Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Dear Brothers and Sisters who are loved by the LORD,
Joy…. His desire for us. His prayer for us. His gift to us. His strength for us. His command. Joy!
Let this familiar scripture meld, becoming your strength. How often I read beloved portions of God's word, tasting the comfort and encouragement, but do not move on to something far deeper. God desires His truth to go beyond head knowledge. Beyond reading and memorizing. He desires to engage my heart, as His word is ingested, shaping who I am. He makes Himself known to me! This moves me to tears...
A plethora of scriptures on joy shout ‘grace’. In John 17 Jesus prays for believers and for those who will believe in Him through their testimony (that’s us!). “these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.vs 13 Jesus is asking the Father that we would know His joy fully and in the same breath He speaks of great difficulties we will experience. We will be hated because we are not of this world and so He prays for the Father to keep us from the evil one and goes on to request that we be sanctified in Truth: Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth v17 Lock onto Jesus words for they explode with grace as He applies joy to life.
In context... what has joy to do with being hated? the joy He prays for us has naught to do with things going smoothly or circumstances being conducive to happiness. Joy is much richer. No diet food here. Joy is the richest of God’s gifts. Not dependence on our feelings or smooth sailing; but strength for the hard days. I am to trust in the One who proved it true: fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross... Heb12:2
What has joy to do with being tortured?!
1. Not just any joy, it's His joy!= grace
2. Joy for us in our world now, not just in the future with Him = grace
3. God the Son asks for our protection, so His joy is ours even in danger= grace
4. Joy is ours in spite of how we are treated!= grace
5. Joy independent of circumstances= grace
6. Joy for every trial= grace
I see grace meeting every need. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
The Thessalonians knew joy in much tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 1:6Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Psalm 70:4
As I first read this I did not see that this is a command. In spite of all that will come against me, in spite of grudges, resentment, loss, lies, loneliness, misunderstanding, His joy is mine as I choose to receive it from Him. This sets my feet to dancing! My loving Father has planned well.
“He calls us then to make an act of faith every time we would naturally be pulled down into the pit of joylessness, for there s an end set to the sin and sorrow and confusion of the world as well as to our own private trials. We only see today. He whom we worship sees tomorrow. “ ac
Reckon: to count as true
In the beginning of our Christian walk we begin to reckon on Truths for our salvation. We reckon on Christ’s death on the cross for our sins and count on the shed blood for cleansing. Gradually we fall back into depending on our own strength to live the Christian life. Only after years of failure in life and service, are we prepared to recognize the battle between our old sin nature and the Spirit of God inside us. We must come to a point of need before we surrender and take up our Cross and follow Christ. If we neglect reckoning ourselves dead to sin of Romans 6, we will end up in the muck of Romans 7 until we are so discouraged we cry out for help. Eventually we embrace the truth Jesus not only freed us from the penalty of sin but also from its power and domination. Lack of joy is just unbelief. Unbelief is sin. We easily ignore unbelief as if we cannot help it. But in our exhausting struggle we are growing hungrier and hungrier for the Truth that will move us into Romans 8. God uses failure in powerful ways in our lives. We must see we have a ‘choice’ and are responsible for our what we choose.
When I fail to reckon upon and abide in the Lord Jesus as my new life, the old life expresses itself by ‘the works of the flesh’ in my members. Paul wrote this: neither present your members unto sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves unto God, as alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Rom 6:13
Where does joy fit into this struggle? When I am wrestling with my old sin nature; walking by faith seems impossible, I must accept that it is impossible and fall back on my life verse: Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
This is not true because I reckon it so, but I reckon on it because it is true. I am risen with Christ; alive in Him. His joy is mine. I am a new creation in Christ. My reckoning has to do with my position in Christ, not my condition. His fruit in me is by the Spirit. His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-2
Crucified One, You who have intricately planned good things for me and allowed me to know You, I bow. I get weary of my old sin nature lifting the lid of the casket and usurping its boundaries. Teach me to reckon on the truth of Your provision. You were victorious over satan at Calvary, he is a defeated foe. You are my life. I want to bow and thank You for the joy You provide in situations that are void of happiness. You are my joy, I have all that I need, O Loving King. Your nearness is my good. I pray in Your name and for Your glory, amen
Brothers and Sisters, you are loved and prayed for. Feel free to leave a prayer request. Thank Him for the joy He has planned for you and the grace that brings it... no grace, no joy.
az
