‘How God Made Me Happy in Him’: John Piper’s Journey to Joy

This video was the final nail. I am now Christian.

I’m going through a divorce right now after 15 years , all my friends keep saying “man you need to get out “ referring to me going to the clubs and bars and meeting people . Sitting home in my days off I think maybe I do , seems like every ones life is moving forward and I’m just sitting still . But in the back of my mind i think man that lifestyle caused you to be in the situation your in now . Looking for something out there in places you don’t belong anymore trying to fill a void in your heart . My Lil boy asked me about the devil lying and I was telling him that he was telling me a lie right now that I’m missing out on life . That imma be lonely and miss out on the fun of life if I don’t go out drinking and having fun . But what will that do ? I’ll leave y’all behind to go party . It’s selfish and leads to destruction in the end . I clicked on this video on accident and it’s a joy to listen to it . To know that I know I’m not looking for temporary “happiness” it’s a lie . I know in my soul I don’t need that . I need God .

I started drinking when I was 16. I would drink at parties, but I also started drinking alone because I was unhappy, and I was in a lot of emotional pain all the time. My mom was very aggressive when I was younger, and my brother hated her and so did I. He started hanging out with shady people, he started failing all his classes, he was never home, and my parents fought all the time. I also ran away several times. I was always trying to figure out a reason as to why I was here or what the purpose of life was. So, I started looking at different philosophies, religions, and beliefs. When I was 18 after I was hungover, I got on my knees and I prayed for the first time. I asked if God was real that he would show me he was real because I couldn’t take it anymore. I was crying when I prayed for this. At that moment I felt a presence come over me like a wind. It was barely noticeable, but it was unlike anything in my life I had experienced up until that point. I was surprised when I felt it and I remember saying “what was that?” after that experience I pretty much forgot what happened and kept partying, until my senior year when I got arrested. After my arrest, my parents lost all their trust in me and I was expelled from high school. I was told never to come back. At that time, I felt afraid and hopeless. That’s when I started looking for God, and I prayed that he would reveal himself in my life and that he would give me signs. My prayers began getting answered so consistently that I couldn’t deny that God was doing something. It was mysterious and compelling. I ended up in Church and started reading the bible hours a day. I stopped hanging out with all my other friends because they were continually getting arrested. I was able to forgive my family and myself and to ask to be forgiven. I noticed how at Church people were judgmental and how they formed cliques but were afraid to be around anyone else different from them. It increased my faith because I realized Jesus was not like that and ever since I was young, I saw people as people regardless of who they were. After a while, it’s like I could see God's presence was in my life and then it felt like he wasn’t, and then he was, and then he wasn’t. One day I woke up and felt more depressed than I ever have in my entire life. I felt like I was dying on the inside. That night I prayed, and I said, God, I don’t see my life five years from now I'm going to die Jesus save me Lord, please save me. I was weeping when I said it and when I asked him to save me, I felt a presence inside of me like a heartbeat, and I felt it once like a pulse, and I said Lord please save me and I felt it again even stronger. It was like radiance. When I woke up the next morning, I had transformed everything felt brand new like I was a kid again. All my fears and all my racing thoughts everything was gone. I looked at my hands, and I said this can’t be real it’s impossible. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw a different person. I started praying, and the holy spirit became entirely real to me it was washing over me and inside of me. It was total love and peace, and I heard a voice but not an audible one, it was an inner voice. It said I am with you; I love you, I will never leave you, it’s done it’s finished. That was May 3rd, 2009, and ever since then I’ve followed God, I have seen many things change and many things I know wouldn’t have changed without faith and belief. I know what it’s like to be lost to feel you have no hope. Don’t ever think you’re stuck, or life can’t change because it can. My mom is a Christian now, Its night and day. Some of the things that went away during that period were severe anxiety and my addiction to alcohol. I’ve seen and experienced so many things that are miraculous and seen how God has worked in my life. When we ask God to forgive us for what we’ve done and turn away from our sins and wrongdoings and we believe in Christ's sacrifice everything changes. His word says if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that he died and rose again we will have eternal life but not just life after death but abundant life in the present. Our sins are erased not only past, present, and future but our burdens and fears are lifted also. Our thoughts, our minds, our hearts, our souls are transformed and united with God and we know his spirit lives in us. If you seek, pray, and knock you will know JESUS IS KING!!! HE LIVES!

I Honestly can't get enough of John piper's teaching. Growing up in a church that taught God's blessing is all about money and health, John's teaching was alien to me at first but after I understood what it really means to be a Christian, I run after teachers like John piper. God bless you John for teaching believers what true riches are. And the importance of drawing close to God daily...

"God is most glorified, most praised in you when you are most satisfied in Him."

Sir, in half an hour, you have just changed my life. I went from miserable having to abide by God and thinking I have to sacrifice my hapiness, to now set my eyes (hopefully) upon eternal joy. Thank you in the deepest sense.

God has created us to find our greatest and most inexpressible joy in Him.

Christian hedonism is not about avoiding suffering. But through our suffering and with our broken hearts, we are still about find joy and peace in God's love and His righteousness.

Having the Holy Spirit living in you is the most fulfilling thing. Christ is our joy!! Praise God

He has smiled all the way thru this video! It has lifted my heart and has convicted me for not being joyful at the same time. I so want that type of joy!

Boy, never seen so many haters on Piper sermons/lectures. He should take it as a compliment. Being persecuted due to Christ is always a blessing. I don’t agree with everything that is uttered out of Piper’s mouth, but he’s still one of my favs.

John Piper and Charles Stanley. Two true teachers

I experienced the essence of the prayer 'May your kingdom come, may your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven' while listening to Pastor John. I was honestly amazed to hear those words uttered on earth! It was incredibly inspiring and redemptive to see a man praising the Lord in such a way.

Please don't misunderstand the sermon. Yes there are sufferings, discipline that are compulsory in any Christian life.What he (john piper) is saying that TRUE and ULTIMATE JOY is ONLY found in Living for JESUS CHRIST

absolutely correct. the reason we sin is because its pleasurable. So indeed we need to find more pleasure in God than in sin 🙏 .God help us! we must find more happiness in God than the world. wonderful sermon

Praise the Lord for this joyful preacher. God talked to my heart through his sermon.

God just changed my way of thinking. Today. Through this teaching. Bless you, Brother John!

Wow! That was one of the best sermons I've heard him preach. Makes me want to treasure God more in my heart

I have heard most of these anecdotes before in one context or another; and it is fantastic to hear a full account of the major ways that Piper has been influenced over the years. What an amazing story of how God built up this man to speak to our battles with sin in such practical ways.

The best sermon I’ve ever heard. Truly. Thank you Holy Spirit for leading me to this right when I needed it.