"…Do not
grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
{Nehemiah 8:10b} (NIV1984)
Strength
is linked to joy! Our spiritual strength is dependent upon the joy we have. We
are commanded to be STRONG; strong and courageous, strong in the Lord, strong
in His grace, strong to the end.
Strength is dependent on joy. We see this so
clearly in Paul’s experience in jail in Phillipi. Who would sing in a situation
like that? Someone who had joy in the LORD! Look and ponder at the outcome. How
many times, have the saints of God been in dire and desperate situations, and
yet joy bursts forth and they remain strong to the end.
How many times have we
been in situations that are terrible? The Spirit moves our mind to consider
what the Lord has done for us, and joy breaks through the clouds of doubt and
despair. Oh Friend, let us fix our eyes on our Lord. Let us remember the
wonderful salvation He wrought in our lives. No storm cloud can be so dark as
to stop the Son from shining in our lives. Try it this week. Make up your mind
now, before the dark times hit. When the darkness comes, turn your mind towards
Him, joy will come to your heart, though the troubles remain- they will pale in
comparison to the beauty of the Lord and His salvation- and you will be strong
to the end. The joy of the LORD is your strength!
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