God’s purpose is for us to enter into His Kingdom, and we do not want to be worn out by the battle and give up before the Kingdom is given to the saints. We want to make it there, and one of the greatest keys to making it is the fact that the joy of the Lord is our strength. We need to know how to replace our worn-out faith with the joy that comes from the Lord; it is something deep within our being that enables us to live life the way we need to in this transitional time.

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Show Notes:

What is behind all the turmoil in the world? As we read in the book of Daniel, the Kingdom will be given to the saints of the Highest One; therefore, satan’s tactic is to wear out the saints. All the events that are affecting our lives come down to the fact that satan is working to wear out God’s people and make us want to give up. This is a very real problem that we face, and I have been seeking the Lord for answers. How do we find the inner strength so that we are not worn down, and we do not give up or lose out in the days ahead?

I believe the answer is in God’s Word: The joy of the Lord is our strength. But it is difficult to find joy in this world in which joy is being taken away. Where do we draw this joy of the Lord? How do we receive it? I think one way we receive it is through knowing His salvation. The experience of salvation in and of itself ministers joy to us. Like David, we can repent of the ways we have failed Him and fallen short and let the Lord restore to us the joy of His salvation.

We can also seek to be refreshed and renewed in the Holy Spirit because in the Holy Spirit there is joy. We can seek to behold the Lord, to be with Him, and to be in His presence because in His presence is fullness of joy. I want us to be able to counteract this wearing out of the saints by knowing how to appropriate the joy of the Lord. We can do this. Let us search the Scriptures to learn all the ways that the joy of the Lord is imparted and begin to exercise them.

Key Verses:

• Daniel 7:24–25. “He will … wear down the saints of the Highest One.”
• Daniel 7:26–27. “The dominion … will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One.”
• Nehemiah 8:10. “The joy of the LORD is your strength.”
• Isaiah 35:10. “They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”
• Psalm 51:11–12. “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.”
• Joel 1:12 (KJV). “Joy is withered away from the sons of men.”
• Jeremiah 15:16. “Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.”
• John 16:21–22. “Your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from
  you.”
• Psalm 16:11. “In Your presence is fullness of joy.”
• 1 Peter 1:8. “You greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”
• Exodus 33:18. “Then Moses said, ‘I pray You, show me Your glory!’”

Quotes:

• “There should be a joy that we live in, knowing that we have salvation in God.”
• “Being immersed in His Word should be the joy and delight of our heart. It should minister joy to us as we’re reading the Scriptures.”
• “We are in the time of the birthing of the Kingdom of God into this age, and there will be anguish and there will be pain, but there will also be the joy that comes as the Kingdom manifests and the Lord returns.”

Takeaways:

1. Search your Bible for every occurrence of the word joy. Take the time to read the verses that have to do with joy and study its different aspects, both in how joy is lost and how it is restored. Learn how to appropriate that joy.
2. We are not ignorant of satan’s devices. We know the aim of the spiritual warfare he brings. It is to wear us out. It is to make us give up. It is to make us quit and lose our faith.
3. Therefore, we must be driven to pursue the joy of the Lord. We have to know how to pursue His joy. We find His joy in His presence. We find His joy in His salvation. We find His joy in His Word. We find it through the members of the Body of Christ, as Paul wrote about many times.