Daily Delight Devotional – Monday, August 28 2023
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.
– Nehemiah 8:10, KJV
True spirituality is made strong by the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is an automatic way to let your light shine before others (Matthew 5:16). The Lord’s joy in you promotes and strengthens the unity of God’s people. Evaluate the joy of the Lord in your life.
You may be a spirit-filled person and accustomed to fighting spiritual battles, but that does not rob you of your spiritual joy. A believer who is filled with the joy of the Lord changes the whole atmosphere from fear or gloom to faith and hope. The Christian life is not about emotion, but the experience of salvation brings deeply satisfying emotions. No one can experience forgiveness, peace, victory over sin and temptation, or even fellowship with God without experiencing great abiding joy. Many carnal Christians have never known what true spiritual joy is because it is spiritually meaningful and satisfying.
Christian joy is not just humour rather it imparts spiritual strength. Spiritual power is the power of faith and where there is faith, there is joy. Spiritual power is the power of the Holy Spirit and He is the Spirit of joy. The kingdom of God is not measured by performance or religious duty but by joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
Happiness is dependent upon circumstances. Abiding joy, in spite of the circumstances, is the proof of a life strengthened by God. Christ gives this (John 17:13) – His own joy – and we can evaluate His indwelling, His empowering and the extent of His Kingdom within us by our spiritual joy.
When you are filled with the Spirit, you rejoice and your heart sings to Christ. Evaluate your own life’s testimony by your joy.
Insight: There is joy in answered prayer and joy in fellowship with friends. There is also joy in winning souls but the greatest joy of all is joy in the person of Jesus. Measure your life through joy in Christ Jesus.
Prayer: Father, fill my heart with the joy of the Lord daily in the name of Jesus.
Further Bible Reading: 1 Peter 1:6-8
Daily Bible Reading: Proverbs 15:1-10