1. The Strength of Joy

2. Neh 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”

3. Jehovah’s Joy In Us

4. Luke 15:7 “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance”

5. Isaiah 62:5 “For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee”

6. Our Joy In Jehovah

7. There is a big distinction between gladness and spiritual joy.

8. Spiritual joy rises from within the soul. It does not depend on outward circumstances.

9. Heb 12:1-2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with…

10. Heb 12:1-2 …patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the…

11. Heb 12:1-2 …shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”

12. Matt 5:11-12 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice…

13. Matt 5:11-12 …and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you”

14. 2 Cor 12:7-10 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in…

15. 2 Cor 12:7-10 …the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that…

16. 2 Cor 12:7-10 …it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly…

17. 2 Cor 12:7-10 …therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities…

18. 2 Cor 12:7-10 …in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong”

19. 2 Cor 7:4 “Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation”

20. joyful = Greek Lexicon 5479 chara {khar-ah‘} - joy, gladness, joyful, joyous, joyfulness, the cause or occasion of joy, of persons who are one's joy

21. Tribulation = Greek Lexicon 2347 thlipsis {thlip'-sis} = tribulation, trouble, anguish, persecution, oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress

22. Psa 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore”

23. It is a joy of self-surrender to God.

24. Matt 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me”

25. Phil 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the…

26. Phil 4:6-7 …peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”

27. It is a joy of fellowship with the Father

28. Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”

29. How do we obtain this joy?

30. Gal 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”

31. Rom 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost”

32. Rom 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost”

33. Psa 51:8 “Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice”

34. Psa 51:12 “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit”

35. The real joy is found and imparted in the scriptures.

36. 1 John 1:4 “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full”

37. John 15:11 “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full”

38. The real joy is imparted in the worship.

39. Psa 122:1 “A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD”

40. Psa 73:16-17 “When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end”

41. Isaiah 56:7 “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people”

42. The joy is deepened as a result of trust.

43. 1 Pet 1:8 “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”

44. 2 Tim 1:12 “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day”

45. 2 Tim 4:6-8 “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is…

46. 2 Tim 4:6-8 …laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”

47. The joy of the Lord is our strength in face of temptations.

48. 1 Cor 10:13 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”

49. The joy of the Lord is our strength for service.

50. Psa 40:8 “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart”

51. Neh 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”

52. The joy of the Lord is our strength for endurance.

53. Jam 5:11 “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy”

54. Matt 25:23 “His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord”

55. 1 John 4:15 “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God”

56. Gal 3:26-27 “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ”

57. 1 Pet 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

58. Acts 10:48 “And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days”

59. Hear Believe Repent Confess Baptized “into the joy of thy lord” Trust Jesus Christ