It is a real struggle in my own life as I wrestle with the world and it's many commitments and demands. When we become numb, we just don't care anymore and we forget how to feel anything. We forget to laugh and live life to it's full. Joy is understanding the gift that is through Jesus Christ and the salvation that He has given to us freely.

Joy is also seeing the good in our lives and knowing God is in control and you are right where He wants you to be. To be content with life no matter the circumstances actually has a powerful effect on our life. Joy is necessary for worship and joy takes faith and a whole lot of it. Faith that tomorrow will be better and hope that things will work out in time. Indeed, (as the word of God says) good things come to those that love God. We should stand on that and count all the things that God has done for us and be thankful for each and every thing. The first step to joy is to realize how happy you are with the life God has given you.

^{Isaiah 55:12}

¹² You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

Yet, when you delve into it, you see the simple principles of faith that Jesus preached during His own ministry. All they did was take Christ out and called it something "new". At least they were honest when they claimed the secret had been in use for 2,000 years. They don't tell anyone that Jesus was the one who came up with it. Joy in the Lord is so essential for Christians because joy is spawned from our hope and faith in what God has promised us (not only in this life, but the one to come).

The life of joy is also a life of gratitude and contentment.

^{Ecclesiastes 8:15}

¹⁵ So I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany him in his work all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.

In the Bible there are countless examples of people praying and living using the word of God with great emotion. God seems especially generous in answering prayer when great emotion is applied to our communication with Him. When we pour out our heart to Him or are filled with joy as we thank Him for His blessings, it seems He answers more quickly.

Joy also has a profound effect on our lives and the people around us. Just remember that it must be a true joy. If you don't feel the joy do not try to fake it in front of others because it just comes off all wrong. You have to be truly happy with your life and what God has done for you in order to bring about greater changes in your life.

^{Psalm 126:2}

² Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy.
Then it was said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."

Joy is a key that unlocks God's provision and blessing. Faith and trust in God brings joy. True joy is a byproduct of faith because we know God works His wonders for those who love Him.

Psalm 5:11-12

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Matthew 13:18-23

18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

The seed sown among thorns becomes unfruitful because of the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth which choke it. These things stifle our joy. Another example of this is found in the story about the son of promise; Isaac. Abraham believed God's promise concerning a son being born to him despite Sarah's baren womb. He stayed thankful and stayed in joy. Concentrating and believing in the promise God made to him and his faith was credited as righteousness.

Romans 4:18-25

18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Salvation... done. Righteousness... check. Blessed... absolutely. All because Jesus makes us right with God through his atoning sacrifice on the cross. Joy (as mentioned in the last post) is a by-product of faith. When God promised Abraham that he would have a son, Abraham did not shrink back and look around at all the obstacles around him. He did not take to heart that it was basically impossible nor did he linger on the fact that him and his wife had tried and tried all their life to no avail to have children. He did not consider his age or the age of his wife.

Instead he believed God. God promised and when he could swear on no greater... he swore on himself that it would come to pass. Abraham was filled with joy because he wanted a son more than anything else in his world. He trusted in God and His promise and God delivered. This is the essence of faith. God made us promises too. If we believe in the testimony concerning his Son (Jesus Christ), we would be given a gift of grace, righteousness, eternal life, and the privilege to be called a son or daughter of God Almighty. That is not all we get out of it but we also receive the benefits and promises of blessing.

You can always recognize the devil because he wants you to doubt these things. He wants you to think you are unworthy and not capable of being good. The biggest lie the devil ever told the church is that sin is something you can not avoid. We are all sinners and subject to sin. That would make sin our master and that is not how it is supposed to be. Jesus, Paul, Peter, Timothy, and John all encourage us to flee from sin-like behaviour. Jesus came to set us free from sin and it's power. I may be a sinner (which I will never deny) but I am made righteous by Jesus. It is up to him, not me. I rely on His grace, mercy, love, and righteousness to uphold me and not my own righteousness. Yet this does not mean that I should just go on living in sin but instead I should seek to live by his commandments because I love and serve Him. Don't ever let the devil tell you otherwise and he will try! If he can get you to believe that you are unable to fight sin and that sin has power over you, he knows he can keep you in slavery.

We may stumble but we must desire God's ways and hold fast to Him. Ask for forgiveness and move on. Joy is that knowing, that trust, and that faithful confirmation that all things are in His control and we are His. No matter what life throws your way or what you may be struggling with, never lose sight that we can believe in His word even more than we believe the things we see or experience with our eyes. No matter what the world tells us and no matter what our conditioned mind is led to perceive or the circumstances, we have His promises and He will not break them. If you are not experiencing this joy in your life, you might want to take a strong look at your faith and find out what is missing.

Job 33:26-30

26 He prays to God and finds favor with him,
       he sees God's face and shouts for joy;
       he is restored by God to his righteous state.

 27 Then he comes to men and says,
       'I sinned, and perverted what was right,
       but I did not get what I deserved.

 28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, 
       and I will live to enjoy the light.'

 29 "God does all these things to a man—
       twice, even three times-

 30 to turn back his soul from the pit, 
       that the light of life may shine on him.