Joy's Significance by Minister Owen Mitchell

Inspiration

Joy’s Significance

I was given a word the other day by my spiritual sister, which is found in 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 your strength”, kept repeating in my thoughts. What does this joy that strengthens me looks like and how do I acquire and retain it? Repetitively these questions swirled over and over in my mind. After hearing the book of the law read, the people became saddened and wept. This was the cause for these words in Nehemiah 8:10.

The joy of the Lord inevitably moves us from guilt into grace. Our joy is dependent on our reliance on God; how much of us God has and not how much of God we have. Just like the children of Israel, we are depending more on self as opposed to God. This causes us to be burnt out, stressed, depressed and fearful. This is where satan wants us. This joy produces “maoz”, the Greek word for strength. This is translated as, a place of protection, a refuge, a fortress. Maoz wipes away guilt and renews God’s mercy and faithfulness.

We become strong and full of joy through the reading of God’s word, through fellowship with likeminded believers and when we share of our bounty. In sharing we are doing what God has ask us to do, “go ye therefore ….,” Matthew 28:19. Do we have the true “Joy of the Lord”? Let us search ourself today.

God Bless.