The Joy of The Lord
…the joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 8:10, ESV
In the scripture above, the book of the Law had been read and explained so that the people of God understood its meaning. They were grieved after what they’d heard and realized they had disobeyed the commands of the law. But Nehemiah and the leaders encouraged them saying, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
Nehemiah was reminding the people that God was their strength and that He would give them the ability they needed to follow His commands. I’m reminded of the scripture in which God spoke to Zechariah and told him to tell Zerubbabel that he wouldn’t build God’s temple in his own strength. “‘Not by might, or power but by my Spirit’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). In the same way, God’s Word feeds us. His Spirit gives us the ability to do His will. Just like with gardening - we can give a plant all the necessary nutrients, but God is the one who makes it grow.
When we think of the joy of the Lord being our strength, we have to understand that joy is one of the Fruits of the Spirits (Galatians 5:22). Jesus describes His Spirit like the wind, saying, “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). We all know and understand the power of the wind. When a tornado hits a town, everyone runs for shelter. God’s joy is our strength because it points us to the power of His Spirit.
The joy of the Lord brings gladness to our heart as a result of knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. As we surrender our will to the Holy Spirit, we will see His power move in every aspect of our lives. And His Spirit gives us the ability to do the things we could not ordinarily do, whether physically, emotionally, spiritually, or mentally. All of what we need comes from the Spirit of God. Amen!
I encourage you to let the power of the Holy Spirit be your guide. Remember when David killed Goliath? He said, “I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty…” (1 Samuel 17:45). David did not go in his own strength - and neither should we.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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