What is the joy of the Lord?
The joy of the Lord is the gladness of heart that comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ and being filled with the Holy Spirit.
The joy of the Lord is found in Jesus Christ and this can be attested by the developments that took place when He was born, the angels announced “good tidings of great joy”. All who find Jesus and know Him as Lord and Saviour will attest to the joy of the Lord. The joy of our Saviour is not an easy matter to understand. He endured the cross, because He wanted to fulfill the purpose of His coming to the earth, which is to reconcile man back to back. The joy of the Lord, while He was on earth is reconciling with you.
The joy of the Lord is the inner strength to go through hardship and some painful life experiences believing that God is aware of it and He is with us in it to led us to an expected end. The joy of the Lord is the conviction we have through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us that God will fulfill His promises in our lives. so, we see temptations and challenges as tools meant to strengthen us and our zeal in Him.
During His days on earth, our Lord Jesus said expressly that His joy came from His desire to please the Father and abide in Him. In other words, His joy was the fruit of obedience and delight in God’s thoughts and ways. He says to us “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15: 10
Assurance of salvation
The joy of the Lord is the inner strength to go through hardship and some painful life experiences believing that God is aware of it and He is with us in it to led us to an expected end. The joy of the Lord is the conviction we have through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us that God will fulfill His promises in our lives. so, we see temptations and challenges as tools meant to strengthen us and our zeal in Him.
During His days on earth, our Lord Jesus said expressly that His joy came from His desire to please the Father and abide in Him. In other words, His joy was the fruit of obedience and delight in God’s thoughts and ways. He says to us “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15: 10
Assurance of salvation
The church and the believer must continually be filled with joy because it is with joy that we draw from the well of Salvation - meaning that with joy of the Lord in us, we have access to the unlimited resources of the kingdom. We have access to wisdom to live and to prosper. We have access to the blessing of the kingdom, we receive revelation from the throne of the Almighty. Without joy, and gladness of heart, revelation will be difficult for a believer.
Divine protection
It is the assurance that when the enemy will come against us like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise a standards against him. It is the assurance that when we decree a thing, it shall be established unto us and the light of the Lord will shine upon us.
The joy of the Lord is the assurance that no weapon fashioned against us shall prosper...., it is the assurance we have in Him, that when we call upon Him, He will answer us. The joy of the Lord is what makes our own joy full. The joy of what Christ did for us and the sufferings He endured to get to the cross. When you remember all these and remember what He said finally, IT IS FINISHED, then you are assured of your victory over the works of darkness. By His resurrection from the dead, we cannot be destroyed by any works of darkness.
Our Strength
Knowing the joy He feels in having a close relationship with us is our strength, and the only to see this scriptures come alive in you is to have a closer relation with the Lord. Pray and talk to Him all the time. Do you take your troubles to Him? Do you present your successes to Him, thanking Him and celebrating your blessing with Him?.
Delighting to please the Father and abiding in His love, will lead to His joy, which cannot be easily explained. Meditating on the ways the Father works, His faithfulness and love for us will lead us into His joy and strengthen our lives. So, we know the glory of God enters into our lives as we take pleasure in those things that Jesus delighted in. Loving righteousness and hating wickedness, will lead us to desiring and living holy and righteously. A just life will lead us to the kind of joy that He had and such joy becomes our strength.
You shall not die...
It is the assurance that you shall not die but live. The joy of the Lord is the inner witness of the Holy Spirit within us, that teaches and guides us into all truth. The joy that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we cannot be stranded in life. Knowing that the creator has much love for us, and that the ultimate purpose of our salvation is to live like our creator, Jesus Christ means we will be fulfilled if we can connect with those things He connected with, while on earth. The love of the Father, abiding with the Father, watching what the Father does and doing the same things.
The joy of the Lord is to us the revelation of His mercy and love towards us, and once we can come to this level of understanding, we will naturally desire what He desired and this will bring us enormous joy. Then:
Love for righteousness and hatred for wickedness is my strength.
Obedience and abiding in His love is our strength.
Meditating on the Father’s ways is our strength.
