Joy of the Lord!
Joy is the English word for Strong’s #5479, chara. Chara is defined as “calm delight; cheerfulness”. It is translated as “exceedingly joyful, joyous, gladness”. It is derived from #5463 chairo, meaning “calmly happy or well off; cheerful”. It is translated in the New Testament as “joy”, “gladness”, and “rejoice greatly”.
There are more than 28 other Greek and Hebrew words for joy. Definitions include: exultation; elation; jump for joy; leap for joy; skip for joy; to sympathetically move (as of a quickening of a fetus); to evangelize (announce the good news of the Gospel); be in a good frame of mind; to boast in the Lord; to glory in the Lord; grace; favor; pleasure; to give thanks; blithesomeness; glee; mirth; to be bright; delight; shout of joy; singing; triumph; jubilee; blowing of trumpets; acclamation of joy; sound an alarm; battle-cry; to split the ears with sound; make a joyful noise; to spin around; dancing; to break out in joyful sound; goodness; beauty; welfare; to laugh; to play; to be or make well; happy; be content; successful; to make sweet.
The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines joy as the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune, or by the prospect of possessing what one desires; a state of happiness or bliss.
Joy is produced by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2; Romans 14:17, 15:13; Galations 5:22-23; 1 Thessalonians 1:6)
Joy is second on the list of the Spirit-filled life. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control.” Galatians 5:22-23
Joy is associated with hope and faith (Romans 15:13; Galations 5:22-23). The Holy Spirit is seen as the One giving the joy, hope and faith.
Joy is also associated with peace and righteousness in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14:17, 15:13).
Joy – Rejoice that your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and Heaven is your eternal home! Luke 10:20
Joy – Jesus despised the shame of the cross, because He focused His mind on the joy of the future that was set before Him. Hebrews 12:2
Joy – The Apostle John had no greater joy than to know that his spiritual children walked in truth (3 John 4).
Joy – In order to remain joyful, keep company with other joyful and positive people.
Joy – One way to build your praise to God is to associate with others who are praisers.
Joy – Don’t spend a lot of time with gloomy people, except to offer encouragement, prayer and to cheer them up.
Joy – Be careful of someone who is in a pit of gloom and despair, lest he or she pull you in the pit with them. Sometimes you have to turn people over to God and let Him heal them.
Joy – Unforgiveness and bitterness will hinder the force of joy from operating in your life (Mark 11:23-26; Ephesians 4:31; Hebrews 12:15).
Joy – The Lord gives us the oil of joy or gladness for mourning (Isaiah 61).
Joy – God turns our mourning into dancing (Psalms 30:11).
Joy – The oil of joy and gladness breaks yokes and burdens off of people, because of the anointing (Isaiah 10:27).
Joy and rejoicing are daily choices. The Apostle Paul said, “Rejoice in the Lord always; I will say it again, Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
Joy is cheerfully expectant.
Joy contains expectation of a prosperous and successful future.
Joy can get you through any hardships, trials, grief or sorrow (1 Peter 4:12-14).
Joy – Most prosperous and successful people are joyful people, because they are positive minded and are thankful individuals.
The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). The Lord says to prepare a feast and celebrate, and sorrow no more. The word for “strength” in this verse means a defense, a rock, fortitude. It also means “staying power”.
Joy strengthens a person spiritually, emotionally, mentally, relationally, financially and physically.
Joy – Science has proven that laughter is therapy to the soul and entire body, including the bones (Proverbs 15:30, 16:24, 17:22).
Joy – Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.
Joy – The Holy Spirit is likened to new wine, and wine is also associated with joy and laughter. The Bible says that wine makes merry (Ecclesiastes 10:19).
Joy – The Bible teaches us to drink wine in moderation to avoid drunkenness. Ephesians 5:18 encourages us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It says, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” In Acts 2, the Jews at Jerusalem thought that those who were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues were drunk, but the Galileans were sober and praising God in languages they had never learned, and speaking eloquently as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Joy – When you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will speak to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:19-20).
Joyful people make a habit of singing quite often. Singing expresses joy and brings joy. Some people need to get their song back.
Joyful people are thankful individuals. They express their gratitude to the Lord and others. They may keep a gratitude journal, and write down a few things each day that they are grateful for.
Joy – When a person expresses gratitude, then breakthroughs come to their life and dreams come to pass, and then the person has even more joy than they had before. Gratefulness expresses joy, but also generates more joy.
