Sermon- Col Stringer (Topic: Joy)
we are hearing amazing results and testimonies from the States and in Ozzie. Some of those who came here to visit had contemplated Ieaving ministry or marriages or suicide even & then they hear about grace and the joy of their salvation is restored. Lives impacted and changed.
Acts 20:24
Now we see where Paul wants to end his course – with joy. He could have said with strength, power or even love.
Joy is tied in with Grace – Charis in Greek. Joy is —- in Greek. Both are so close, hard to tell the diff btw the two… According to the Greek dictionary.
Grace recovers joy for ministries and lives.
Joy is inside out. Humour is outside in. You can have humour but not joy.
Col recalls the first time going to Tokyo. Tokyo has half the population of Australia. Can’t forget the crush in the trains. His Japanese is limited to Honda and Toyota & the Japs speak and write in Tongues. Carried a lot of luggage and the train arrived and half of Tokyo came out. Fell out when they got to the station. Had to grab bags quickly and leave the train. Left their brand new $650 camera in the train. So a pastor came up and spoke to him and said just wait for an hour and the train will return. They waited and the train returned w his camera at the same place. His wife said people here have cameras and don’t need another one. Lol.
U need an anointing of joy when u travel. 😀
Nehemiah 8:10
Do not sorrow for the joy of the LORD is my strength.
This tells us the LORD has joy in Him.
Many people think they can find joy in a place or pill or drink etc
Some think if they go Bali, u will feel better. Then u look in the mirror and realise u take ur biggest problem with u- U. And u are trying to leave Australia to go Bali & they wanna leave Bali for Australia.
Col and family lost their home to Cyclone Tracy in 1974. They had 4 kids. 3-4 families gathered in a neighbour’s home. Kids hid under table and wife hid in broom closet. 7-8 people all hiding for 6 hours. People died and houses wrecked & Col’s kids said forget about the house, where are the Christmas presents? And they were rejoicing about the gifts that Col managed to recover. He was in shock about what he lost. Then this teen walked by and said “Col, u eating at your patio this morning?” He replied that was all he had. They started laughing and then he felt God speaking to him. Your wife and kids and dog are alive without a scratch, move on. That year his business did the best ever.
There must be a way to hold on to your joy.
Jesus portrayed as Man of Sorrows but it was your sorrow and mine.
That ability to laugh in a situation is what keeps you sane.
Deut 28:47-48
If we don’t serve with joy, we serve our enemies. We have to receive that abundance of joy. Fruit of spirit is love, joy, peace. Some of us have crop failures. Endorphins released into our body by laughter or jogging. Col would rather laugh. The wages of sin is death. When u focus on stress and negative, u release death into your blood stream. Merry heart does good like medicine.
Brother Haggin had an anointing of laughter. He would laugh and people would laugh. Col tried it. People watched him and a man said stay away from me. Lol!!
They were watching the blackness of the storm and he saw the storm rolling across the bay and birds are all flying low to the water and trying to get away. The sea eagle went the opposite direction. Flew upwards. And the winds, the storm front, swept him upwards away from the storm. The spirit of God spoke in his heart- that’s how u live your life. You let the joy of the LORD sweep u up above the storm. When u lose ur joy, u lose ur strength.
Someone told Col to lose his sense of humour if he wants to be a successful minister. Col refused to let his joy go and be baptised in vinegar like him. Some people brighten people’s lives just by leaving the room.
Hebrews 1:8-9
Oil of gladness= exuberant joy
Heaven is going to be a joyful place. The joy of the LORD is my strength. Confess this over yourself every morning when u wake up.
Col’s grandson is 15 and was commended by people at his first job and favoured because of his joy and he is respectful.
John 16:24
Ask and receive that your joy may be full
Is your life running on empty and just going through the motions?
John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you, that MY JOY may remain in you and that your joy may be full.
“May” means there is a thief trying to steal our joy and thus our strength.
Pro
Merry heart does good like medicine
There are things u cannot get any other way than laughing- doctors discovered
Live life like someone left the gate opened. Full I joy. Jesus has freed us. Jesus has taken the chains off and our jail door is opened. Thank u. Jesus.
Col went through a v tough time during his ministry. Had operation and lost some friends. Trying to keep his joy. His wife had on a blonde wig on when he came back from a trip. He couldn’t recognise her. She kept bumping into him and he thought she was rude. She kissed him suddenly and he had a shock. She whipped off her wig and said “Good that u didn’t enjoy that.” They started laughing.
Col and his wife have been married for 52y. His parents married for 72y. They never talked about divorce although they spoke about murder a couple of times lol. They lived to their 90s and 100s and Col’s wife’s mum too despite not taking health supplements because of their sense of humour. They never lost it.
There was a busy fire sweeping through where they lived and everyone was fighting for their lives and Nana (Col’s MIL) came around asking people if they wanted a cup of tea with a smile.
That ability to sit down and laugh builds us up and makes us feel good.
Isaiah 35:10
Prophet Isaiah was looking down the corridor of history and he saw the end time church. What he saw was this generation that needs the most ransoming and the predominant sign of our generation is EVERLASTING joy. SORROW AND SIGHING SHALL FLEE AWAY!
The distinguishing feature of grace is joy comes back to our lives.
The joy of the LORD is our strength. 🙂
That ability to laugh makes so much difference.
When Col’s FIL was in his 90s and everyone was gathered at his death bed, his grand daughter was washing his feet and Jen (Col’s wife) told him to sleep and take off to heaven. He told her “I’m trying. It’s so hard to die.” 🙂 He and Jen have seen Christians pass away with a smile on their face.
Pastor Lian:
The world can be happy but we can be joyful!
Happiness is only gotten when things happen the way u want it. But joy is the inheritance we have in the LORD.