WHAT DOES THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH MEAN?, BIBLICAL MESSAGE
The joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10), Biblical message of strength
Though chosen, rescued, and promised, God’s people suffered severe consequences for their continued rejection of God and His covenant. Ezra read the Word of God and recited the law of God to the people (Recorded in Nehemiah 8), and they were torn apart by gross disobedience and rebellion. His exile was severe, both in its brutality and in the way he carved into people’s minds and identities. Who were they without the land, without the temple? How do they relate to God now? Did you also miss your special relationship?; however, there was a reason for joy for them to such an extent that they could say “the joy of the Lord is my strength”
The joy of the Lord is my strength, because God was willing to rebuild and restore his people
Even so, God was willing to rebuild and restore his people. The day that God reaffirmed to them that they were still his chosen people, and that he was still his God was a cause for joy that would impart strength; for as the verse says “the joy of the Lord is my strength”, my strength is God
The joy of the Lord is my strength is a very familiar phrase.
The joy of the Lord is fundamental in a relationship with God, because the joy of the Lord is my strength
As previously mentioned, the term “the joy of the Lord is my strength” is found in Nehemiah 8:10. It is after the children of Israel returned to Jerusalem from exile. They were listening to the reading of the law and they were crying.
The scripture says: “And Nehemiah the governor, and Ezra the priest, the scribe, and the Levites who made the people understand, said to all the people: Holy day is the Lord our God; The people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go, eat fat, and drink sweet wine, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared; for it is a holy day to our Lord; do not grieve, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength.” As we can see, we are told that the joy of the Lord is my strength, the joy that our God gives us is also something that will strengthen us, because the Lord is my strength.
THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH, BUT WHAT IS THE JOY OF THE LORD?
The joy of the Lord is my strength and is on the path of restoration
The joy of the Lord is found in the path of restoration, because the joy of the Lord is my strength. God convicts us of sin, and often our first reaction is guilt and shame. But those feelings never come from God. Ezra the scribe gathered all the people. He read to them from God’s book and expert ministers explained the words and their meaning to the people. Nehemiah 8:8 says: “And they read in the book of the law of God clearly, and gave the sense, so that they understood the reading.”
Once people understood, really understood, they cried. God’s Word was opening their eyes to how they had failed him, but Nehemiah was quick to remind them who the Lord is. They could delight in the joy of the Lord because he is a merciful and compassionate God; for the joy of the Lord is my strength, it is our strength.
In the midst of sadness, the joy of the Lord is my strength
When Ezra read the law to the people, it caused sadness because their lives and behavior were not in line with the law. But instead of being rebuked and condemned, they were instructed to celebrate for “the joy of the Lord”; for in the midst of sadness, the joy of the Lord is my strength.
The children of Israel were never known for their perfect behavior. They were known to be the people of God. they were his. He loved them. His people had been separated from Him in exile for years and were finally reunited with Him. God recovered His beloved people, why shouldn’t they have joy?
In Luke 15, Jesus tells three stories of things lost and then found: a sheep, a coin, and a son. The three end with glee when he finds the lost. The joy of God is in the reconnection or union; therefore the joy of the Lord is my strength, our strength.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT JOY?
bible verses about joy
The joy of the Lord is my strength, but what does joy mean? The original Hebrew for “joy” in Nehemiah 8:10 is “chedvah,” which means gladness or gladness. The root of the word joy in this context means to rejoice or be glad. “Strength” in the same verse is a Hebrew word meaning “a place or means of safety, protection, refuge, or strength.” The root of the word strength means “to be strong, to prevail; make firm, strengthen.”
The joy of the Lord is my constant strength and reason for joy, because my strength is God
The joy of the Lord is a constant joy and cause for joy, which is why the joy of the Lord is my strength. It comes from an inward strengthening of our relationship with Him. When Jesus died for us, He restored us to a peace with God that cannot be undone. Your joy is based on the joy of the Lord, because the Lord is my strength.
“And this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:13).
The above verse is part of Jesus’ prayer in John 17, and possibly Jesus’ longest prayer. Jesus experienced the full joy that welled up within him, and he wanted us to be filled and overflowing with it, for the joy of the Lord is my strength:
“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11)
The joy of the Lord is my strength, the result of a life in Christ, because my strength is God
The living Word of God does not waste words. Jesus wasted no words on earth. That this is the longest recorded sentence of his has significant weight attached to the message he was delivering. ‘Fulfill’ in John 17:13 implies more than just filling to the brim, as explained here.
The strength of Jesus perfects our joy. The VOICE paraphrase of John 17:13 says: “But now I am coming to you; and I speak this in the world, so that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. Biblical joy is the result of a life prioritized by Christ, and the joy of the Lord is my strength, it is our strength.
Below are verses about joy in the Bible, because the joy of the Lord is my strength
“And the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” ~ Romans 15:13
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say: Rejoice!“ ~ Philippians 4:4, for the joy of the Lord is my strength.
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit“ 2:17 p.m.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full“ ~ John 15:11
THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH, BUT HOW DOES THE JOY OF THE LORD PROVIDE STRENGTH?
My strength is God, the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord gives us strength to reach God’s provision of love and salvation.
“The Lord is in your midst, mighty, he will save; he will rejoice over you with joy, he will be silent with love, he will rejoice over you with songs” ( Zephaniah 3:17 ).
“You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; delights at your right hand forever“ (Psalm 16:11). This fullness of joy that is in his presence also strengthens us, because the joy of the Lord is my strength.
“With joy you will draw water from the fountains of salvation“ (Isaiah 12:3).
If the joy of the Lord is my strength, what is this strength?
“And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”“ ( 2 Corinthians 12:9 ). Paul could say “the joy of the Lord is my strength.”
The strength that God gives us is His grace. Each of us has been given grace (Ephesians 4:7). “To the praise of the glory of his grace, whereby he made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).
Because we feel connected to God and loved by Him, it gives us the confidence and courage to reach out to Him for grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). And the grace that He provides is sufficient for everything in our lives.
The joy of the Lord is my strength, what does this mean?
The joy of the Lord is my strength, it is our strength, it is brought to its fullness when we accept His provision of justice by grace that gathers us together so that we can enjoy His presence.
“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17), for the joy of the Lord is my strength.
“…Those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17).
“You made me know the ways of life; you will fill me with joy with your presence“ ( Acts 2:28 ). This joy is of which it is said that the joy of the Lord is my strength.
THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH, BUT HOW CAN WE FIND THE JOY OF THE LORD?
The joy of the Lord is my strength, but how do we find the joy of the Lord?
“For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). All of us wake up each day with repeated sins. Whether losing patience or losing the battle against addiction, some cycles of thought, habit, and sin are too big to stop on our own. Through those areas of helplessness, we find the same freedom in Christ that leads to strength and joy.
True joy arises from the unwavering strength of the Lord and the joy of the Lord is my strength
The joy of the Lord is my strength, this joy in Christ is not a giddy feeling of laughing out loud at a joke or a triumphant flag of victory when we achieve a goal or advance in an area of struggle. There is joy in those moments, but true joy arises from the unwavering strength of the Lord, therefore the joy of the Lord is my strength. It remains to remind us how far we have come and encourage us along the long road of improvement that lies ahead. The hope of salvation in Christ is rooted in what has already been done.
Nehemiah knew that in order to experience joy, an inward restoration had to replace the outward rebuilding of the city. We, too, must rebuild from within, so that the joy of the Lord, our strength, can radiate and propel us to the next step on the path of God’s purpose for our lives.