Austin Bible Church
Happiness is older than the human race. God had perfect happiness in eternity past as one of His perfect attributes. Happiness is resident in the Trinity and is a result of God’s character. Galatians 5:22-23 describes the character of Christ, which includes joy.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, NASB)
In eternity past, God desired to share His happiness with man in time. This had to be done through salvation followed by growth to spiritual maturity. Eph. 1:3. See category on the Divine Decrees.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ," (Ephesians 1:3, NASB)
Mankind enters the plan of God by faith in Jesus Christ, therefore they as believers have the potential of happiness, beginning at salvation, but dependent upon the building of an edification complex in the soul. This salvation and subsequent intake of Bible doctrine bridges the gap between God’s happiness and man’s happiness based purely on God’s grace provision and resources.
Mental Attitude Happiness - Agapao Love
Mental attitude agapao love is an unconditional love and is the absence of mental attitude sins. This is also called mental attitude happiness. This love only functions while filled with the Holy Spirit and involves application of the epignosis Bible doctrine in your soul to the situations you face in life.
Mental attitude happiness is the happiness or enjoyment of giving, especially when the recipient cannot return the favor or they do not know who gave the gift. This can be a one-way type of happiness. The believer with mental attitude happiness regards giving gifts as a privilege. Mental attitude happiness is enjoying the giving much more than receiving. They also love to give of themselves to others. John 3:16.
“"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NASB)
Capacity Happiness - Phileo Love
Capacity happiness is personal phileo love and is restricted to a select few whose attributes you are attracted to or admire. Mental attitude happiness is mental attitude agapao love and is unrestricted or unconditional. Capacity phileo love happiness is a rapport relationship which is a giving and receiving relationship.
Phileo love is a rapport or soul love in close personal relationships. Phileo love involves emotional appreciation. Phileo love is dependent upon the high and noble character in both parties. For believers, phileo love is the overt expression between believers of advancing maturity of doctrinal happiness.
Phileo love gives the capacity to receive and express appreciation without embarrassment. It involves not only the mental attitude but the work and deed as well. Phileo love has a vocabulary of expression, a plan of action, and a design for happiness.
Fulfillment Happiness - Chara
Fulfillment happiness is χαρά (chara) in the Greek and is a reservoir of mental and capacity love expressed in tranquility, solitude, and enthusiastic response. Chara is total or inner happiness, a blending of unconditional mental attitude agapao love and personal phileo love.
Chara means to bring about the accomplishment of something promised, hoped for, anticipated, to come to a satisfactory conclusion. Psalms 37.
“Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.” (Psalms 37:3-5, NASB)
“Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.” (Psalms 37:7-8, NASB)
“The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.” (Psalms 37:23-24, NASB)
Chara was the fulfillment or goal of John’s first epistle. That was why it was written. Unconditional mental attitude agapao love was included in attainment of that goal. John used agape or agapao 41 times.
“The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.” (1 John 2:10, NASB)
“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15, NASB)
“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1, NASB)
“For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;” (1 John 3:11, NASB)
Chara is the reservoir mental attitude that protects from being disillusioned about the circumstances and details of life. Phil. 4:11-12; Heb. 13:5-6.
“Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” (Philippians 4:11-12, NASB)
“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"” (Hebrews 13:5-6, NASB)
Chara protects from being disillusioned about other believers. There is great unhappiness in disillusionment and it gets you away from Bible doctrine. You shouldn’t have your eyes on people in the first place. Heb. 12:2; Jer. 17:5.
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2, NASB)
“Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:5, NASB)
Happiness or joy is the expression of mental attitude love and capacity love and is not affected by lack of response. Happiness expresses itself in a spectrum from tranquility or solitude to enthusiastic emotional response. Jer. 15:16; John 13:17; 1 John 1:4.
“Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.” (Jeremiah 15:16, NASB)
“"If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” (John 13:17, NASB)
“These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.” (1 John 1:4, NASB)
Happiness is commanded for believers in Philippians 4:4. God has made provision for carrying through the command.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4, NASB)
God has designed happiness in the spiritual life to be permanent and stabilized through the edification complex of the soul. John 17:13; John 17:17.
“"But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.” (John 17:13, NASB)
“"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” (John 17:17, NASB)
In the Millennium, God will provide maximum happiness for the ones who lack resources in the power of their own personalities and the ones who will be going through a lot of suffering. Those who endure suffering will be comforted. Matt. 5:3-4.
