Now the God of Hope Fill You with All Joy and Peace
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost (Romans 15:13)
As Paul concludes his letter to the believers in Rome, he prays(expressing a desire to God) that God will fill them with all joy and peace. Please note his use of the verb “fill” and what they were to be filled with—joy and peace. Let us begin by examining what it means to be filled with joy and peace and then move over to how this is done.
The word “fill” is used figuratively for the process by which our hearts receives, experience, and express different influences from the spirit world. The literal meaning is to fill a container with fluid, such as when you put water in a cup. When we are filled with joy and peace, something happens in our hearts that makes us experience joy and peace.
Being filled with joy and peace is an example of what I have called the “third dimension” of being filled with the Holy Spirit. The first two dimensions are filled with His being at the new birth and His power at the “Baptism of the Spirit.” Please read about the three dimensions of being filled with the Spirit or watch this Deshen Live Bible study to learn more about this.
But how was God to fill the Roman Christians with joy and peace? There are two phases in the verse above that answer this question: “in believing” and “through the power of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit works in us as we believe God to fill our hearts with joy. Peter said it this way:
“Who having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8 KJV).
The Lord wants to fill you continually with joy unspeakable and full of glory as you keep your eyes focused on believing what Jesus has done for you.
Set your mind on Rom. 15:13 above. Think about how it applies to you, and say those words aloud as you meditate on them.
Christ fills you with the Person of the Spirit at salvation. The Holy Spirit fills you every day with divine virtues such as joy and peace. Let Him fill you every day with joy and peace!
Thank the Father for the blessing of being filled with joy and peace.