Joy

Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength. - Nehemiah 8:10

What does it mean to have the joy of the Lord? I know that God's revelation of His joy in and to us and its outpouring will never cease, even for all of eternity, but from what I have experienced thus far in my relationship with Him, I've discovered that true joy of the Lord comes from...

1) Living in continual wonder, amazement, and awe of God - there is nothing that fills me up with joy quite like meditating on everything God is. Not even what He has done, although that alone is completely awe-inspiring...but just who He is, which is even more so. We see God's face and shout for joy! (Job 33:26). And because He is infinite - because we will spend all of eternity getting to know Him, never reaching the end - we will never cease to be in awe of Him!

2) Worship - of course this goes along with the first point, because being in awe of God is what inspires and drives our worship. Magnifying God, exalting Him above all completely drowns out everything else and overwhelms me with joy. And I'm not talking about mere happy thoughts or fuzzy feelings. I mean the joy that words can't even describe (though I still try!) - joy that so consumes you as to bring you to your knees, joy that literally breathes life into your soul, joy so real and so tangible that it grips your entire being and sets you ablaze. Soaking in His Presence (fullness of joy! Ps. 16:11), worshiping Him in the splendor of His holiness (Ps. 29:2, Ps. 96:9), feasting on His Word (Jer. 15:16), delighting ourselves in Him (Ps. 37:4; Is. 61:10) - inexpressible and glorious joy (1 Peter 1:8)...indescribable, unspeakable, unshakable joy is found here and only here.

3) Understanding that the joy of the Lord is unconditional and everlasting as God has promised us (Is. 35:10; 61:7). It is not at all contingent upon or tied to circumstances. It cannot be found in anything in this world; it is entirely separate. Nothing of the flesh will ever give us true joy. Happiness, maybe (and even then, if it's of the flesh it's only temporary). But joy is not the equivalent of happiness. Joy is supernatural! It is a fruit of God's Holy Spirit! Joy comes from God alone and is entirely dependent on who He is, and because He never changes, because He is always and eternally the same no matter what goes on in our lives, the joy that is found in Him and that He gives us in Christ cannot be taken away. He Himself is joy, and He gives Himself fully to us. We need only to remain in Him and we will be continually immersed in joy! What a priceless gift!

I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. - John 15: 11

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. - John 16:22

We might be going through incredibly hard times in life, and Jesus actually promised us that in this world we will have trouble (Jn. 16:33). But He has overcome! And He has promised to return to us, at which time we will know nothing but joy. But the amazing thing is that we can experience that joy right here and now! God has given us His Holy Spirit that we may live in His Presence - fullness of joy. As A.W. Tozer says so eloquently: Joy is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of God. This is why we must continually seek out His Presence and  surrender to His Holy Spirit who lives in us. The bottom line is that nothing or no one in this world can steal the joy we have in the Lord. If we feel it slipping away, it's because we have allowed the cares of the world to overtake us to the point where we lose sight of Him. So in spite of anything and everything else we need to fix our minds, our hearts, our everything on Him at all times, because He IS joy. His joy is our strength. And He is always with us.

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will be joyful in God my Savior. - Habakkuk 3:18

The joy of the Lord is also contagious - it's impossible to contain it! When we are living in His Presence and in that place of pure worship unto Him, His joy will absolutely overflow in our lives by the power of His Holy Spirit and it will spread like wildfire to those around us. I don't know about you but I need His joy to be my strength, my passion, my life, today and every day!

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! - Psalm 30:11-12

Lord, because you have clothed me with joy my heart cannot help but sing to You! I will sing of Your love forever!

Here is one of many songs of worship that ushers me right into the joy of God's Presence - I praise Him for who He is! He is LOVE. :)