10 Days of Unspeakable JoySample

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength

“And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10 NLT)

You mean, joy equals strength? Yes. That is what Nehemiah said. Spending time with God brings joy. If you ever feel your joy dwindling, ask yourself, “Have I been spending time in His presence?” “For in" His "presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11 KJV)! Your level of joy equals your level of strength! One time someone asked me, “What’s the best advice you can give me when I’m going through a storm?” My answer was simple, “Never lose your joy, because if you lose your joy, you will lose your strength.”

How do you not lose your joy? Spend time with God. Read your Bible. Talk to Him. Thank Him. Sing to Him. Cry to Him. Tell everyone about what God has done for you! It doesn’t matter what bad mood or self-pitying mood comes upon me, when I go and tell someone about God, or teach His word, the bad mood quickly leaves, and I have so much joy. Just talking about your testimony will bring great joy and encouragement to you and to others.

Application time: Write down some ways you spend time with God. Ask yourself, “Could I make a better effort to spend time with God” and “How often do I share what God has done for me”?