The joy of the Lord is first spiritual and need to be understood. I don't know about others, but personally, the joy of the Lord is in knowing Him, His ways and being patient with Him to allow Him do for you what He has destined to do for you. What used to run contrary to this way of the Lord is human in-patience. We want things done quickly, we want power to do miracles and be known as miracle minister etc. We are in a hurry as though we are competing with the people of the world, or competing with other believers. We forget that God deals with us individually, and as such it takes a long time for a man to change from pursuing worldly things and start pursuing the things of God.
Man is interested in success and prosperity, which honesty, godliness may never guarantee, so you see men and women called by God thinking whether they will survive without the world, friends, connections and relatives. They are wondering whether they should stand for the truth always or at some times, especially when telling such truth could harm their business and family interests. The natural Man is familiar with the joy that comes from success and earthly prosperity, and many cannot understand the joy of the Lord, which is not per see the fact that He will prosper us, but the joy of His own joy.
When apostle Paul wrote that believers should rejoice, when he was himself in prison, many people will wonder how a person in Prison can be rejoicing. How could he rejoice in such hard circumstance? The prisons in those days were deplorable places to be, many times an underground bunker with little light and plenty of rats. He was awaiting a sentence on his life, so he was facing uncertainty about the future and possibly death. How could he write: Rejoice in the Lord always?
That is the real joy of the Lord, in the fact that you are saved and delivered from darkness, prison not withstanding. The joy of knowing the Almighty God, who is able to deliver man from any troubles whatsoever, the joy of knowing that He is risen and sealed our redemption. These revelations cannot be compared to anything that money can buy. Whatever money buys is temporal!
Delighting to please the Father and abiding in His love, will lead to His joy, which cannot be easily explained. Meditating on the ways the Father works, His faithfulness and love for us will lead us into His joy and strengthen our lives. So, we know the glory of God enters into our lives as we take pleasure in those things that Jesus delighted in. Loving righteousness and hating wickedness, will lead us to desiring and living holy and righteously. A just life will lead us to the kind of joy that He had and such joy becomes our strength.
You shall not die...
It is the assurance that you shall not die but live. The joy of the Lord is the inner witness of the Holy Spirit within us, that teaches and guides us into all truth. The joy that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we cannot be stranded in life. Knowing that the creator has much love for us, and that the ultimate purpose of our salvation is to live like our creator, Jesus Christ means we will be fulfilled if we can connect with those things He connected with, while on earth. The love of the Father, abiding with the Father, watching what the Father does and doing the same things.
The joy of the Lord is to us the revelation of His mercy and love towards us, and once we can come to this level of understanding, we will naturally desire what He desired and this will bring us enormous joy. Then:
Obedience and abiding in His love is our strength.
Meditating on the Father’s ways is our strength.
The joy of the Lord is first spiritual and need to be understood. I don't know about others, but personally, the joy of the Lord is in knowing Him, His ways and being patient with Him to allow Him do for you what He has destined to do for you. What used to run contrary to this way of the Lord is human in-patience. We want things done quickly, we want power to do miracles and be known as miracle minister etc. We are in a hurry as though we are competing with the people of the world, or competing with other believers. We forget that God deals with us individually, and as such it takes a long time for a man to change from pursuing worldly things and start pursuing the things of God.
Man is interested in success and prosperity, which honesty, godliness may never guarantee, so you see men and women called by God thinking whether they will survive without the world, friends, connections and relatives. They are wondering whether they should stand for the truth always or at some times, especially when telling such truth could harm their business and family interests. The natural Man is familiar with the joy that comes from success and earthly prosperity, and many cannot understand the joy of the Lord, which is not per see the fact that He will prosper us, but the joy of His own joy.
When apostle Paul wrote that believers should rejoice, when he was himself in prison, many people will wonder how a person in Prison can be rejoicing. How could he rejoice in such hard circumstance? The prisons in those days were deplorable places to be, many times an underground bunker with little light and plenty of rats. He was awaiting a sentence on his life, so he was facing uncertainty about the future and possibly death. How could he write: Rejoice in the Lord always?
That is the real joy of the Lord, in the fact that you are saved and delivered from darkness, prison not withstanding. The joy of knowing the Almighty God, who is able to deliver man from any troubles whatsoever, the joy of knowing that He is risen and sealed our redemption. These revelations cannot be compared to anything that money can buy. Whatever money buys is temporal!
FIRE...
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