New Life in Christ — Inexpressible Joy and Full Glory
When we consider the depth of what God has done for us in Christ, we cannot stop rejoicing with inexpressible joy and full glory. The Bible makes it clear that the joy He gives is associated with every good and perfect gift that comes down from the Father above. Think about the numbers of wonderful things that are related to God’s power, mercy, peace, and grace. Everything that God does increases our joy. What God supplies is sufficient to help and sustain us in every situation of life.
We have great joy when we consider what the Lord has done by saving and giving us new life in Christ. The depth of our joy cannot be measured just by the things the Lord has brought us out of. Yet, when I consider what He has saved us from, my joy is increased and I must rejoice.
1 Peter 1:3 NKJV Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Consider the depth of what Christ did to rescue us from the guilt and shame of our past life of sin. When He did this, He brought us into an inheritance.
1 Peter 1:4-5 NKJV to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:8-9 NKJV Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
When we consider the depth of what God has done for us in Christ, we cannot stop rejoicing and praising God with inexpressible joy and full glory.
Your faith in the Lord Jesus is both genuine and not in vain. It springs from the well of salvation.
To help us understand this inexpressible joy and full glory, consider what God has done when He saved you and gave you new life in Christ.
The depth of our joy cannot be measured simply by the things the Lord has brought us out of. Yet, when I consider what He has saved me from, I must rejoice in the new liberty that I have in Christ. Think about the guilt and shame that you no longer carry.
Isaiah spoke about what the Lord has done for us.
Isaiah 53:4 NKJV Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…
The words “griefs and sorrows” covers the large amount of our troubles. The translation of the original word for “griefs” is our sickness, disease, and grief. These are the things that ultimately bring us down to death. “Sorrows” comes from a word that is translated sorrow and physical and mental pain.
- New Living Translation – “Our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down.”
- NIV – “He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.”
- Amplified – “He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment].”
Matthew 8:17 NKJV He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.
1 Peter 2:24 NKJV Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.
What Jesus bore has caused us to be filled with inexpressible joy and full glory.
What would your life be if Jesus Christ had not done this for you?
Do you ever feel that you cannot continue facing your weaknesses, infirmities and distresses? Have you felt that your load is unbearable and that your pain is more than you can bear? Have you felt that you were carrying it all on your own, without any help or relief?
Remember what the Lord has done for you.
Consider what life would be if the Lord was not on your side. What would your life be if you had no help or relief from the Lord. Sometimes Satan tries to make you feel that you are going through life alone. He wants to make you think that there is no help and no relief. Your adversary wants you to forget what the Lord has done and is doing for you. He wants you to take up and carry all of your weaknesses, infirmities, pain, and distresses by yourself.
What a load we would bear if we did not have the help that comes from the Lord.
No wonder why we have inexpressible joy and full glory in this new life in Christ. Rejoice in the Lord today and be glad, for the Lord has done great things.
Psalm 68:19 NKJV Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah
Spend a few moments considering the benefits the Lord of your salvation daily loads you with.
To help us with this, look again at Isaiah 53:4-6. Before you say anything, read and meditate on this.
Isaiah 53:4 NKJV Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.
Isaiah 53:5 NKJV But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:6 NKJV All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Rejoice in what the Lord has done for you.
If Jesus Christ has become your Savior and Lord, you have every reason to rejoice. Each of these verses gives us more reason to rejoice with exceeding great joy. You do not have to carry those old things because Jesus Christ has taken up and borne your grief, sickness, weakness, infirmity and distress.
You should give the Lord some praise.
- He has borne our griefs, sicknesses, weaknesses, infirmities, and distresses.
- He was wounded for our transgressions – bore the penalty for our offenses, disobedience, and sins. Wounded looks back to those words stricken, smitten, and afflicted. He was wounded so that you could receive relief and healing.
- He was bruised for our iniquities – evil, wickedness, wrongdoing so that we could have relief and they could be removed from us.
- He was chastised to bring us peace. Chastisement means punishment. His punishment brings us reconciliation, justification, adoption, and glorification.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
- By His stripes we are healed – Jesus’ wounds provide your spiritual and physical healing.
- Your iniquity was laid on Him. Iniquity refers to our sins and guilt.
Consider what your life would be if Jesus had not done this for you. What would your life be if the Lord had not helped you? Can you even imagine what it would be if you had to carry all of the burden of your sin, sorrow, grief and distress without the Lord’s help?
Why do we have inexpressible joy and full glory?
Psalm 16:11 NKJV You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Acts 2:28 NKJV You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.
This new life in the Lord Jesus Christ has made us free from the law and life of sin and death. He has brought us into paths of life and has shown us what living really is. He gives us His inexpressible joy and full glory. He brings us into God’s presence without self-loathing and condemnation.
- What if there is hope?
- What if there is healing?
- What if there is relief?
- What if you are not helplessly captive to sin and failure?
- What if there is an answer for your sorrows?
Can you see how the Lord gives you reason to rejoice?
Philippians 1:6 NLT I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
This confidence in what God is doing within our lives gives us this inexpressible joy and full glory. I know God is working. I know He is not finished. I know He will not stop until His work is finished. I know that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming again, and He is going to wrap it all up in victory.
Give Him some praise and worship.
In John 15:11 Jesus said: “These things I have spoken to you, so that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 16:22-24 “I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.”
Notice the permanence of this joy that He gives.
The Lord does not want His Church and bride living in sorrow, grief, and defeat. Jesus is talking to believers who abide in Him.
The Psalmist talked to his soul about this.
Psalm 42:11 NIV Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
John 14:1 NKJV Jesus said: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
The Lord is telling you to look up and lift up your head and rejoice for your redemption is drawing near, (Luke 21:28). Victory, inexpressible joy, and full glory is coming.
