this matter of joy? Is joy that comes after the agony of intercession, “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth in weeping, weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” This has to do with your concern for the unsaved. And it’s impossible to be flippant, and light, when you consider the condition of those who will spend eternity without the Lord Jesus Christ. And when you get really serious about that, I can guarantee you, your tears will flow. But then there’s the joy of seeing people brought to the Lord Jesus Christ. There may be the agony of intercession. There may be the tears that fall, as you’re praying for someone who, perhaps for years, has resisted the call of God, but then when the answer comes, and when Jesus is made Lord of that life, oh, the joy that there is. “Joy cometh in the morning.”

And there’s the joy of answered prayer. Our Lord Jesus spoke about this in John Chapter 16, “Hitherto, have ye asked nothing in my name, ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” The joy of answered prayer, as you pray through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. Had any prayers answered lately? James reminds us, “You have not, because you ask not.” Most people pray about far too few things. Oh, we all pray, when we get in a jam, and we pray, I suppose, when we’re down and have the blues. But most people pray about far too few things in normal life. Should you pray about your housework? Should you pray about your job? Should you pray about your children? Should you pray about school and curriculum choices? Should you pray about the car, it’s condition, whether to service it, whether to repair it, whether to replace it, so on? Should you pray about the calls that you make, salesman? Should you pray about your management decisions, Mr or Miss Manager?

The answer of course is “yes.” “Everything by prayer,” is what Paul says in Philippians Four. “Everything by prayer.” If you pray about everything, you won’t have to worry about anything. “Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer,” says Paul, “And supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.” The joy of answered prayer, what a joy it is. Then, of course, there’s the joy of being in the very center of God’s Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Righteousness means that you’re right with God. Peace is the result of that. “And perfect peace,” Paul says, “That passes all understanding.” You don’t have to understand it, but you’re gonna enjoy it.

And then He says, “Joy in the Holy Ghost.” The Kingdom of God. In other words, when you let God run things, He makes you right. He gives you peace and He fills you with His joy, through the indwelling Holy Spirit. That’s what that verse means.

When you let God run things, the Kingdom of God, He’s King, have Him on the throne of your life, put Him on the throne of your life, what happens? He makes you right, He gives you peace, He fills you with joy. Well, these are some of the thoughts that grew out of that matter of Christ’s joy. And there’s still a great deal more to be gotten, as you know, from the gold mine of the Scriptures. We will go on the next time we get together with some thoughts about John Chapter 15.

Father God, oh, today, wilt Thou give us Thy joy, and peace, and power? Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

Till I meet you once again by way of radio, walk with the King today and be a blessing!



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