FIND JOY

“The Joy of the Lord is My Strength” (Nehemiah 8:10) God never promised us happiness, but we can all choose to be filled with His joy. Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say Rejoice!

Have you ever wondered why there are people who seem more joyful than others

regardless of their circumstances? The word joy is often used interchangeably

with being cheerful and full of happiness. They seem similar but are quite

different.

Being happy is circumstantial. It is an emotion, just like sadness, jealousy, or fear.

Therefore, happiness comes and goes. The world’s view of happiness is based on

fleeting things: material possessions, accomplishments, relationships, etc. but

none of these are guaranteed to last. In fact, they often do not and therefore your

happiness is only temporary.

The Bible’s idea of joy, however, is different. It is not based on our circumstances

or what we have but on an internal hope and peace that comes from knowing

Christ. Joy is a long-lasting state of being. It is consistent, deeper, and rooted in

something more than just a feeling. Joy is eternal and does not depend on our

situation. It comes from knowing that we have hope and a future no matter what

happens in this life. Joy is a choice; it is choosing to respond to our external

circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction.

To find this “Joy of the Lord,” we need to be rooted in God, His Word, and His

Spirit through Jesus Christ. Then we will understand the Heart of God and His

great love for us.

John 3:16 – “For this is how God so loved the world: he gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

When we put our faith in the natural life, it is solely about us and the cares of the

world. But, when we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior, we can experience

the Joy of the Lord in the Supernatural. The Bible states that the angels in heaven

rejoice when we are reconciled to God, restored, and made whole again. As we

start walking in our God-given purpose, our joy comes from God’s restoration and

healing, filling us with hope and peace.

THE JOY OF THE LORD!

The constant knowledge of our salvation and God’s love for us will undoubtedly

give us joy, even if our current circumstances are not ideal or we are not presently

“happy.” We know there will be joy in heaven, so we can have joy now in our

expectant waiting. God promises us joy when He promises salvation and eternal

life. When we keep these truths in the forefront of our minds, we can find peace

and joy in the midst of any unhappiness, pain, and earthly suffering.

Psalms 16:11 – “You will show me the way of life; granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.”

This is a promise from God that when we follow Him, we will find true joy in this

life and eternal pleasure in His presence. It is a great reminder that our hope is

not in this world, but in Him.

The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength! We have the power to persevere through

any challenge, no matter how difficult it may seem. Praise be to God, who has

given us the joy of His Son Jesus Christ. Through Him, we can find strength and

courage in the face of any difficulty.

The enemy would love to steal our joy because it will keep us from being effective

witnesses for Christ and living the abundant life Jesus died to give us. God is the

source of joy so let us find our strength in the Lord and choose to live every day

joyfully!

Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Hope is like a lifeline connecting you to heaven. The more you grasp the line, the

more Jesus can help bear your burdens. Therefore, be joyful in hope and the light

of the Lord will help you in your times of darkness.

Habakkuk 3:18-19 – “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

When we choose to rejoice in God and focus on Him rather than our

circumstances, we experience true joy. And with that joy comes strength to face

the challenges of life, to serve God and others, and to be obedient to His word.

JESUS

OTHERS

YOURSELF