Tim Keller | July 6, 1997
Jesus tells his disciples that no one will take away their joy. Now that’s pretty amazing. He knows to whom he is talking. He is speaking to men who are going to be persecuted. They’re going to be robbed of everything they own. They’re going to be tortured. They’re going to be put to death.
The Bible says there is a joy that is not subject to circumstances, that the deepest troubles can’t put out, that can coexist and overwhelm the greatest grief. And these three verses in Romans 8 have the heart of it. In these three verses, you have three principles. This is the basis for joy.
Your joy will be strong to the degree you understand and grasp these three things: 1) our bad things turn out for good, 2) our good things can never be lost, and 3) the best things are yet to come.