The Joy of the Lord = Strength

06 Nov The Joy of the Lord = Strength

Hey Girl, Hey!!!

I hope you are well! Really, I do!

With this presidential election results underway, I have realized that we are halfway through the 4th quarter of a year with an ongoing global pandemic. I live in the south, and we have also had a historic number of hurricanes. (Did you guys know that last week’s Hurricane Zeta was the sixth hurricane to make landfall in the continental U.S. this year? Tying 1886 and 1985 for most continental U.S. landfalling hurricanes in a single Atlantic season on record.)  It is needless to say that this year has been a lot for many of us, and I wonder where any of us find the strength.

The bible says, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31)”

And then another passage says, “for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10)”

So, when you break that down, you get this simple equation:

                  
Now, let us break down the equation further.

Start with the right side: strength. 

What is strength? Strength is power, ability, and might.  

Strength is the crucial ingredient in all of our victories. But, In this current season, a lot of us are tired. The ups and downs of this year have left us with little to no energy, and conversely, strength is energy. It is our ability and the very thing that we need at this moment to succeed.

So, what is it that we need to get the strength to be victorious?

What is it that we need to get the strength to finish out this year strong?

What is it that we need to get the strength to stay in our marriages?

What is it that we need t to get the strength to find another job or be successful in our current positions?

So let’s look back at our equation.

                
This equal sign in the middle of this equation indicates that this equation is equivalent and equal in amount.  Therefore, it tells us that if we need strength, power, ability, and might, then we need the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is His; it is not the joy we have from God.

So, where do we find God’s joy?

The joy of the Lord stems from our obedience to Him. In our word, it says, “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His (2 Chronicles 16:9).” And when he finds that person, he knows that if he can get to them, then His will, will be done on earth.

So, if we want strength, if we’re going to “mount up with wings like eagles, run and not be weary, and walk-in every lane,” it is the joy of the Lord that we need, and God is joyful when we: 

1. connect with Him,
2. commune with Him, 
3. hide His words in our hearts so that we turn from sin, and when we
4. give His word back to him.

Did you know that His word is the only thing that he obeys and that His He finds joy in it? 

When you go to Him and say: “Lord, you said you ‘will never leave me or forsake me.’ I feel lonely at this moment.”

He will say:

“You’re right, my daughter, I won’t leave you – I’m right here, I’m communing with you.”

When we get sick in our bodies, and we say, “Your Word says” by your stripes we are healed.”

He will say:

“You’re right; my word does say that. Here is your healing, or this is what you need to separate from to have your healing. I want you to be well – also.”

When you say, Lord, your word says, “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.”

He will say:

“You’re right, I did put this union together, and I want it to succeed.”

God likes to be held accountable His Words, and it gives Him great joy and pleasure to do so.

If you are struggling with joy today, and if you look at our equation and realize that the strength part is that part that you’re missing; your ‘x-factor,’ then it is the other side you need to connect with. 

I encourage you to go to Him, ask Him to reveal His joy to you (His love, His ways, what He loves and hates), and wait before Him till He makes it very real to you. Sis, it is in His joy that you will have strength. It is His joy that will carry you through anything you encounter.

cue: Fred Hammond and John P. Kee’s – They That Wait on the Lord