Joy – Father God enjoys answering our prayers when we ask in Jesus’ Name, because it brings us fullness of joy! John 16:24 says, “Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
Joyful people make the commandments of God their delight, and they prosper. Psalms 1:1-3 says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
Joyful people never run dry, and they are strong and stable. They are connected to Jesus (the Source), and they are like that tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth its fruit in season, and his leaf shall not wither and whatever he does will prosper (Psalms 1).
Joyful people have a spring in their step and tend to be more agile.
Joy – May your morning confession be: “This is the day that the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalms 118:24).
Joy – God promises that those who delight themselves in the Lord, they shall receive the desires of their heart (Psalms 37:4).
Joyful people delight in doing God’s will (Psalms 40:8).
There are enemies to joy: anxiety, worry, depression, hopelessness, gloom, fear, rage, anger, resentment, negativity, insecurity, faithlessness, impatience, bitterness, unforgiveness, offense, hatred, ingratitude, abuse, a victim mentality, lack of peace, exhaustion, loneliness, confusion, pride, judgmental attitude, strife, arguing, discord, family breakdown, complaining, murmuring, doubt, sadness, grief, mourning, sin, disobedience to God’s commands, dwelling on past mistakes, spiritual darkness, frowns, downcast appearance.
There are friends that dwell with joy: love, peace, rest, strength, endurance, forbearance, patience, meekness, calm delight, pleasure, positive expectation, hope, faith, grace, gentleness, humility, high praise, worship, gratitude, gladness, cheerfulness, rejoicing, laughter, dancing, singing, playing musical instruments, positive thoughts and attitude, Presence of God, Glory of God, Anointing of God, the fruit of the Spirit, smiles, countenance is radiant, dwelling in the light of God.
Joy – Happiness is based on circumstances and mood swings, whereas joy is fixed in the heart. We can feel joy on both good and bad days and in any situation.
Joy wins battles. When Judah’s army, at the leading of King Jehoshaphat, began to sing songs in the beauty of holiness, and go out before the army praising the Lord, God set up ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir and they became confused and turned on each other and self-slaughtered (2 Chronicles 20:21–24).
Joy is associated with rest. When you have entered God’s Sabbath Rest, there is joy and gladness. Rest is also linked with faith and hope. As you rest, God is working, bringing the answer to pass in your life.
Joy is associated with believing (believing in God’s goodness, believing the Lord to answer your prayers, believing for the best outcome, believing in a bright future) – Romans 15:13.
Joy – Though you may not have seen Jesus in person yet, you believe and rejoice in Him, with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8).
Joy – The sacrifice of joy, praise and worship, is likened to the fragrant offering from the Altar of Incense in the Holy Place. Joy and praise are likened to a sweet-smelling aroma ascending to the very Throne Room of God, for which He is well pleased (Revelation 5:8-9 AMP).
Joy – There is joy during sufferings, trials and persecutions. Joy is what sustains you and gets you through it (Matthew 5:12; Colossians 1:24; 1 Peter 4:13).
Joy – Romans 5:3-5 says, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Joy undergirds your faith and hope. Joy also gives you the grace and endurance to go through trials with composure, knowing that hard times don’t last forever.
Joy can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory because it knows that difficult times have an expiration date. Joy gives you hope for a better future.
Joy – Glorify God with all your wealth, honoring Him with your very best, with every increase that comes to you. Then every dimension of your life will overflow with blessings from an uncontainable source of inner joy! Proverbs 3:9-10
Joy – When you rejoice and laugh by faith, you tap into true joy, and resist yielding to depression and fear. Keith Moore, www.moorelife.org
Joy – Happiness is always an inside job. Author Unknown
Joy asks, “Who can I be a blessing to today?”
Joy – Smile, for you never know how it may brighten someone’s day.
Joy – Be so happy that when others look at you they become happy too.
Joy – Psalms 27 talks about the sacrifices of joy—rejoicing in God’s goodness, mercy, grace and presence with singing, shouting, dancing, lifting up holy hands and playing musical instruments. David knew how to rejoice before the Lord with the sacrifices of joy.
Joy – Paul mentions joy and rejoicing 16 times in the book of Philippians. Joy must be crucially important for Paul to mention it so many times in one small epistle alone.
Joy is so powerful that demons have a meltdown, tremble and flee.
Joy – Your joy is a demonstration of the triumph of Christ.
Joy – Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful.
Joy is associated with trusting in the Lord and rejoicing in His goodness.
Joy is linked with the fruit of kindness. When kindness is demonstrated in relationships, it brings joy to the relationship.
