How to Experience the Joy of Jesus

"These things I have spoken to you
so that My joy may be in you,
and your joy may be full."
- John 15:11

You may not know this about Jesus,
but He gives only one practice
that tells us how to remain in Him,
remain in His love,
and receive His joy.

He does NOT say prayer.
or worship.
or service.
or community.
or obedience
as the how.
These matter for spiritual growth,
but only one makes the others possible.

We all want the lasting joy Jesus promised-
a joy found in Him.
That's why, on the night before His death,
Jesus told His disciples how they could experience it:
"If My words remain in you." (Jn 15:7).

His words are the how,
the means,
the daily practice
that keeps us connected to Jesus.

When His words remain in us,
we remain in Him.
When we remain in Him,
we remain in His love.
And when we remain in His love,
His joy remains in us.

Jesus practiced this.
He lived in the Father's words.
He resisted temptation with Scripture (Matt 4:1-11).
He prayed the Scriptures (Ps 22:1 in Matt 27:46).
He obeyed the Scriptures (Jn 15:10; Jn 4:34).
He trusted the Scriptures (Lk 24:44; Matt 26:54).
He fulfilled the Scriptures (Lk 4:21; Jn 19:28).

Remaining in the Father's words
was His daily rhythm.
And it was the source of His joy-
even in suffering (Heb 12:2).

The only practice Jesus gives
is the one He lived by:
let His words abide in you.
Let them shape your desires,
steady your heart,
speak louder than fear.
Let them hold you
when life shakes.

Where do His words need to remain in me
so His joy can remain in me?

What This Means to Me
His joy comes to me the same way it came to Him-
by remaining in the words of His Father.
When His words stay in me,
joy stays in me.

Father, give me the grace to read and
meditate on the words of Jesus.
Let them shape me,
and fill me with His joy.
In Jesus' name. Amen.