THE JOY OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

The joy of the Christian faith is pertinent to living a successful Christian life. Joy is exuberance, bliss and excitement. Our salvation gives us access to true joy and this joy is of the Lord.

Reference: Nehemiah 8:10 King James Version (KJV) "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."

The Joy of the Lord is the strength of every Christian. This very joy is a strong emotional intelligence. This is why its referred to as "strength". This strength is the quality of being and functioning strong and energetic. This implies that joy is a strong feeling, emotional state or reaction we often experience in Christ. The joy of the Lord gives us the strength to withstand any adversity or conquer any battle. Experiencing this joy is likened to being tough, firm, robust and stable. And there are so many factors that trigger this joy more in our lives. Few of them are praise, worship, thanksgiving and testimonies.

Jehoshaphat was a strong king who walked in the ways of His great ancestor, King David. One of the events that took place in the life and reign of Jehoshaphat was when the Moabites, Ammonites and some Meunites warred against him. King Jehoshaphat went to the Lord for advice and then bowed down with his face toward the ground. All the people of Judah and Jerusalem also bowed down. They worshiped the Lord. Then some Levites from the families of Kohath and Korah stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel with very loud voices.

Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing, praise and give thanks to the Lord. They sang, "Give thanks to the Lord; His faithful love continues forever." As they were singing and praising God, the Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the men from Mount Seir, destroyed them and put an end to them. When they finished killing the men from Seir, they faced themselves until they destroyed themselves. When the men of Judah came to the place that looks out over the desert, they turned to look down at the huge army, but all they saw was dead bodies lying there on the ground. Not even a soul had escaped.

All the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned to Jerusalem, filled with joy as Jehoshaphat led them. The Lord had made them joyful and this joy was evidently triggered by their praises and worship, even before they faced the battle instigated by their enemies. After their testimonies, they entered Jerusalem into the Lord's temple, and kept on playing harps, lyres and trumpets joyfully (2 Chronicles 20:1-30 NIRV). The joy of the Lord strengthened them and activated their victory. It is the emotional energy that guided their thinking and behaviour, and granted them the mindset and attitude that resulted in victory. Beloved, the joy of the Lord is the strength we require in any situation, to live a victorious and successful Christian life. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Proverbs 10:28; Psalm 47:1; Isaiah 9:3; James 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:8-9.

Guided Prayer: Heavenly Father, I'm grateful that true and heartfelt joy can be obtained in you. In Christ, there is fullness of joy, and I'm filled with all joy and peace as I trust in you. Thank you for your indwelling presence that enables me to sustain my joy and overflow with hope while navigating any situation by the power of the Holy Spirit. Words cannot contain my soaring emotions; it's a joy full of glory, flowing from my growing confidence in Christ, in Jesus' Name, Amen!