The seventy-two expressed JOY when they returned to Jesus, Luke 10:17. Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your Name. The time of ministry had been a great success and they rejoiced at the victory over the powers of darkness. This marked the beginning of a new era of the conflict here on earth. The Name of Jesus had never been used before in confrontation with the powers of darkness(the Twelve were sent out in Luke 9).
At that time Jesus, FULL OF JOY through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure”. Luke 10:21,22
Jesus, in his human form, was filled with JOY through the Holy Spirit( He rejoiced through the Spirit in Him). He rejoiced that the Father had hidden things from the learned and revealed them to everyday people. What amazing things those ordinary people had seen as they’d gone out to minister in His Name.
Acts 16:34(also written by Luke), The ‘Philippian’ Jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with JOY because he had come to believe – he and his whole family.
Once again Luke records people who were filled with JOY as God moved by His Spirit.
I can recall in my own life how I was full of JOY in the early days of my walk with the Lord. I also had an experience of God at a conference in Italy many years ago, where many people were powerfully touched by the Spirit. I was actually asking the Lord to stop, as I was laughing so hard.
Life has a way of robbing us of our JOY(the JOY of the Lord is our Strength Neh 8:10), but it is the second named fruit of the Spirit and Jesus Himself was overjoyed by what His Father had done. Perhaps it’s time to seek the Lord for an infilling of His JOY and to walk afresh in it each day. The jailer had it when he came to faith, so we need to learn to live in it and be thankful for all God does for us.
God bless you.