Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

In this message, Richard Barkhimer digs into the first fruit of the Spirit the ministry is covering this year, joy, by drawing a clear distinction between happiness and joy. He challenges the students that happiness is circumstantial and always at the mercy of what is happening around us, while joy is a constant, Spirit-produced state of confidence and hope in Jesus that does not rise and fall with circumstances. Drawing from James, Philippians, and Romans, Richard walks through the idea that joy is something we have to learn, choose, and cultivate like a muscle, rooted deeply in the Holy Spirit rather than in people, possessions, or performance. He closes with the image of his grandmother, who faced tremendous hardship yet radiated joy until her final days, as a living example that joy is not found in circumstances but in a relationship with Christ.