Joy

Where is your joy? It seems we live in such a sad time. God desire is that we live in his joy and strength.

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.

We need to learn to walk in the presence of the Lord so that we can maintain our strength.

PSALMS 16:
     1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
     2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
     3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
     4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.
     5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
     6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
     7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
     8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
     9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
     10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
     11 Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

This psalm speaks of the joy that we can find in the presence of the Lord. It is good to put our trust in the Lord so we can experience this fullness of Joy.

PSALMS 27:
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Sometime we need to wait for joy.

PSALMS 30:
4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Sometime we need to shout for joy.

PSALMS 32:
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

PSALMS 132:
9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

Sometime we need to ask God to restore our joy.

PSALMS 51:
     10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
     11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
     12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Sometime we should sing for joy.

PSALMS 67:
4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth.

Sometime we must labor in patience to feel the joy. Here are many other points on Joy for your edification and education.

PSALMS 126:
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

ISAIAH 12:
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

ST JOHN 15:
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

ST JOHN 16:
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

ROMANS 14:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

GALATIANS 5:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

HEBREWS 12:
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

JAMES 5:
     2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
     3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
     4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

1 PETER 1:
     6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
     7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
     8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
     9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

God wants us as his children to be full of Joy for truly the Joy of the Lord is our Strength.