"Our Joy is Rooted in Christ"

Today I have read and meditated on Psalm 21:[1-7], which has led me to meditate on several other passages of scripture. I have been thinking alot about our joy in the Lord. Many times when I seem over whelmed at any given moment with something that may steal my joy I sing the song "The joy of the Lord is my strength." This helps me to refocus and remember that my joy is not dependent on my circumstances. I began to meditate on and ask myself, "What does this song really mean?" As I began to meditate on this the Holy Spirit brought me to several passages of scripture that spoke to me about my joy being in the Lord.

Psalm 21:1--"The King shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; And in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice."

Our Joy comes from God's strength because our joy is rooted in--Christ--our Salvation. It does not matter what we may be going through in our life we can have joy because Christ purchased our joy when He died on the cross.

I like what Lancelot Andrews says about this verse. I am not sure which version of the Bible he used but he says,"Thy strength...Thy salvation", instead of Your strength....Your Salvation.

Ver. 1. Thy strength... thy salvation. So you have two words, "virtus and salus, "strength and salvation. Note them well; for not virtus without salus, not salus without virtus, neither without the other is full, nor both without Tua Domine. In virtute is well, so it have in salute after it. For not in strength alone is there matter of joy, every way considered. No, not in God's strength, if it have not salvation behind it. Strength, not to smite us down, but strength to deliver; this is the joyful side. Now turn it the other way. As strength, if it end in salvation, is just cause for joy, so salvation, if it go with strength, makes joy yet more joyful; for it becomes a strong salvation, a mighty deliverance. Lancelot Andrews (Bishop), 1555-1626, in "Conspiracie of the Goweries."

The joy spoken of in this verse is one of exclamation,--"how greatly"-- which is used to express excitement. We must rejoice because the Lord has died and is risen so that we may gain salvation. Christ is the object of our Joy. When Christ came to earth as a man He found His strength in God and found His Joy in God's strength. We must rejoice with the Lord in our salvation because it comes from God through Christ to us. God is the source of our strength. We must rejoice because we have access to God through Christ. Because of salvation we can stand firm in our faith and enjoy God's grace at work in our lives. We can rejoice in our salvation because we have hope in Christ. We can rejoice because God brings us through different trials and tribulations for His own glory that we may be sanctified.

Romans 5: [1-4]--"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into His grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 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 the hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

If we want to have any strength against satan we must keep our joy. Satan is always out to steal our joy because he knows that if we lose our joy we lose our strength. We have joy and can keep it because of who we are in Christ. Joy is a decision. We must decide every morning upon waking up that we will have joy and be content and happy with our life in Christ. God wants us to enjoy Him. We do not need to let satan rob us of the happiness God wants for us to enjoy.

"Enjoying the abundant life Jesus died to give you is based on a decision you make, not on your circumstances."--Joyce Meyer


John 10:10--"The theif does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that you may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Ecclesiastes 5:19--"As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to recieve his heritage and rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God."

Serving Our Lord Together,
Michelle Harrison