Kingdom of Joy

The Bible says, “The kingdom of God is JOY in the Holy Spirit.” (See Romans 14:17.) Therefore, when God’s people gather together there should be an abundance of exceeding joy! Joy is motivating. We know it motivated the Lord because Jesus endured the cross with joy set before Him. (See Hebrews 12:2.)

A person who has made a major impact on my life in the past few years is Kris Vallotton of Bethel Church, Redding, California. Here’s something he wrote on the subject of joy that spoke to my heart.

Kris Vallotton says:

It’s time to become childlike (not childish) so we can enter the kingdom. Children laugh 300-400 times a day. The average adult laughs 15 times a day. Solomon wrote; A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones (Proverbs 17:22). 

The Message Bible says; Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.

If laughter is good medicine, then I want to be a pharmacist! 

Some of people's seriousness exhausts me just reading their post; I can't imagine that they aren't bone tired. I grieve for the people who live and work with them. 

Kris continues:  I wrote an entire chapter in my book Spirit Wars on laughter. It's a scientific fact that laughter can make your body well. Maybe that's what was happening in Toronto during the outpouring. Maybe the Lord was trying to get His body well. Of course the church was full of serious people (who wear out the world around them) wondering why this waste.

Jesus was anointed with joy above His companions (Hebrews 1:9). He was happier than the people He hung out with. Go and BE likewise!

One of the reasons I like dancing so much is because it is SO joyful. My favorite Bible verse is about joy. (See Psalm 16:11 and Acts 2:28.) “In Your presence O God is the fullness of joy and in Your right hand there are pleasures evermore.”

I love to laugh and I love to make people laugh. Part of my mission in life is to spread joy around. When I have even made a person smile, I consider myself successful. Every Wednesday during the school year, my friend Charli and I visit the elderly in several nursing homes of Sequim. (We’ve gotten kicked out of two nursing homes for Alzheimer’s folks for being two rowdy because they want to keep them very calm and quiet and we got them all riled up.)

Charli, Mady & Jenna, Mardi Gras at nursing home. 3-3-11

We have begun our fourth year with our nursing home ministry. We have a theme each week and dress up in costumes. For example, we might dress up in 20’s style as “Flappers”, 50’s style with “poodle skirts”, 60’s style with hippie costumes, Hawaiian, Mexican, or Western wear, and for each holiday we have costumes. We have collected all kinds of crazy costumes and accessories from Good Will, thrift stores, and garage sales. People give us stuff all the time too. If you want to see some of our outlandish and hilarious get-ups, take a look at my Facebook under my name, “Jenna Vick Silliman.” Let me know you heard about me on Kingdom Bloggers and request we become “Facebook friends.” Yesterday, for a couple bucks I found an ornate and bejeweled crown fitting for a royal costume. I already have a cloak to match it too. Hahaha! When I go in the fitting room and try something on and look in the mirror, if it makes me crack up laughing, I know it is a “find.” 

Frank&Charli Anderson & Jenna 4-25-12

Ladybug and Bumblebee, 10-3-12

Hippies at nursing home. 4-18-12

Charli & I dressed as girls. 3-28-12

St. Patty's Day, 3-14-12

The Bible says to delight ourselves in the Lord. It does NOT say “Get all serious and somber in the Lord.” If a church gathering is super serious and people are down in the mouth and not ever laughing and enjoying themselves—I would play hooky and go read the funny paper or go dancing or go tell knock knock jokes at your nearest nursing home. Like Kris Vallotton says, “Jesus was anointed with joy above his companions.” May we follow his advice AND the example of our Lord and live our lives FULL OF JOY AND LAUGHTER!