Those who have been mightily used by God down through the centuries have consistently testified to the close connection between faith and joy. Martin Luther said that "a Christian who possesses faith in God does everything with liberty and joy; while the man who is not at one with God is full of care and kept in bondage."

John Wesley commented that "with faith comes. . . the fulfillment of the promise of holiness and happiness." German writer Erich Sauer proclaimed that "holy joy, heavenly nature, and everlasting glory is our blessed lot where faith in the Crucified One is the true possession of our heart and the center of our life."

Missionary Jim Elliot wrote in his journal that "joy and peace can only come in believing." The verdict is unanimous: the life of faith is a life of joy.

Of course, this should not surprise us since it is the clear teaching of Scripture. When Paul and Silas were thrown in jail in Philippi, for example, they sang praises to God as they flexed their faith-muscles.

They even managed to lead the jailer to faith in Christ, after which "the jailer brought them into his house and sat a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God - he and his whole family" (Acts 16:34).

Paul later prayed that this kind of joy would be a reality in the lives of the Roman Christians: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Some time after this, Paul assured the Philippian believers: "I know that I shall remain and stay by you all, to promote your progress and joy in believing" (Philippians 1:25). Paul apparently considered faith and joy inseparable!

John Bunyan, one of the most influential authors of the seventeenth century, was convinced that Paul was right on target. Bunyan had been unfairly imprisoned for twelve years for preaching God's Word.

Declining to be freed on the condition that he no longer preach, his famous reply was: "If I am freed today I will preach tomorrow." It was during his long imprisonment that he wrote his classic book Pilgrim's Progress.

Among the virtuous characters in this allegorical book are Christian, Faithful, Goodwill, Evangelist, and Charity. Less virtuous characters include Worldly, Formalist, Hypocrisy, Timorous, Ignorance, and Great Despair. At an important juncture in the book, Faithful made the statement that "according to the strength of one's faith in Him [God], one will have joy and peace."

Faithful's statement is no doubt a reflection of what John Bunyan had discovered to be true in his own experience - even when he was in jail. The faith-life is a joyful life.

How is it with you? Is your joy in life 'running on empty'? If so, why not take to heart the advice of Hannah Whitall Smith, who in 1870 wrote: "Trust in Him now for everything, and see if He does not do for you exceeding abundantly, above all that you could ever have asked or even thought, not according to your power or capacity, but according to His own mighty power, working in you all the good pleasure of His most blessed will." Selah!

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