Paul's epistle to the Philippians is a completely wonderful letter. Writing from a dank and unhealthy Roman prison cell, Paul teaches us how we can be joyful despite where we are, the people we are with, and the person we are. Thinking about this is something to stand out. Almost all the challenges we face come from these areas.

How could Paul be so confident of a life of joy? After all, he was a prisoner, chained to a Roman centurion twenty-four hours a day, and in the middle of that his reputation was attacked by his fellow believers. He himself gives us the answer: "For I know that through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this will result in my deliverance" (Philippians 1:19).

Part of the great comforting work of the Holy Spirit is to give us peace and even joy in situations like this. In the context of this letter about joy, it makes sense that Paul identified the link that connected joy as the Spirit of Jesus Christ, because after all the Lord Jesus wanted our joy to be complete (John 16:24), and he prayed to the Father to send another comforter to dwell among us and make our joy complete.

So joy comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ regardless of our condition, the joy that you want, that you so diligently seek and for which your spirit cries out, can come only from one person: from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.