“"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:3-4, NASB)
In the Millennium, God will also provide maximum happiness for the ones who will be obedient even in suffering and those who will have a character like that of Jesus Christ, Moses, David and Paul. Matt. 5:5-6.
“"Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:5-6, NASB)
Synonyms for Happiness
Happiness is defined as a state of well-being. Therefore, in our English language, happiness is tantamount to welfare and prosperity. Happiness is the enjoyment of and the pleasure in one's status in life, circumstances of life, and relationships of life.
The word “felicity” is a very beautiful and interesting Old English word. It connotes great happiness. The English word “beatitude” connotes supreme or maximum felicity. So we have happiness, felicity and beatitude denoting in our English language that there are degrees of happiness.
Blessedness, however, refers to happiness related to God and His plan. Blessed or blessedness occurs many times in the Scripture. We must remember what is meant by the words blessed or blessedness, happy, or happiness in the plural. The plural use of the noun denotes a happiness spectrum which can run from tranquility to great emotional response. Therefore, happiness becomes a state or quality of being. In other words, the quality of being happy from the standpoint of inner happiness.
Happiness, in its fullest meaning, is the utmost pleasure we are capable of enjoying in any given situation. Because we are referring to inner happiness, it can be a situation of prosperity or suffering. Remember, receiving and retaining inner happiness is something being possessed within our souls and is not conditioned by any overt situation or circumstance.
To generalize, happiness as defined in our English language, denotes welfare, comfort, security, and our overall enjoyment of life. Happiness is also an awareness that one's status is very satisfactory, is in a favorable condition, and in advantageous circumstances.
We have seen eight examples of the way happiness is used in the English language. However, this does not begin to explain all that happiness is or can be or should be from the biblical teaching on the subject.
Happiness and Relationships
Happiness is related to blessing. Psalms 128:1-4.
" A Song of Ascents. How blessed is everyone who fears the LORD, Who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine Within your house, Your children like olive plants Around your table. Behold, for thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the LORD." (Psalms 128:1-4, NASB)
Happiness is related to suffering. 1 Peter 3:14.
"But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED," (1 Peter 3:14, NASB)
Happiness is related to Bible doctrine. Prov. 3:13.
"How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding." (Proverbs 3:13, NASB)
Happiness is related to grace function. Prov. 14:21.
"He who despises his neighbor sins, But happy is he who is gracious to the poor." (Proverbs 14:21, NASB)
Happiness is related to spiritual maturity. Psalms 146:5; Prov. 16:20; Prov. 28:14.
"How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God," (Psalms 146:5, NASB)
"He who gives attention to the word will find good, And blessed is he who trusts in the LORD." (Proverbs 16:20, NASB)
"How blessed is the man who fears always, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity." (Proverbs 28:14, NASB)
Happiness is related to a clear conscience. Rom. 14:22.
"The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves." (Romans 14:22, NASB)
Happiness is related to the laws of divine establishment. Prov. 29:18.
"Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law." (Proverbs 29:18, NASB)
Happiness is related to complete military victory. Psalms 137:8-9.
"O daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, How blessed will be the one who repays you With the recompense with which you have repaid us. How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones Against the rock." (Psalms 137:8-9, NASB)
Happiness is related to national blessing. Psalms 144:15.
"How blessed are the people who are so situated; How blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!" (Psalms 144:15, NASB)
Happiness and the Essence of God
The essence of God is the basis for receiving and retaining great inner happiness in life. God designed this happiness for believers to be permanent and stabilized. If we are ever going to possess any happiness that is worthwhile, it must be linked to who and what God is. God is perfect and His character is perfect. Therefore, perfect character possesses perfect happiness.
God is immutable (unchangeable), therefore, His happiness is immutable. God can never change. God cannot change from happiness to unhappiness. You can, I can, but God cannot!
God is perfect righteousness. His happiness is related to the fact that He is absolutely correct and morally perfect. We must realize that God can never be wrong and never will be wrong. This means God always knows exactly what He is doing.
God is perfect justice. Therefore, His happiness is always related to His unchanging and absolute fairness. God has never been unfair! It is impossible for God to be unfair! His happiness is related to the fact that He is never unfair.
God is love. His happiness is related to His love. This happiness is related to both divine unconditional love and divine personal love.
God is omnipotent. He has the eternal ability to be happy. He has the ability to share His happiness, but always on the principle of grace. The principle of grace simply states that everything depends upon who and what God is. Nothing depends on who and what man is!
