This document discusses how Christians can restore the joy of their salvation. It begins by examining passages from Psalms and Philippians about rejoicing. It then asks whether readers have truly experienced salvation or if their joy was based on other things that could be lost. The document suggests examining one's life for unresolved sin or anger at God as potential reasons for lost joy. It encourages rejoicing in God's character, works, and salvation both privately and corporately in all circumstances, according to the example of Habakkuk. The overarching message is that Christians should rejoice in the Lord always.

1. Restore the Joy of My Salvation!

2. Christians Should Rejoice
Philippians 4:4–7 (ESV) 4 Rejoice in the Lord
always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your
reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord
is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

3. We Should look like this.

4. But many Christians look like this?

5. Or this

6. We can lose our joy.
Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your
salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
If David could lose his joy, can’t we?
How can we restore the joy of our salvation?

7. God’s Children should
be filled with Joy
• Joy means:
–To be glad
–To take pleasure in
–To rejoice over
–To be happy

8. Christian joy is not:
• A euphoric, glassy eyed smile
• A denial of hardships
• An ignorance of circumstances
• An escape from reality

9. Christian Joy is:
• Seeing the big picture even in the midst of
adverse circumstances
• Rejoicing because we know God is in control
and bigger than our circumstances.

10. Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all
things work together for good, for those who
are called according to his purpose.

11. The OT is filled with theme of joy
• The festivals of Israel were celebrated with joy
(Deut. 12, 14).
• The psalms are filled with joy of the Lord.
– Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection
over them, that those who love your name may exult
in you.
– Psalm 13:5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
– Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O
righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

12. OT is filled with the joy of the Lord
Psalm 150 1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his
sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! 2
Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him
according to his excellent greatness! 3 Praise him
with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him
with strings and pipe! 5 Praise him with sounding
cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! 6
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!

13. If under law there was cause for joy,
how much more under grace.
• The word Gospel means “Good News”.
– A message of forgiveness
– A message of deliverance from sin and law
– A message of reconciliation between man and God,
and access to that God
– A message of a kingdom, both present and future
– A message of victory
– A message of love
– A message that it is a gift, unmerited.
– A message of eternal life

14. Joy is a NT theme
• Three Greek terms for joy or rejoice used 171
time in NT.
• Luke uses rejoice 20 time in four chapters of
the gospel (1, 2, 10, 15).
• Even though in prison Paul makes rejoicing his
primary theme in Philippians (used 14 times).

15. How Can I Restore the Joy?
• Ask:
– “Have I ever experienced the joy of salvation?”
• How can one restore what one has never had?
• Am I saved?

16. How Can I Restore the Joy?
• Ask:
– “When did I loose the joy of my salvation?”
• Is there unresolved sin in my life?
• Psalm 51:title–2 TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF
DAVID, WHEN NATHAN THE PROPHET WENT TO HIM, AFTER
HE HAD GONE IN TO BATHSHEBA. 1 Have mercy on me,
O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy blot out my
transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my
iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

17. How Can I Restore the Joy?
• Ask:
– “Was there a tragic event or an incident in my life
where God didn’t respond the way I thought he
should? Am I angry or disappointed with God?”
• Let God be God,
Isaiah 55:8–9 8 For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,
declares the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways higher than your
ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

18. How Can I Restore the Joy?
• Ask:
– “Was my joy truly in Christ, or was it a joy
stimulated by the excitement of the church
programs or the charisma of a preacher?”
– Maybe it was a joy created by something other
than salvation. If so, it was lost because it wasn’t
grounded. People and the church will disappoint
you.

19. Rejoice in Your Salvation
• Rejoice:
– In the creation
– In the person of God: his love, grace, mercy,
kindness, goodness
– In the works of God other than salvation
– Most of all In salvation: your and others
– In eternal life
– In the community of the saints
– In your access to the throne of God

20. Rejoice in Your Salvation
• Rejoice in:
– In private
• While reading scripture
• While praying
• In song
– Corporately
• In the successes and victories in lives of others
• In salvations
• In the birth of a child, a wedding, etc.

21. When do we rejoice in our salvation.
• During Good times
–When we are blessed
–When others are blessed
–When our health is good

22. When do we rejoice in our salvation.
• In hard times and tribulations:
Habakkuk 3:17–19 17 Though the fig tree should not
blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of
the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock
be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the
stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in
the God of my salvation. 19 GOD, the Lord, is my
strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he
makes me tread on my high places. To the
choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

23. When do we rejoice in our salvation.
• In life
• In death
Philippians 1:20–24 20 …. Christ will be honored in
my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me
to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in
the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet
which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard
pressed between the two. My desire is to depart
and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to
remain in the flesh is more necessary on your
account.

24. Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always;
again I will say, Rejoice.