The Joy of the Lord is my Strength in every step that I take in life. And because my strength comes from God, my plans are blessed and destined to succeed. Make the Lord joyous about you and your household and you’ll all be located in his mercy and favor that never ends. You’ll benefit from divine favor, love, protection, and success in everything that you lay your hands on. Let’s support this message by reading from Nehemiah 8:10 – “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” The joy of the Lord is so great that it overcomes all weakness and restores dominion to his people.
Although chosen, rescued, and promised, God’s children were subjected to severe suffering as a result of their continuous rejection of God and his covenant.” It was then that Ezra read from God’s word and reminded his Law to the people as recorded in Nehemiah 8. It was their rebellion and disobedience that shattered the people across the world. They had a severe and brutal exile which burned into the minds of the people. Even in their rebellion, God was willing and ready to rebuild and restore them. On God’s chosen day, they were reassured of their belonging to God and his willingness to help them. This brought encouragement and strength to the people of Israel. Hence, no matter how heavy your wrongs might be, a sincere repentance with the desire to follow God’s ways will situate you in His mercy and favor.
The Joy of the Lord is my Strength
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 8:10 This leaves our minds wondering what Nehemiah meant by the joy of the Lord is my strength. Could it be that it was a unique reflection of a situation which the children of Israel were going through at that particular moment? Or could it be holding a deeper meaning than this and also applies to our daily situations? This is what we shall be finding out as we continuously unfold this piece of writing.
What is the Joy of the Lord?
It is on the road to the restoration that we find the joy of the Lord in fullness. In righteousness, God convicts us of our sins or failure to keep his commands. In such situations, our first reaction is usually shame and guilt. However, these feelings are not always from God as we can read from Nehemiah. It is said that Ezra the Scribe gathered the people and read to them from God’s book. After reading, skillful minister of God’s law explained it to the people. You can get this from Nehemiah 8:8 – “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.”
Once the people clearly understood the law of God and found how they had intensely broken it, they began weeping in dismay. God’s word opened their eyes to the things that they had done wrong. As they were weeping, Nehemiah quickly reminded them of God’s love and forgiving nature by saying that “They could delight in the joy of the Lord because he is a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate.”
What does the Bible say about this subject matter?
The original Hebrew word for “joy” in Nehemiah 8:10 is “Chedvah”. Chedvah means “joy” or gladness”. In context, we’ll say that the root word from this scripture written by Nehemiah means to make glad or rejoice. In the same verse, we figure out “Strength” whose Hebrew meaning is “a means or place of safety, stronghold, or protection refuge”. The root word of strength from Hebrew means “to prevail, to be strong, or to remain firm.” This gives me the base to understand why the joy of the Lord is my strength. Brethren, the joy of the Lord is a constant cause of joy and gladness. This joy comes from the relationship that we hold with God. Jesus’ death on the cross at Calvary restored dominion and peace with God that cannot be undone. That’s why we can say without a doubt that our joy rests upon God’s joy.
What is Biblical Joy?
John 17:13 – “But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” This scriptural verse is part of Jesus’ prayer to his Father, creator of heaven and earth. Our Lord Jesus Christ experienced the fulfilling joy that comes from his Father’s strength. It is in the same light that he wanted us to be filled and overflowing with it as we can read from John 15:11 – “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Other places where the Bible talks about the Lord’s strength
Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Proverbs 10:29 – “The way of the LORD is a stronghold to those with integrity, but it destroys the wicked.” Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Psalm 28:8 – “The LORD gives his people strength. He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.” 2 Samuel 22:33 – “God is my strong fortress, and he makes my way perfect.” Psalm 27:1 – “The LORD is my light and my salvation- so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?”
Mark 12:30 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness,” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, to that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
How a Christian can find Joy in the Lord
Mark 12:30 –“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” This scripture which was recited by Jesus Christ in Mark 12:30 comes from a well-known cornerstone passage in Deuteronomy. The question we are asking ourselves is to know why he reiterated this truth when the people were seeking something new to understand? The truth is that Jesus Christ did not come to replace the Father’s original command. He rather came to free us from the burden of never being able to live up to them. Even if we actively embrace this verse with everything that we have mentally, physically, and emotionally, we can still fall. This is simply because we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.
Let’s support this message by reading from Romans 3:23 -“Everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence.” We can as well accompany it with 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “But his answer was: ‘My grace is all you need, for my power is greatest when you are weak.’ I am most happy, then, to be proud of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ’s power over me. I am contented with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Apostle Paul is perceived as someone who did what he hated and hated what he did. In the same sense, all of us wake-up each day with repeated sins, things that we don’t like about ourselves.
Christian Joy is obtained through Christ
At times we feel deeply hurt by losing our patience or losing battle with addiction, uncontrollable cycles of thoughts, poor habit, and some severe sins that are too big to cease by our own strength. We ought not to focus on our strength but on God’s just as Apostle Paul did and was rescued. Even in the very areas of helplessness, we can find the very freedom in Christ that leads to strength and complete joy. Keep in mind that joy in Christ isn’t a giddy feeling of cracking up at a joke. It is neither a giddy feeling of cracking up from a triumphant banner of victory upon accomplishing a goal. It is true that there is joy in such moments but the real joy comes from the unwavering strength of the Lord.
The joy from the lord is one that never ends. It remains and reminds us of God’s love, protection, promises, and favor. It keeps us motivated and encouraged in running our Christian race to the end. This very joy reminds us of the things which we have already accomplished in Christ and those still awaiting accomplishment.
The meaning of the saying that “The Joy of the Lord is my Strength”
God’s Joy is Us – Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2 – “For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross.” Yes, you read it right – we are God’s joy. It is without a doubt that the only reason why Jesus Christ endured the cross together with all its suffering and persecution was to restore the relationship between man and God. He came to restore the dominion of man which was lost in the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned. We are the reason for his suffering. It is for us that he found the joy of giving up his life on the cross of Calvary so that we can be saved from death. This is the joy of having once again an unbroken fellowship with his followers. In honor of his Father, our value in the eyes of Christ gave him the strength to bear the sufferings of the cross.
Behold, Christ did not even regret for a second to have embraced suffering for the sake of mankind. With joy, he showed up to be taken and used as a sacrificial lamb to save the world. Below are further scriptures that reflect the Joy of the Lord in us:
Isaiah 65:19 – “And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people” Luke 17:15 – “I tell you that in the same way, there will be more JOY in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
Isaiah 62:5 – “And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” Zephaniah 3:17 – “He will take GREAT DELIGHT in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will REJOICE over you with singing.”
Jesus’ Joy came from his desire to please his Father – John 15:10
John 15:10 – “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.” Jesus’ joy came from his desire to please God and abide in him. In simple terms, his joy was the fruit of obedience. He was delighted in abiding within his Father as he maintained an intimate and unbroken communion with him. In the same light, we ought to find our joy in keeping God’s commands. You can start your journey to establishing an unbroken communion with God by honoring the Key teachings of Jesus Christ.
Jesus’ Joy is the fruit of loving righteousness and hating wickedness – Hebrews 1:9
Hebrews 1:9 – “You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even your God, has anointed you with the OIL OF GLADNESS above your fellows.” The Joy of Christ came from his passion for righteousness and the accomplishment of God’s will. As Christians today, we also have to strive for a righteous life through him. In this way, we’ll find the joy that never ends. He is God, he did it in the past, he is still doing it these days, and he will certainly do it in times to come. That’s why I can say without a doubt that in my quest for righteousness through Christ, the Joy of the Lord is my Strength.
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