God is omniscient. His perfect infinite genius makes Him happy. He has found a way to share this inner happiness with mankind. Sometimes, intelligent people are not always happy because they understand too much, know too much, or anticipate too much. They can see too far ahead of ignorant people. We've all heard the expression, “fat, dumb, and happy.” Dumb and happy is right! Ignorant people do not know or care about what is going to happen tomorrow. The point is that it’s much more difficult for an intelligent person to be happy than it is for an ignorant person to be happy. God always has and always will possess perfect “smarts.” God has always been happy and there will never be a time when He will be unhappy.
God is sovereignty. He made a decision to share His happiness with believers in time. For example, in Psalm 43:3, David is dancing with tremendous emotion. David's dancing is related to the fact that God has perfect happiness and shares it.
"O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places." (Psalms 43:3, NASB)
Happiness is Based on the Plan of God
Because of God’s perfect and eternal happiness, He desires to share this happiness with man. However, this applies only to believers! In eternity past, God found a way to do this through grace without compromising His essence. Through His divine plan, God found a way to give us His happiness without losing His own happiness. There is absolutely no compromise of God's holiness when He gives us His happiness. Psalms 97:12; Zech. 10:7.
"Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones, And give thanks to His holy name." (Psalms 97:12, NASB)
""Ephraim will be like a mighty man, And their heart will be glad as if from wine; Indeed, their children will see it and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the LORD." (Zechariah 10:7, NASB)
The entrance into God's plan is salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the beginning of grace function within the plan of God for believers. Psalms 9:14; Psalms 51:12.
"That I may tell of all Your praises, That in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation." (Psalms 9:14, NASB)
"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit." (Psalms 51:12, NASB)
There was great happiness evidenced at the dedication of the Second Temple. Neh. 12:43.
"and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar." (Nehemiah 12:43, NASB)
Happiness is Based on Grace
Since happiness is based on the grace of God, it is accomplished through the intake and obedience to Bible doctrine. Psalms 31:7; Psalms 32:10-11; Psalms 33:4-5.
"I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul," (Psalms 31:7, NASB)
"Many are the sorrows of the wicked, But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart." (Psalms 32:10-11, NASB)
"For the word of the LORD is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD." (Psalms 33:4-5, NASB)
However, this inner happiness or sharing the happiness of God must have a starting point. The starting point is entrance into God's plan by the appropriation of eternal salvation through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Being saved does not mean automatic or instant happiness. Just because you are saved does not mean you are guaranteed happiness!
Inner happiness or God's happiness is still a potential to the Christian and depends upon their spiritual growth through the daily intake and obedience to Bible truth. The first taste of inner happiness comes from the filling of God the Holy Spirit. Happiness is the extension of a relaxed mental attitude. Such happiness is a mental attitude of joy. Gal. 5:22; Rom. 14:17; 1 Thess. 1:6.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," (Galatians 5:22, NASB)
"for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, NASB)
"You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit," (1 Thessalonians 1:6, NASB)
The experience of inner happiness is limited by the capacity developed from learning and applying Bible doctrine from positive volition. If you have epignosis Bible doctrine in the right lobe of your soul, you have capacity for great happiness. As a new believer, you lack this capacity and only have the filling of the Spirit without any Bible teaching in your soul as yet. In order to have great inner happiness on a daily basis regardless of any circumstance in life, we must possess maximum doctrine in our soul. This provides the spiritual dynamic to remain Spirit-filled a maximum amount of the time on a daily basis. The spiritually mature believer carries the same happiness whether circumstances are pleasant or unpleasant.
As you mature spiritually through the intake and application of God's Word, the Lord increasingly shares His own happiness with you. John 17:13; John 17:17; 1 John 1:4.
" "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. " (John 17:13, NASB)
" "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. " (John 17:17, NASB)
"These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete." (1 John 1:4, NASB)
Happiness Is the Status of the Mature Believer
Happiness is the status of the mature believer based on consistent intake and application of the Word of God to life and circumstances. This joy or happiness is appropriated by the believer through the filling of the Holy Spirit using the grace apparatus for perception. Joy is not some emotional turbulence. Joy is inner orientation to the grace of God. This consistent spiritual growth leads to the understanding of God’s plan and the resulting sharing of His very own happiness. Neh. 8:10; Psalms 30:5; Psalms 30:11; 1 Peter 1:8.