Joy is the best makeup. Author Unknown
Joy is contagious. Be a carrier and spread joy to everyone around you.
Joy – When Jesus Christ came into this world, He was heralded in with angelic choirs singing songs of joy, and joy was announced to the whole world.
Joy – Rejoice because you are a son or daughter of God!
Joy is found in the beauty and peace of nature, such as beautiful forests and flower gardens.
Joy – Psalms 126 says:
1 When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.
3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.
4 Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south.
5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
Joy – Comparison is the thief of joy.
Joy – God’s goodness, and any mention of His goodness, brings joy.
Joy – Proverbs 15:15 says, “All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].” AMP
Joy is found in a grateful heart.
Joy – Zephaniah 3:17 says, “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in his love, He will joy over thee with singing.”
Joy – The body heals with play, the mind heals with laughter, and the spirit heals with joy. Author Unknown
Joy – The Bible instructs us in the attitude that we are to serve God. It says to serve the Lord with gladness (Psalms 100:2).
Joy – Gladness is defined in the Hebrew as: glee, blithe, making merry, rejoice, joyful, to brighten up, cheerfulness, goodness, welfare, beauty, to go well with.
Joy is linked with waiting on the Lord. While we are waiting, God is working in the situation and we can have joy knowing that.
Joy – Waiting on God also speaks of spending time soaking in God’s Presence, and in His Presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalms 16:11).
Joy is connected to the thoughts you think. If you think joyful, happy, positive thoughts, then you will be filled with joy and gladness. As a man thinks in His heart, so is he (or so does he become). Proverbs 23:7
Joy – He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed (Proverbs 11:25).
Joy – The joyful person finds delight in God’s Word (Psalms 1:2), and delights to do God’s will (Psalms 40:8).
Joy – “A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.” Irish Proverb
Joy – Laughter is an instant vacation. Milton Berle
Joy is the serious business of Heaven. C.S. Lewis
Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all of the details of your life; the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be okay; and the determined choice to praise God in all things. Kay Warren
Joy – When we receive miracles and answers to prayer, and dreams come to pass, it sparks joy.
Joy – Weeping may endure for a night (a season), but joy comes in the morning. Psalms 30:5
Joy – May you become filled with so much joy and happiness that it heals every part of you.
Joy and grieving are meant to be shared with others. Rejoice with them who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Romans 12:15
Joy – After Elisabeth (who was past childbearing age) gave birth to John the Baptist, her family and neighbors heard that the Lord had shown her great favor, and done wonderful things for her, and they rejoiced with her. Luke 1:58
Joy – A mother presses through the pains of labor, and rejoices when the baby is born and she is holding her infant in her arms.
Joy – There is no greater joy on earth than to be a grandparent.
Joy – The fear (holy reverence) of the Lord is a fountain of life. Proverbs 14:27
Joy – Happy people don’t go through life collecting recognition. They go through life giving it away. Dodinsky
Joy – Once you have feasted on the goodness of God, nothing else will satisfy. D.A. Ovieda
Joy – May we always have an attitude of gratitude, because thankfulness produces joy.
Joy and hope are interconnected. You can bubble over with hope. Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.” AMP
Joy – Your future is as bright as the promises of God.
Joy – The reward ceremony in Heaven will be unlike anything we can imagine. www.DavidJeremiah.org
Joy – “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10
Joy – Psalms 32:11 says, “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”
Joy – Psalms 46:4 says, “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.”
Joy – Isaiah 12:3 says, “Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” NKJV
Joy – John 10:10b says, “I (Jesus) came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).” AMP
Joy – Jeremiah 31:12-14 states:
12 Therefore, they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat (Word of God), and for wine (Joy), and for oil (Anointing), and for the young of the flock and of the herd (Prosperity): and their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.
Joy – God restored to Joseph many times over for all the turmoil and pain he had gone through being a slave in Egypt. God turned Joseph’s affliction into joy—so much to the point that when his first son was born he called him “Manassah”, meaning “He has made me to forget my toil”. He named his second son “Ephraim”, meaning “God has made me double fruitful”.
Joy – Psalms 34:8 says, “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him.”
