Jan 17 2022
JOY
Joy in the valleys
Psalm 23
I found it interesting that in the Psalm 23 there is mention of the word for « intoxicated » in the Septuagint translation here :
Psa 23:5 NIV
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psa 23:5 LXX « You annointed my head with oil and Your cup is intoxicating me as the most powerful wine. »
Here is the whole Psalm 23 NIV style
A psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[fn] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
OR
Septuagint style
A Psalm of David
The Lord tends to me like a shepherd and not one thing do I lack. He encamps me in the place of tender shoots, at the waters of rest He nourished me. He returned my life. He guided me upon the worn paths of righteousness because of His name. For even is I should go in the midst of the shadow of death, I shall not be afraid of evils, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff they comfort me. (His protection against sin and his pulling by HIs love) You prepared before me a table in the face of those who afflict me. You annointed my head with oil and Your cup is intoxicating me as the most powerful wine. And your mercy chases after me a;; the days of my life and my dwelling is in the household of God for the full length of time.
I find it interesting that the Scripture at least in the Greek translations use “methuo” so often. It means to intoxicate and to make drunk! We are always looking for ways in our scientific and medically arrogant world to raise dopamine, serotonin or endorphins to get happy. But we use drugs or alcohol, sex or other temporary fixes only to be let down when they are not around.
But God promised to do the same with out anything But Himself who is God. He God is SPIRIT and HE is HOLY. But He also gave us the gift of the Holy spirit to dwell in us every second and forever! And this cannot be taken away at anytime. In good times and in trials!
So How do we experience this fruit of the spirit “Joy”?
I want to know. But to learn I need to put more of my dependence on the Good Shepherd and less on my things that make me happy. Can the Creator of all dopamine and serotonin not provide a boost? Even when there is no reason to be happy. Even when there is no more drugs or even food. There are fasts from these things. Either by choice of by necessity.
But God is the source and the fountain of all life
IN the presence of God is Joy.
When David wrote this Psalm he said “Your cup is intoxicating me” God can give us the boost we need without drugs that lead us away from God.
Pr 23 :31-33
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
There are ways that seem good but are counterfeits, slick and convincing counterfeits.
Pro 14:12
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.
So the Psalm said there are ways the Shepherd will lead his sheep that are the right habits
“He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake” and the word used for paths is the “worn pathways” like the habits must be walked upon to become worn. We must walk in the right ways until they are habitual pathways in our neurons. There are no quick fixes without discipline and self control. That quality as well as Joy comes from GOD and is a fruit of the Holy spirit He gave to us. But we must let our habits be changed to walk in the spirit and not try to medicated ourselves with the flesh.
No matter what trials we face He is never going to leave His sheep, His own children. But He will correct and direct us with his rod and staff.
He has prepared good works for us to walk in. Since Our Father created the whole universe and even time, He can do that. He knows all before we walk into it. So he supplies our food, the words of God and he food to sustain the body that reads it. He supplies what we need and it is a feast even during the trials we face. Even in the face of our enemies, such as persecutiion, prison, depression, discouragement and fear. He pours out to us by His spirit Love, Joy and Peace in the midst of all trials. This is supernatural and above all the happy things. It is a miracle and it is maintained by prayer, praying in the spirit.
Jde 1:20-21
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
We are warned that there is two WAYS to get happy but only one works.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Eph 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
Debauchery or “excess” in the KJV is the word in Greek that means “without hope of being safe” It means when you look to parties, rock and roll and drugs you are going to feel good but you are now in the devils control and you are not going to be in a good place to be protected and healthy. You pay and pay dearly. But if you Joy comes by the spirit You are protected always and you can be “happy”. So how to be filled with the spirit? How to let God fill your cup to overflowing and refresh you?
“. You annointed my head with oil and Your cup is intoxicating me as the most powerful wine. “
So does God get us drunk? No but what we are look for is Joy not a hangover!
So it must be available to be satisified with Gods kind of Joy, when He anoints us and fills our cup with Spirit.
Eph 5:19
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Psa 36:5-9 NET
O LORD, your loyal love reaches to the sky; your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your justice is like the highest mountains, your fairness like the deepest sea; you preserve mankind and the animal kingdom.
How precious is your loyal love, O God! The human race finds shelter under your wings.
They are filled with food from your house, and you allow them to drink from the river of your delicacies.
Ps 36:8-9 LXX “They shall be intoxicated from the fatness (richness) of your house and you will allow them to drink from the fresh steams of your pleasure. For from you is the spring of life. In your light we see Light”
In the Greek translation of this again the word “intoxicate” was used
“They will be intoxicated with the richness of your house ; You will give them to drink from your refreshing streams of pleasure.”
What are these streams of living water that can “intoxicate” Jesus told us. He promised us
Jesus answered her, “If you had known the gift of God and who it is who said to you, ‘Give me some water to drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
This is a source that can intoxicate and satisfy without being lost
Jhn 4:13
Jesus replied, “Everyone who drinks some of this water will be thirsty again
Jhn 4:14
But whoever drinks some of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again, but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”
What is this source, or spring or well? But the gift of the holy spirit that Jesus promised to give.
Jhn 7:38
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
Jhn 7:39
But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing[fn] in Him would receive; for the Holy[fn] Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified
He was glorified after He completed His sacrifice and was risen from the dead to take His place at the Fathers hand. Then on the day of Pentecost these unlimited and eternal source of life were poured out on all you who believed on Him.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
With this flow of life comes an intoxication, better than drunkenness. A satisfaction and fullness that cannot be taken away. The Holy spirit was given on Pentecost and from then on we have the source of life in our own belly. We can walk by it have have the fruit
Gal 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
The difference between being made “joyful” with wine and the spirit is control.
When we seek happiness through one we are being controlled. But when we are filled with the Spirit of GOD we are always the ones that control it. We are not mad but saved.
1Co 14:32-33
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Eph 5:18
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
So the answer to the search for happiness or joy must be here in the fruit of the spirit, not in the fruit of grapes. Joy and happiness may come temporarily from “spirits” but eternal source of Joy comes from the gift of the holy spirit
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