"Then he said to them, "Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."" (Nehemiah 8:10, NASB)
"For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning." (Psalms 30:5, NASB)
"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness," (Psalms 30:11, NASB)
"and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory," (1 Peter 1:8, NASB)
The believer is commanded to be happy and God never makes a command unless He provides a plan, a way for provision. Philippians 4:4 is an order to have inner happiness, God’s happiness.
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4, NASB)
Happiness is Related to Blessing
In the Old and New Testament, “blessed” is a plural noun for happiness - literally, happinesses. Happiness provided by God is always in the plural – happinesses. The reason is for both temporal and spiritual blessing. The Hebrew word for “blessed” in Psalms 41:2 is אשׁר ('âshêr). In John 13:17, the Greek word for “blessed” is μακάριος (makarios).
" "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. " (John 13:17, NASB)
"The LORD will protect him and keep him alive, And he shall be called blessed upon the earth; And do not give him over to the desire of his enemies." (Psalms 41:2, NASB)
There is a great spectrum of happiness. Inner happiness manifests itself in many different ways and in different circumstances. There is happiness (joy) from the filling of the Spirit and from the edification complex of the soul.
Protection From Disillusionment
Inner happiness protects the Christian from being disillusioned. There are three basic areas of disillusionment in life; disillusionment from the circumstances of life, disillusionment from the details of life, and disillusionment from people. Phil. 4:11-12; Heb. 13:5-6; Heb. 12:1-2.
"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need." (Philippians 4:11-12, NASB)
" Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"" (Hebrews 13:5-6, NASB)
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, NASB)
Sooner or later, you will discover that just because a person is a Christian does not mean that they are nice, honest, truthful or even dependable. Disillusionment with believers is a very serious and very dangerous situation because you may use this as an excuse to get away from Bible doctrine. When you get away from the Word, the Angelic Conflict knocks you out. You shouldn’t have your eyes on people in the first place! We are all human, we all have an old sin nature, and we all have areas of weakness in that sin nature. Jer. 17:5.
"Thus says the LORD, "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind And makes flesh his strength, And whose heart turns away from the LORD." (Jeremiah 17:5, NASB)
Paul’s Troubles with the Corinthians
The causes of Paul’s troubles with the Corinthians were many and can be summarized in one word, pressure. The pressures were both external and internal. 2 Cor. 7:5.
"For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within." (2 Corinthians 7:5, NASB)
In 2 Corinthians 7:6-7, Paul had received the encouraging report from Titus regarding success with correcting the Corinthians. Titus was sent by Paul to Corinth following the previous failure of Timothy and Apollos to correct the Corinthians. The Corinthians had mental attitude sins toward Paul and toward Apollos. Under Titus, their carnality had been changed to spirituality through consistent confession of sins biblically.
"But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more." (2 Corinthians 7:6-7, NASB)
Titus was the type of person around whom Paul could relax and have rapport with him. Paul enjoyed being with him. Titus had the ability to snap Paul out of depression and disillusionment. When Titus was in Corinth, he straightened things out. Titus was encouraged and he in turn encouraged Paul. Titus had the touch of leadership, that knack of using authority to straighten things out. As a result there was great happiness.
“Your longing” is ἐπιπόθησις (epipothēsis) in the Greek and means true love that never changes regardless of the circumstances! They had a great love and desire to hear the Apostle Paul. “Your mourning” is ὀδυρμός (odurmos) in the Greek and mean a loud and noisy lamentation at a funeral. Once Titus began to clarify the issues, they began to realize that they have done a very terrible thing. They had spoken against Paul and had mental attitude sins against him. They got very emotional about it, which did not advance them spiritually. Doctrine had now become first priority in their life.
You can be filled with the Spirit and be despondent, have a headache, feel bad or feel good or feel nothing. Emotion is fun, but it does not have spiritual connotations. Their desire towards Bible doctrine was the great encouragement to Paul. “So that I rejoiced even more” is true happiness. There must be distinction between emotion and achieving divine happiness.
The Divine Happiness Test
In Luke 24:38-39, our Lord appeared to His disciples in His resurrection body. They were startled and frightened at first, but our Lord calmed them down.
"And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." " (Luke 24:38-39, NASB)
In Luke 24:40-41, although they had “joy and amazement,” they “still could not believe” or ἀπιστέω (apisteō) in the Greek which means to disbelieve, to be faithless. The present active participle of από της χαράς, “because of their joy and amazement” means that they were separated at this point from happiness!
