The Joy of the Lord

Apr 1

The Founding Fathers of the United States formed a union of states for the purpose of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Pursuing happiness is the goal of virtually every person in the world. How people go about it is very diverse, and not all efforts are successful.

In fact, many in the world do not achieve happiness at all, even those who seem to gain it. There are many testimonies of lottery winners who did not find the happiness they thought their winnings would bring them. There are still others who did everything right, played by the rules, and did not find happiness. Many testimonies are the stories of people looking for happiness in all the wrong places.

Now this is not to say that everyone does not find happiness. Many do find what they call happiness, that emotional state of well-being and contentment. But the same folks will tell you that it seems to be fleeting. It is very difficult to keep happiness going. It is definitely not self-sustaining. Happiness is a very narrow emotional state based on specific circumstances. Chasing after happiness can lead to great disappointment. Once you have a little of it, it seems to vanish more quickly than it took to achieve it.

For most, the pursuit of happiness is directly tied to the pursuit of gain. Winning the lottery, success in business, or winning a championship are the most obvious goals for many. The problem is that once you get it, you may ask yourself, “What have I got?”

Winning the lottery, for example, comes with a whole bunch of problems that many never considered. Everyone you have ever known, including your second and third cousins who you have never met, wants a piece of it. You are actually safer if no one knows you won it.

The success of a business venture just means more work, more employees, more legal stuff, more risk, and more headaches.

Once you win that championship, it is the end of the season, and now you are faced with having to defend your championship in the next season. That coveted trophy is now a shiny dust collector.

Time seems to rob every achievement of happiness.

But let us talk about another term that many define as a part of happiness—joy.

Interestingly, the Bible does not talk about the world’s pursuit of happiness as the same thing as joy. Joy has a very different definition from just “happiness” in the Bible.

Recently, I met and had a conversation with Gaylyn Williams, founder of Relationship Resources. She and her husband co-wrote a book about the “Keys of Joy.” ^[1] In the book, Ken Williams writes, “Life’s struggles rob many of this mysterious fruit of the Spirit (joy) (Galatians 5:22).”

Let me lay out a premise for what I am going to share here: Happiness is what men pursue and try to get for themselves. Joy is something God gives us. God does not promise happiness; He gives us joy.

Furthermore, the joy that God gives remains and does not diminish with time. As Dr. Williams continues, “Consistent joy is a choice made moment-by-moment through application of clear biblical principles.” Those principles can include memorizing Scripture, claiming God’s promises from the Bible for your own life, praying through Scripture, meditating on Scripture, and sharing with others about God and what He says in the Bible (Williams, p.12)

Joy has an eternal component. It begins with contentment. It is laced in with peace—“Shalom.” The common Hebrew expression of greeting, “shalom,” is not an effort to make one happier. It is an effort to grant peace and contentment upon you. It is preparing you to receive joy from the Lord.

Still further, the idea of speaking a blessing on another is not a call for them to be granted a whole bunch of happiness, though many take it that way. No. A blessing is the spiritual landscape for you to experience joy from the Lord.

Let us look at how the Scripture refers to joy directly and how we receive it from God.

Keeping God’s Appointed Times comes with joy from God.

“Also on the day of your joy and at your appointed feasts, and on the first days of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be as a reminder of you before your God. I am the LORD your God.”
Numbers 10:10

Did you know that God gave His Appointed Times to us to be festivals and feasts of joy?

Worshipping God with God’s people is called rejoicing. We get joy from God.

And all the people went up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook at their noise.
1 Kings 1:40

And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer sacrifices in His tent with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
Psalms 27:6

Sing for joy in the LORD, you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
Psalms 33:1–3

God’s grace comes with His joy.

For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for a lifetime;
Weeping may last for the night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
Psalms 30:5

A cheerful heart toward God will receive joy from God.

“Since you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a cheerful heart, in gratitude for the abundance of all things,”
Deuteronomy 28:47

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.
Psalms 32:11

The moment you see a beautiful sunrise or sunset is a moment of God’s joy.

They who dwell at the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs;
You make the sunrise and the sunset shout for joy.
Psalms 65:8

Scenes of nature are moments of joy from God.

May the field be jubilant, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
Psalms 96:12

May the rivers clap their hands,
May the mountains sing together for joy.
Psalms 98:8

Shout for joy, you heavens, for the LORD has done it!
Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;
Break into a shout of jubilation, you mountains,
Forest, and every tree in it;
For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,
And in Israel He shows His glory.
Isaiah 44:23

“For you will go out with joy
And be led in peace;
The mountains and the hills will break into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
Isaiah 55:12

Learning about what God has done is receiving of God’s joy.

