The Great Revelation, Part 4

At the close of our last look at 1 John, I left you with the following question: How could man’s relationship with God be restored after the fall of Adam and Eve? Today we are going to answer that question. Our study today will once again be interactive, so grab your Bible and a good cup of coffee and let's dig in.

How could man’s relationship with God be restored? There was only one way. Only through the life and death of Jesus Christ, God’s ultimate revelation of Himself to us, can we be brought back into fellowship with Him and receive eternal life (John 3:16).

Look back at 1 John 1:3b, “truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ”. This fellowship that John speaks of is koinonia. Koinonia is a Greek word meaning partnership, participation, benefaction: - (to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-), distribution, fellowship. When we are restored back to fellowship with God, we become partners with Him, we are allowed to participate in His work. We must be actively participating and communicating with Him in order for our relationship to be successful and beneficial and for our hearts to be filled with joy.

Joy is a happiness based on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities. It is the sense of well being experienced by one who knows all is well between himself and the Lord. Joy is not the result of favorable circumstances, and it even occurs when those circumstances are the most painful and severe. Joy is a gift from God. All of this goes back to purposefully spending time with the Lord in prayer and studying His Word everyday.

When we have true koinonia with God, it opens up the door for us to have true koinonia with other believers. Our relationship with Christ must be right before our relationships with others will be right. As Christians, we have all been called to a common goal. That goal is to lead others to Christ and to disciple them into a deeper relationship with Him (Matthew 28:18-20). Having true fellowship with God will result in true fellowship with other believers.

Read Psalm 119:97 & 119:147-148.

How is your partnership with God right at this very moment? Is it a one-way relationship? Are you an active participant? Are you spending time in His Word, meditating on His Truths?

Is everything right between you and God? Is your heart filled with joy? Is the joy of the Lord your strength?

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
Nehemiah 8:10b,
NKJV

When people look at you, do they see joy or do they see bitterness, anger, and hate? Is your life bearing forth the fruit of the Spirit?

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV

Spend time right now asking the Lord to give you a desire for His Word, a desire to know Him more. Thank Him for sending His Son to this sin scared world so that you can have a relationship with Him. Ask Him to fill your heart with joy even if your present circumstances might not be exactly what you desire.