The Joy Of The Lord Is Your Strength

wise seeker

Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad. Psalm 126:1-3

One of the reasons many of God’s people don’t have the joy of the Lord as their strength is because they have not been faithful to believe God to do and give them good things as He has promised:

"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. John 15:15-16

"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24

Wise king Solomon told us ‘Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded. (Proverbs 13:12-13). The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, but a good man will be satisfied from above (Proverbs 14:14). A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the bones (Proverbs 14:30). A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken (Proverbs 15:13). A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones (Proverbs 17:22). He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered. He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered (Proverbs 28:25-26).

Those who don’t take God at His word or allow the devil to steal the word of God or allow give up the word of God because of tribulation or persecution arises or allow the word of God to be choked the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches (Matthew 13:19-22) are not satisfied from above but are filled with their own ways. Their spirit is broken because of the sorrow of their heart in that they have not prospered or have not been delivered by God as they had anticipated to have happened. Their heart is sick because their hope and desires didn’t materialize.

But the good news of the Gospel is that God is still a God of a second chance who does and can turn things around. His word is true:

For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, Streaming to the goodness of the LORD- For wheat and new wine and oil, For the young of the flock and the herd; Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, And they shall sorrow no more at all. "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together; For I will turn their mourning to joy, Will comfort them, And make them rejoice rather than sorrow. I will satiate the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the LORD." Jeremiah 31:11-14

It’s never too later to repent and turn to the Lord who will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them and make them rejoice rather than sorrow. He will satiate their soul with abundance and His people shall be satisfied with His goodness. He will bring back their captivity and fill their mouth with laughter and their tongue with singing. He will do great things for them and make them glad. As promised God will put all the curses on their enemies and on those who hate them, who persecuted them. He will make them abound in all the work of their hands, in the fruit of their body, and increase their storehouse. He will rejoice over them good for what God has done before He can and will do again. His word is unchanging:

"Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you, "and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, "that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you.

"If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. "Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

"Also the LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. "And you will again obey the voice of the LORD and do all His commandments which I command you today. "The LORD your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the LORD will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, "if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 30:1-10

There are great benefits for those who put their trust in the LORD for He will bless the righteous and with favor He will surround him as a shield. Now who can ask for more than favor with God and with men? In a world full of sickness, diseases, distress, trouble, afflictions and demons, people definitely need favor with God! They need to tap into and release His unlimited source of grace and power that God has for His beloved children. By having favor with God and standing firm in the faith Almighty God has provided, God’s children are given a lease to perform mighty works of healing, execute supernatural feats of anointed ministry in Jesus' name. For it takes only a small amount of faith to exact wondrous miracles from the infinite reservoir of Almighty God. Miracles, be it spiritual, physical and financial, that people living in an evil and wicked world definitely need!

Having favor with almighty God and through intimate prayer are the things that open up the everflowing love and gifts of Almighty God, the compassion and joy of Jesus Christ, man Savior, and the empowering of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Only eternity will record the limits of what God’s trusting ones have achieved as a result of putting their trust in the LORD. There is no limit as to what God can do for those who believe. God’s word is unchanging:

the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, Ephesians 1:18-20

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:13-15