Be Strong in the Joy of the Lord
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Don’t be sad [grieve; mourn], because the joy of the Lord will make you strong [is your strength].—Nehemiah 8:10
Joy cannot remain simply an abstract idea; it must be practiced in the Christian life if we are to benefit from its strengthening power. But how can we experience joy when the world is so full of struggle and suffering? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Make God your highest joy. We cannot make the joy of the Lord our strength if we are also making something else our strength. Doing so is idolatry, behaving as if something else will give us more joy than God Himself. While earthly gifts and experiences can give us joy, these pale in comparison with the greatest Gift: God Himself, whose love is poured out to us through Christ. We can say with the Psalmist: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26).
2. Focus on the Holy Spirit. There is a strong correlation in Scripture between the presence of the Holy Spirit and the presence of joy. In fact, Galatians 5:22 says that one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy. Acts 13:52 recounts that “the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” In Romans 15:13, Paul prays: “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Paul also praises the Thessalonians by saying: “You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit.” Joy … is the wonderful by-product of a life lived following God. If we “are led by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:18), “live by the Spirit,” and “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25), then the Spirit will grow the fruit of joy in our lives!
3. Express gratitude for God’s gifts. Though God Himself is our highest joy, he has also given us many good gifts. The writer of Ecclesiastes observes “that there is nothing better for [people] than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man” (Ecclesiastes 3:12–13). … Taking time each day to notice, acknowledge, and praise God for what we are grateful for will go a long way to helping us experience the strengthening joy of the Lord welling up within us.—Jessica Udall1
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Joy is a tremendous source of strength. … Many verses in Scripture speak to the joy that God provides His people:
“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” (Romans 15:13).
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).
“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8–9).
“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you” (Psalm 5:11).
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him” (Psalm 28:7). …
When [we] come to realize how much God has done for [us] and what great things He has in store, the result is joy, and that joy will produce strength. … He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). As we focus on God’s presence and promises, our joy and strength will increase.—GotQuestions.org2
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“The joy of the Lord is my strength” is a familiar line. We use it to encourage ourselves and others. But what does it really mean? Where do we get it? …
The term “the joy of the Lord is my strength” is found in Nehemiah 8:10. It’s after the children of Israel returned to Jerusalem from exile. They were listening to the law being read, were overcome with condemnation, and were weeping.
The scripture reads: “Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. Nehemiah said, ‘Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’” (Nehemiah 8:9–10).
What is the joy of the Lord?
When Ezra was reading the law to the people, it produced sorrow because their lives and behavior were not in alignment with the law. But instead of being rebuked and condemned, they were instructed to celebrate because of “the joy of the Lord.” Why would the Lord have joy when they were “a bunch of sinners”?
The children of Israel were never known for their perfect behavior. They were known for being the people of God. They were His. He loved them. …
How does the joy of the Lord provide strength? ...
The joy of the Lord gives us strength to reach for God’s provision of love and salvation.
“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs” (Zephaniah 3:17).
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).
“With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation” (Isaiah 12:3).
What is this strength?
The strength that God provides us with is His grace.
“To each one of us grace has been given” (Ephesians 4:7).
“So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son” (Ephesians 1:6).
Because we feel connected to God and loved by Him, it gives us the confidence and boldness to approach Him to “find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). And the grace that He provides is enough for everything in our lives.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
“The joy of the Lord is our strength” is brought to fullness when we accept His provision of righteousness by grace that reunites us so we can enjoy His presence.
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).
“… those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!” (Romans 5:17).
“You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence” (Acts 2:28).—Danielle Bernock3
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I want you to be filled with My joy, which will be your strength. I want you to be convinced of My love and at peace.
I want to take away any feeling of inferiority and worry because you have not yet achieved all you had planned or hoped for. Sometimes your expectations are unrealistic and cause you to overextend yourself, and then you feel guilty that you didn’t make the grade. I want to wipe away all those negative feelings. I want to wipe away your fears and worries and give you peace. All is well. As you seek to live according to My Word and My plan, you will find My joy.
As the scripture says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength!” And so it shall be for you. You can hold on to that promise. That can be your motto from this day forth. Fear and worry are debilitating. Any nervousness, fear, or worry quenches the flow of My Spirit in your life. So trust Me, knowing that I love you.
Now, let My joy be your strength. Rejoice in your victories. Rejoice in the battles. Rejoice in the blessings. Rejoice in the triumphs. Rejoice in the challenges. Do not dwell on your shortcomings and seeming defeats. Knowing and serving Me is a joyous experience! I know it’s not always easy, and there is pain and suffering along the way, but there can always be the joy of My Spirit in your heart. Remember, My joy is your strength.—Jesus
Published on Anchor November 2024. Read by Gabriel Garcia Valdivieso. Music by Michael Dooley.
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