"And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" " (Luke 24:40-41, NASB)
In Luke 24:44, Christ wished to illustrate fulfillment of the edification complex of the soul. He was emphasizing the importance of face to face teaching. “Things which are written about Me” refers to Calvary, resurrection, etc. - all that were fulfilled as per the Scriptures! Christ wished them to be fulfilled in the area of spiritual maturity, to have true inner happiness, divine happiness. “Must be fulfilled” is the aorist passive infinitive of πληρόω (plēroō), which means to fulfill a deficiency, fill with a certain quality, to fully influence, or to fully possess.
"Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." " (Luke 24:44, NASB)
The Disciples Pass the Happiness Test
In Luke 24:49, Jesus Christ used His authority about God’s promises.
" "And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." " (Luke 24:49, NASB)
In Luke 24:50-51, we see the use of “blessing” which is the aorist active indicative of εὐλογέω (eulogeō) and means to speak well of, to praise, to acknowledge happiness, joy in one. This is just before the ascension!
"And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven." (Luke 24:50-51, NASB)
In Luke 24:52-53 we see the use of “joy.” “After worshiping Him” is the aorist active participle of προσκυνέω (proskuneō) and means to kiss the hand in token of reverence. The separation from joy has now been replaced with the possession of joy! They were in the temple continually praising God as an expression of their happiness toward God.
"And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God." (Luke 24:52-53, NASB)
Capacity for Love
God has designed the Christian way of life so happiness will be permanent and stabilized through the construction of the edification complex of the soul. The epignosis Bible doctrine in the edification complex sustains the believer in every circumstance. Inner happiness from epignosis Bible doctrine in the soul stimulates and increases the believer’s capacity for true virtue love. 1 Peter 1:8; John 13:17; John 17:17; 1 John 1:4.
"and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory," (1 Peter 1:8, NASB)
" "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. " (John 13:17, NASB)
" "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. " (John 17:17, NASB)
"These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete." (1 John 1:4, NASB)
Such joy or inner mental happiness exhibits itself in a capacity to love, an overt rapport toward God, family and others. Such happiness is an indication of living in the Word. Matt. 4:4; Jer. 15:16.
"But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" " (Matthew 4:4, NASB)
"Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts." (Jeremiah 15:16, NASB)
Heavenly Happiness
This is the happiness of the perfect environment and perfect conditions of heaven which will accrue to every believer. There is a special blessing and happiness in heaven for believers who matured spiritually in time and received wonderful blessings from God during their lives. Because of this, they will also receive even more wonderful rewards in heaven. These heavenly rewards are over and above the normal grace happiness of heaven which will be possessed by all believers in eternity. Jude 1:24; Eph. 1:18. See category on Rewards (Crowns).
"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy," (Jude 1:24, NASB)
" I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints," (Ephesians 1:18, NASB)
Happiness in the Millennium
There is a wonderful happiness which is a part of the perfect environment of the Millennium. This happiness does not exist today in this devil's world. What the mature believer possesses by way of inner happiness is even greater than the perfect environment happiness of the Millennium. Isaiah 35:1-2; Isaiah 60:4-5; Isaiah 65:18-19; Isaiah 66:10.
"The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God." (Isaiah 35:1-2, NASB)
""Lift up your eyes round about and see; They all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, And your daughters will be carried in the arms. "Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you." (Isaiah 60:4-5, NASB)
""But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing And her people for gladness. "I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying." (Isaiah 65:18-19, NASB)
""Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her," (Isaiah 66:10, NASB)
This same Millennial happiness is described by our Lord in the familiar beatitudes in the Gospels. This Millennial happiness comes from the perfect rulership of the Lord Jesus Christ who will be ruling under the laws of divine establishment under perfect environment.
Human Happiness
There is a happiness which is common to all members of the human race which is distinct and totally removed from inner happiness for believers. All happiness is not related to God. Some happiness is even related to sin and evil.
Happiness based upon sin and evil is evanescent (i.e., it is there for a moment and then it is gone). There are certain types of sin and the influence of evil that bring a short-lived happiness. This happiness is very temporary and usually turns around and causes great misery.
Common happiness is a legitimate happiness for both believers and unbelievers. This happiness comes from observing the laws of divine establishment. This is happiness in possessing and appreciating freedom, marriage, family life, and happiness because you are not living as a criminal.
