Do you want to live a life of JOY?
Don’t you love this quote? I think so many times we try to make ourselves “happy”…..always looking for a “feeling.”
Some search for the feeling, buying and spending, buying and spending.
Others look for the feeling at the bottom of a glass of wine.
Still others may search for the feeling in the eyes of another.
But, WHERE does JOY- pure, real joy “come” from?
How do we get it?
How can I live a JOY-FILLED life?
Authentic, sheer joy can only come from a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ. It is ONLY when we realize who we are in Christ, what we have through Him, and experience a living, breathing relationship with Him that we will possess the fullness of joy.
“Blessed (happy) is everyone who fears, reveres, and worships the Lord, who walks in His ways and lives according to His commandments. For you shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; happy, blessed, fortunate shall you be, and it shall be well with you.” Psalm 128:1-2 AMP
“….you fill me with JOY in Your presence..” Psalm 16:11 NIV
How am I FILLED with joy? It happens in His Presence!
When I sit before Him, loving Him, asking Him to fill me…..He fills me with joy. When I love Him, and praise Him and seek Him with all of my heart, I will find Him and He will fill my heart with joy.
Joy is not DEPENDENT on our feelings or our circumstances. In fact, God’s word tells us to be “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). James tells us to “consider it all joy when we face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). And Peter encourages us to rejoice in our inheritance as we “suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1Peter 1:6). As Believers, we WILL face trials, but JOY continues to flow through us.
The “joy of the Lord is our strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Where does my strength come from? How do I find strength to face trials?
The joy of the Lord is my STRENGTH.
My strength comes from the joy of my relationship with my Lord……the joy of WHO He is…..what He has done for me….who I am in Him…and the glorious inheritance I have in Him. My joy comes because I am a new creation in Him. The old has gone and the new has come! The joy comes because I am more than an overcomer in Christ Jesus! The joy comes because I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus. The joy comes because I have an eternal hope of what is to come. The joy comes because I am a wonderful, beautiful child of God! It’s NOTHING of me…..but ALL of Him.
Father God, in the beautiful Name of the Lord Jesus, I praise You. I glorify You. I magnify Your Name on high! I ask You, Lord, to help me fall in love with You more and more. Lord, I want a relationship with You! I want to bask in Your presence and know You. Lord, I seek You with all of my heart, my soul, and my strength. Lord, fill me with all that You are. Lord, fill me with joy. Fill me to overflowing with exuberant, boundless, glorious joy! Open wide my mouth, Lord, and fill it with Your praises! In Jesus’ Name we pray. AMEN!
Thirsty for Him and THIRSTY for His joy,
Tracy
Beautiful post today. I so enjoyed reading it! This is my first time visiting your blog. I found you through Tracy over at Thirsty For Him, and I’m so glad I did : ). It’s very nice to “meet” you. I’m a new follower : ). Blessings to you, friend!
Love, Laura
Enjoyed this, bless you.
Yes! Yes! Joy is NOT dependent on how I feel today, not the kind of Joy that comes in the morning anyway. People let me down and my circumstances may make feel drained or sad, but “weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)He is our joy! thanks for the great reminder!
Amen to that, Tracy. No matter how many possessions we have, pure joy is only found in His presence.
Love this. I’ve been reminding myself lately that when I lose my joy I also lose my strength.
So true! The joy He gives can not compare.
God bless you.
This was such a lovely reminder. I loved the prayer. I need to pray it myself. Thanks for a beautiful word and reminder.