I have inherited Your testimonies forever,
For they are the joy of my heart.
Psalms 119:111

Joy can happen in a simple conversation.

A person has joy in an apt answer,
And how delightful is a timely word!
Proverbs 15:23

Joy comes at a wedding when we see the bride and the groom.

“the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,
‘Give thanks to the LORD of armies,
For the LORD is good,
For His mercy is everlasting,’
as they bring a thanksgiving offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the LORD.”
Jeremiah 33:11

There is joy when a sinner turns toward God to follow Him.

“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:10

The teachings of Yeshua cause us to experience joy.

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
John 15:11

“Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.”
John 16:24

“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 14:17

In Keys to Joy, Gaylyn Williams writes, “Joy in the Lord isn’t a one-way street. When we’re snuggled in His arms, the Lord rejoices over us, too, and sings us a love song. Zephaniah 3:17 says, ‘The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.’”

One thing we must remember, brethren: we have an enemy who wants to steal our joy. He is jealous of the joy God gives and creates within us. John records Yeshua’s words for us in Chapter 10, verse 10, of his Gospel: “The thief [enemy] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life and have it abundantly.” In that word “abundantly,” is included a joy for living. The abundant life that Yeshua offers encompasses spiritual richness, peace, eternal joy, a life that’s well-balanced and harmonious, and a life where all parts are equally filled with fullness.^[2]

We must guard against the enemy trying to steal our joy. How do we do that? Stay grounded in the Word. Immerse yourself in scriptures that talk about the joy that comes from the Lord. On the cover of this issue, there are several “joy verses.” Take those verses or the ones included in this article and do a Bible study on the “joy of the Lord.” Better yet, gather some friends and study together so that you can lift up and encourage one another.

Let us return now to our discussion about happiness. Does God want us to be happy along with our joy? The simple answer is “Yes.” But we need to recognize the temporal nature of happiness. Happiness is part of life, but it is not the goal of our lives.

Happiness is a natural result of living the life that God has given us—a life that is wholesome and godly. Happiness comes in many forms, but it generally is a result of our own actions or those around us.

“See, I have placed before you today life and happiness, and death and adversity…”
Deuteronomy 30:15 

The Gospel message of Messiah’s redemption is characterized as a source of happiness. Moving from the guilt of sin and possessing the gift of eternal life (being passed from death to life) produces happiness for us.

How delightful on the mountains
Are the feet of one who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Isaiah 52:7 

Basic happiness has been studied to some degree. To summarize, it is believed that a person says they are happy because of three elements: genetics, external events, and individual activities. Genetics includes things like family and other social relationships, being active, showing gratitude, and having a sense of purpose. External events deal with the state of affairs you live in with your environment. Your individual activities include the pursuit of goals and objectives. The same studies say that assigning the wrong value to things and the pursuit of inappropriate activities negates happiness.

A life of following God leads to social relationships with other believers. A believer’s activities are centered around serving others. A believer’s individual activities move away from inappropriate things, choosing instead to keep God’s Commandments, leading to productive things and good success. And when we are thankful for all that God has given us and done for us, we can feel joy rising in our hearts. Continually praising God, especially in trying times and circumstances, makes way for His joy to fill our hearts and sustain us along the journey.

I have been praising God specifically this month as Lion and Lamb Ministries is celebrating 30 years of ministry and teaching. The years have passed so quickly, but as I reflect on them and

the blessings God has given the ministry, I am amazed at all He has allowed us to accomplish for His Glory.

We started out with the Yavoh newsletter/magazine, then moved to teachings on cassette tape. From there, the ministry grew to produce CD and DVD teachings. Along the way, we began celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles with many of you joining us at the camp—what a tremendous time we’ve had together these many years! We started Camp Yeshua for our youth and it is still going strong. Our studio has grown so that we can produce many different types of teachings and programs to help encourage you in your walk of faith. Last year, the Lord gave us the green light for a streaming channel and more media presence across many different platforms. When I think about all the ways God has grown Lion and Lamb Ministries, my heart is filled to overflowing with the joy of the Lord!

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who support us with your prayers and donations. May the Lord return the blessing to you a thousandfold!

But let us conclude the matter of joy and happiness. We pursue happiness, but God gives us joy. Happiness is temporary and must be actively renewed. The joy of the Lord leads to eternity and is given to us by God’s grace.

In my humble opinion, I like happiness, but I am hoping for the joy that comes from God.

Let me conclude with this comparative thought:

Happiness comes and goes like the mist in the morning, but...

The Joy of the Lord is our Strength. ■

Shalom,