THE FULLNESS

PART 3 – THE FULLNESS OF JOY

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

John 15:11 NLT

“I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

Notice Jesus says, “my joy.” 

The source isn't favorable circumstances. His joy becomes our joy.

JOY:

The settled gladness of knowing that, no matter what is happening around me, God is with me, God is for me, and God is at work within me and through me.

1 Samuel 30:1-19 NLT

Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. ² They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone.

³ When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, ⁴ they wept until they could weep no more. ⁵ David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured.⁶ David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

⁷ Then he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod!” So Abiathar brought it. ⁸ Then David asked the Lord, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?”

And the Lord told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!”

⁹ So David and his 600 men set out, and they came to the brook Besor. ¹⁰ But 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with 400 men.

¹¹ Along the way they found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink. ¹² They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins, for he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. Before long his strength returned.

¹³ “To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?” David asked him.

“I am an Egyptian, the slave of an Amalekite,” he replied. “My master abandoned me three days ago because I was sick. ¹⁴ We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag.” ¹⁵ “Will you lead me to this band of raiders?” David asked. The young man replied, “If you take an oath in God’s name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them.” ¹⁶ So he led David to them, and they found the Amalekites spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah. ¹⁷ David and his men rushed in among them and slaughtered them throughout that night and the entire next day until evening. None of the Amalekites escaped except 400 young men who fled on camels. ¹⁸ David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. ¹⁹ Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. 

1. DAVID STRENGTHENED (ENCOURAGED) HIMSELF IN THE LORD.

Nehemiah 8:10 NLT — “Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”

Psalm 16:11 NLT — “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence...”

Key thought: My circumstances don't have to change for my strength to return. My strength is found in His presence.

2. FROM THE PLACE OF RENEWED JOY, DAVID INQUIRED OF THE LORD.

Isaiah 12:3 NLT — “With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!”

James 1:5 NLT — “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.”

Key thought: When discouragement stops dominating my heart, I can hear God's direction more clearly.

3. DAVID FOLLOWED THE LORD'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE “T.”

John 15:10–11 NLT — Jesus connects remaining in His love, obedience, and being “filled with my joy.”

Psalm 119:35 NLT — “Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.”

Key thought: Obedience isn't the enemy of joy; obedience positions me to experience the joy of walking with God.

4. FAVORABLE CIRCUMSTANCES BEGAN TO HAPPEN.

Romans 8:28 NLT — “God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God...”

Psalm 37:23 NLT — “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.”

Key thought: When David started moving according to God's Word, he began discovering that God was already arranging things along the way.

5. HE RECOVERED ALL!

Psalm 126:5 NLT — “Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.”

Joel 2:25–26 NLT — God promises Israel restoration after devastating loss, followed by rejoicing: “Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will praise the LORD your God...”

Key thought: The story that began with weeping ended with recovery.