The Lord spoke and said, “If you only know what happens in the Spirit when you rejoice, you would rejoice every day.” www.markhankins.org
Joy’s Multifaceted Connection: Joy is connected to: God’s Presence (Psalms 16:11); God’s strength (Nehemiah 8:10); God’s salvation (Isaiah 12:3); the Anointing — the oil of joy (Hebrews 1:9), God’s medicine (Proverbs 17:22); God’s Word (Jeremiah 15:16, Psalms 119:162); and Prosperity (2 Corinthians 9:6-10, Psalms 105:37-45). www.markhankins.org
When we rejoice, we are acting like sons and daughters of God! Rejoicing is an act of faith. www.markhankins.org
Remember the words of Paul in Acts 27:25: “Cheer up…I believe God that it shall be as He told me.” When we believe God, we can cheer up! Believing and rejoicing ushers in the glory and goodness of God in our lives. www.markhankins.org
Look at all of the blessings of God that are connected to joy. It seems that if Satan can steal our joy, then he can damage a lot of other things in our lives. www.markhankins.org
Jesus sits in the heavens and laughs triumphantly (Psalms 2:4). www.markhankins.org
One of the characteristics of the Kingdom is joy in the Holy Ghost. www.markhankins.org
Joy gives you patience and staying power! It helps you to stay in a position of faith while God is working a miracle in your life, while He’s working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28)! If you rejoice while you wait for the answers to your prayers, it won’t be long until you see the answer manifest. www.markhankins.org
Joy is the proper protocol for entering into God’s Presence (Psalms 100). www.markhankins.org
If you want the Kingdom of God to break loose in your life, then joy is the supernatural battle strategy. Get full of joy and the dominion of God will breakout. The faster you get happy, the faster the devil is out! www.markhankins.org
Faith has a beginning and faith has an end. Joy unspeakable and full of glory is the bridge between believing and receiving (1 Peter 1:8-9). www.markhankins.org
Rejoice that what God has promised, He is also able to perform. When you begin rejoicing, laughing, and shouting by faith, something happens in the Spirit realm and the glory finds a place to land! www.markhankins.org
When you go through a trial, the joy of the Lord neutralizes the pressure. www.markhankins.org
Laughter releases resurrection power that melts down disease. Laugh at disease, laugh at torment, laugh at lack. First John 3:8 (AMP) says, “…the reason the Son of God was made manifest (visible) was to undo (destroy, loosen, and dissolve) the works the devil [has done].” The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil, and the language of laughter will loosen and cause a meltdown of all the power of hell! Ha, ha, ha! www.markhankins.org
Your joy is Jesus’ joy. www.markhankins.org
Joy is something that rests deep within your soul. It is something that does indeed bring you happiness, but which also brings you peace and hope in times of pain or sadness. Joy is indescribable, just like its Maker. Kira, www.joypursued.com
Rejoicing describes the outward expression of our internal joy. Kira, www.joypursued.com
Joy comes from being in God’s Presence—He is the source of joy! Kira, www.joypursued.com
Joy is an expression—a shout, a song, a praise to God (He is the object of joy!) Kira, www.joypursued.com
Joy Heals—We can find joy during suffering and our suffering can turn to joy. Kira, www.joypursued.com
Joy can be found by following God’s will—serving him with our work, following his commands, and becoming like-minded with Christ. Kira, www.joypursued.com
Joy is something we can ask for—God gives it freely. Kira, www.joypursued.com
God finds joy in His people (that’s us!). Kira, www.joypursued.com
Faith and obedience to God brings us joy. This includes keeping God’s commands (John 15:10-11); trusting in God (Romans 15:13); seeking after the things of God (Romans 14:17, Psalms 97:11). Kira, www.joypursued.com
How much joy we experience directly relates to the closeness and steadfastness of our relationship with God. Kira, www.joypursued.com
Relying on God to meet our needs allows our joy to be complete. “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:24. Kira, www.joypursued.com
Sin hinders us from experiencing joy. Sin separates us from God, our source of joy. An example is King David after committing adultery (Psalms 51:7-12). Kira, www.joypursued.com
Joy transcends circumstances. The Bible assures us we can experience joy in all circumstances. Habakkuk demonstrates this principle as he prophesied the coming destruction of Israel (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Kira, www.joypursued.com
Having joy blesses us. As we seek God’s will and rejoice in his goodness, God blesses us. Jesus himself tells us, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33) Kira, www.joypursued.com
Keep in mind many of our blessings are awaiting us in heaven. “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” Psalm 16:11. Kira, www.joypursued.com
Exploring what the Bible says about joy brings us to one conclusion; joy is the result of a life lived for God. Kira, www.joypursued.com
J O Y = Jesus, Others, Yourself
Joy is a daily choice. Choose joy and gladness today.
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