Joy In The Lord is Strength

 

NEHEMIAH 8:10

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.”

    Why were the people sorrowful after hearing the words of the law that was read to them? Because it convicted their hearts of the sins they had committed. The law of The Lord reveals what is sin and sin's consequences: death. For this they began to weep and to mourn, but Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levite priests reminded them that that day on which they heard the words of the law was a holy day, a day of rejoicing and a day of sharing what we have with those who had less. 

     In Nehemiah 8:8 the words of the Law of God were explained clearly and to their understanding. The Spirit of The Law fell on their hearts and caused them to grieve, as it does still, when people hear The Word read and explained to our understanding. The letter of The Law wounds and kills. The Love of The Law of The Lord heals and gives life to those who believe it and receive it into their hearts. 

    Psalm 19:7-11 describes The Law of The Lord very well:

1. The Law of The Lord is Perfect, it revives the soul.

2. The Testimony of The Lord is trustworthy, making the simple wise.

3. The Precepts of The Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.

4. The Commandments of The Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

5. The Fear of The Lord is pure, enduring forever.

6. The Judgments of The Lord are true and righteous:

    a. They are more precious than gold.

    b. They are sweeter than honey.

    c. By these Judgments the servant of The Lord is warned. 

     This knowledge of The Law of The Lord brings joy to the repentant heart and causes a body to rejoice and have an overflowing joy such as cannot be contained. It must overflow into our families and onto our neighbors and friends, strangers and foreigners among us. Why would we ever want to try and contain such as we have received of The Lord our God? We are compelled to go out and share the blessings of The Lord with each other. 

    The Law of The Lord having been read on a feast day, a holy day unto The Lord God, meant that it was not a time for weeping and grieving: it was a time of fellowship, of joy and rejoicing. It was The Feast of Tabernacles, the year of Jubilee, when all debts are forgiven and The Law of The Lord is to be read to all the people gathered in the courtyard of the temple: men, women, children, foreigners. (Deuteronomy 31:9-13).

    The Joy of The Lord is the knowledge of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, Who took our sins upon Himself and died in our place. For sin requires a death, and the most perfect lamb in all of Israel was Jesus Christ (John 1:29), Son of David (Matthew 9:27), Lord of David (Psalm 110:1; Matthew 22:44). 

    This is my Joy. And my Strength. 

The Joy of The LORD is My Strength

The Joy of The LORD is my strength. Not my joy, but The LORD's joy. What pleases God is what makes me strong. So, what please God? what makes God happy?

Deuteronomy 28: 63 and 30:9 refer to The LORD God rejoicing over us when we do what? When we are obedient to His Word. Obeying God makes God happy.

Jeremiah 32:40-41 God makes an everlasting covenant with His people, that He will not turn away from us, but do us good. He puts His fear in our hearts, not fear as the enemy wants us to have, but the fear of The LORD, a deep reverence and worshipful spirit, that will cause us to draw nearer to Him and not leave Him. The LORD rejoices over us to do us good. He plants us in the land He has prepared for us.

Zephaniah 3:17 "The LORD thy God in the midst of thees is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing." In the day that The LORD restores to His people that which their enemy had taken away from them, He will rejoice over us with singing, for we have been permanently delivered from evil.
The first 'joy' in this verse is a noun and means gladness and mirth. But the second 'joy' is a verb and it means to move excitedly around. Joy is a verb. And our God JOYS over us. Doesn't that just tickle your heart?

And, isn't that what Jesus did when He died on the cross and rose from the dead? Permanently delivered from judgment and evil. But we must believe that He is and that His Word is true. We must live a life of obedience to God's Word. A delivered life. A covenanted life. A life of promise. A life that glorifies God pleases God.

John 15:10-11 "If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." In addition to the commandments which God gives us in The Old Testament, now Jesus gives us additional commandments. The Word of God continues to speak to us. There is always something new to be learned.

What new commandments does Jesus give to them who hear His Word?

• John 15:12 "This is My commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you." 
• Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
• Matthew 5:44 "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you, and persecute you."
• Matthew 6:3-4 When giving donations, tell no one; for God knows and that's enough
• Matthew 6:5-15 When giving ourselves to God in earnest prayer, pray these prayers behind closed doors, that we may commune with God and Him alone. 
• Matthew 6:16-18 Fast according to God's Word, not man's
• Matthew 6:20-21 Lay our treasures up in heaven, not on earth (Jesus spoke of minimalism way before it became popular) 
• Matthew 6:33 Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness. 

And many, many more such verses are to be found in God's Word. We must sincerely and wholeheartedly seek Him out in His Word. Psalms says Taste and See that The LORD is good. Have you ever just licked the surface of your food and satisfied your hunger in that way? Not hardly. Just as we must put our food into our mouths and chew it up that we may swallow without choking, and allow the meal to digest in our stomachs, so, too, must we partake of The Word of God with the same diligence with which we place knife and fork in our hands to parcel up our meats. 

Yes, it is possible to read our Bible in one year. As well, it is possible to read it in its entirety in one month. I find myself drawn to various passages throughout my days and give each several readings and studyings until my soul is satisfied that I have drawn what was necessary for me from the well of God's Word at each time. That's how I get a variety of subjects to speak on in these Bible study/devotions. 

My heart is content. And God joys over me. My cup runneth over.