Temporary happiness emanates from the details of life and the stimulation and pleasure that people receive from them. Sometimes, this type of happiness can also emanate from sin or evil. This is a very temporary and superficial type of happiness. Temporary happiness is pleasure and stimulation of the unbeliever who has rejected the rule of law and the laws of divine establishment and the Christian who has rejected the same while rejecting Bible doctrine. This happiness depends upon a pleasant environment, the details of life, and stimulating circumstances. This same happiness comes from having your own way.
Happiness based upon sin or evil as well as this very temporary happiness of having your own way, can produce great boredom, restlessness, frustration, and instability. All of these negative experiences in life neutralize true happiness. They vanish like a vapor trail! These types of temporary happiness also produce some of the greatest bitterness in life. Ecclesiastes 9:9 and Ecclesiastes 11:8-9 deal with this temporal happiness related to sin and evil.
"Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 9:9, NASB)
"Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility. Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things." (Ecclesiastes 11:8-9, NASB)
Family happiness is the pleasure, satisfaction, and stimulation parents receive when their children turn out all right. Children can make you happy or children can make you miserable. Whichever way family happiness goes, you can still receive and retain inner happiness through functioning in accordance with the plan of God for your life through the intake of God’s Word. Prov. 23:24-25
"The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him. Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you." (Proverbs 23:24-25, NASB)
Happiness prior to salvation is temporary and superficial. It does not sustain the believer under pressure or adversity. Is fleeting and unstable. It is impossible for an unbeliever to achieve the inner happiness of the believer because the unbeliever’s happiness depends upon circumstances which are favorable. This belongs to the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and is one of the byproducts of Christianity.
The unbeliever is a slave to circumstances and if the circumstances are right, they are happy. If the circumstances are unpleasant, they are miserable. The unbeliever cannot rise above their circumstances. They can only compensate through sublimation, escapism, etc., and at the other end of the line, they have the same old misery. In contrast, the believer has something which is fantastic - joy (inner happiness) in the midst of all kinds of circumstances. Phil. 4:11.
"Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am." (Philippians 4:11, NASB)
Often, the tragedy is that the believer imitates the unbeliever, operating in the power of the old sin nature. As long as the believer operates in the power of the old sin nature, you can’t tell them from the unbeliever and they bypass the joy that is the monopoly of the believer.
Principles of Happiness
Negative Principles
You cannot build your happiness on someone else’s unhappiness. You cannot build your happiness on the details of life. You cannot build your happiness on pleasant environment. You cannot build your happiness on loved ones. You cannot build your happiness on fame or being a celebrity. You cannot build your happiness on the overthrow of establishment by violent revolution. You cannot build your happiness on lust.
Positive Principles
You can build your happiness on maximum epignosis Bible doctrine in your soul. This is the only happiness that has any permanence. You can build your happiness on the daily intake and application of Bible doctrine to the point of spiritual maturity. Therefore, you can build your happiness on reaching spiritual maturity and receiving God’s blessings while on this earth. Furthermore, you will have happiness from the capacity to receive and enjoy these blessings.
You can build your happiness by glorifying God in reaching and retaining spiritual maturity. You can build your happiness by your continued spiritual growth as a mature believer, all the way to the maximum happiness of dying grace. Dying grace is maximum inner happiness with no regrets. You can build your happiness by observing the laws of divine establishment. See category on Dying Grace.
Your Inner Happiness Overflows to Others
Other believers are made happy by the overflow of another believer’s inner happiness. Phil. 2:28-29; Rom. 15:32; Philemon 1:7; 1 Cor. 16:17-18; 2 Cor. 7:13
"Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you. Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;" (Philippians 2:28-29, NASB)
"so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company." (Romans 15:32, NASB)
"For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother." (Philemon 1:7, NASB)
"I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men." (1 Corinthians 16:17-18, NASB)
"For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all." (2 Corinthians 7:13, NASB)
In Philemon 1:7, the Apostle Paul had received and retained the inner happiness of spiritual maturity. In addition to this happiness, he also enjoyed the happiness that overflowed from his fellowship relationship with other spiritually mature Christians. Specifically, in Philemon 1:7, he was referring to his friend and fellow laborer in the Lord, Philemon.
This passage relates a happiness received from contact with other Christians who are spiritually mature and, therefore, have received and retained inner happiness. Philippians 4:4 commands us to rejoice in the Lord at all times! The believer is commanded to the happy and God never makes a command unless He provides a way for its fulfilment. The verb to “rejoice” in the Greek is χαίρω (chairō) and means to possess inner happiness. It is repeated in this verse to give emphasis to the importance of growing up spiritually and possessing a share in the happiness of God.
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4, NASB)