August 12th, 2025
This week, I’ve been thinking about the power of Biblical joy. Do you live in constant joy? Pause for a moment and think about it. Do you know God intends for your joy to be full at all times? The Word of God is full of promises about joy, but as with all of God’s promises, there is a part we have to play. Let’s look at some of the truths God’s Word says about His joy.
Psalm 16:11 says,
“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Another version of this scripture says, “complete joy is in your presence.”
The truth: If complete joy is in His presence, joy is found nowhere else.
Joy is not happiness. It’s not an emotion that fluctuates with circumstances, but a product of intimacy with the One you were created for.
Nehemiah 8:10 is an often-quoted scripture regarding joy. It says,
“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
The truth: Joy makes you strong – and not just any joy. It is the joy of the Lord that gives
strength.
See, joy is not something that can be cultivated in our strength. It is something we receive from Him. We can exhaust ourselves trying to find joy in our own strength. As we learn to be with Him, His joy becomes our strength.
Romans 14:17 says,
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
The truth: The evidence of the kingdom of God is effortless righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
If we try to walk in righteousness without peace and joy, we will have religious bitterness. If we try to live in righteousness and peace without joy, it will be a constant battle because joy is our strength. Righteousness, peace, and joy are the fruit of abiding in the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22 tells us that joy is a fruit of His Spirit. It’s not a fruit of our efforts!
Jesus said in John 15:9-11,
“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”
The truth: We find joy only in abiding.
Jesus didn’t say to work to find joy. He didn’t say to work hard to live joyfully and do all the things that make you happy. He said to remain in His love. That’s the same word used elsewhere for abide. Abide in His love and in His presence. There, and only there, is complete joy. David knew this truth when He wrote Psalm 16:11 and Jesus brought it to completion by allowing the love of the Father to be poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:8).
Jesus also said in John 16:24,
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
The truth: When we ask the Father for the desires of His heart, we receive with joy.
James 4:1-4 teaches that believers don’t have for lack of asking. When we ask and don’t receive, it’s because we’re asking selfishly. Jesus taught that anything we ask in His name would be received. Only through relationship can we ask in accordance with His will and in faith in His name. Biblical petitions and answered prayers are a promise and they are the natural fruit of intimacy with Him. When we’re abiding in His love like He taught us to, our hearts will align with His heart. Asking will become natural and as we receive, our joy will be full! It's a promise.
Jesus also said in John 16:22,
“I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
The truth: Nothing and no one can take the joy that comes from Jesus.
Some believe this refers to Jesus’ second coming, but when did Jesus see them again? It was after His resurrection when He had gloriously destroyed the power of death and hell and torn the veil, allowing the Holy Spirit to be poured out on His church. The joy of heaven was poured out without measure because Jesus laid down His life.
He prayed to the Father in John 17:13,
“But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them.”
The truth: Our joy is the joy of Jesus. Heaven’s joy is given and received – not found.
It’s from Him. It is Him.
In the first sermon after the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church in Acts 2:17, Peter quoted the book of Joel saying in part,
“In the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.”
Soon after, Peter quoted Psalm 16—the very verse we started with! Acts 2:25-28 says,
‘For David says concerning Him (Jesus),
“I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken.
Therefore, my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.
For You will not abandon my soul to Hades or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life; You will make me full of gladness with your presence.”’
We want to ask you again: Are you living in constant, complete joy? Are you living in the fullness of His joy that cannot be taken away? Jesus died and was resurrected, went to His Father, and poured out the Holy Spirit, so you could live in the complete joy of His presence. Joy is not something you can find in your emotions or circumstances. It is His joy in His presence by His power. How do we receive the promise of His joy? It’s only by abiding in His love, in intimacy and obedience. We only live in joy by living in His presence every day of our lives. His kingdom is of righteousness, peace, and joy. It’s a kingdom full of life and hope and peace and freedom. If you need joy today, we encourage you to receive it from the only place it’s found – the light of His face. He has joy unspeakable and full of glory waiting to pour into your heart by His Spirit! This week, we encourage you to rejoice, to live in the constant joy Jesus died to pour out. He loves you and His joy is for you, every day of your life!
Psalm 16:11 says,
“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Another version of this scripture says, “complete joy is in your presence.”
The truth: If complete joy is in His presence, joy is found nowhere else.
Joy is not happiness. It’s not an emotion that fluctuates with circumstances, but a product of intimacy with the One you were created for.
Nehemiah 8:10 is an often-quoted scripture regarding joy. It says,
“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
The truth: Joy makes you strong – and not just any joy. It is the joy of the Lord that gives
strength.
See, joy is not something that can be cultivated in our strength. It is something we receive from Him. We can exhaust ourselves trying to find joy in our own strength. As we learn to be with Him, His joy becomes our strength.
Romans 14:17 says,
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”
The truth: The evidence of the kingdom of God is effortless righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
If we try to walk in righteousness without peace and joy, we will have religious bitterness. If we try to live in righteousness and peace without joy, it will be a constant battle because joy is our strength. Righteousness, peace, and joy are the fruit of abiding in the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22 tells us that joy is a fruit of His Spirit. It’s not a fruit of our efforts!
Jesus said in John 15:9-11,
“As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”
The truth: We find joy only in abiding.
Jesus didn’t say to work to find joy. He didn’t say to work hard to live joyfully and do all the things that make you happy. He said to remain in His love. That’s the same word used elsewhere for abide. Abide in His love and in His presence. There, and only there, is complete joy. David knew this truth when He wrote Psalm 16:11 and Jesus brought it to completion by allowing the love of the Father to be poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:8).
Jesus also said in John 16:24,
“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
The truth: When we ask the Father for the desires of His heart, we receive with joy.
James 4:1-4 teaches that believers don’t have for lack of asking. When we ask and don’t receive, it’s because we’re asking selfishly. Jesus taught that anything we ask in His name would be received. Only through relationship can we ask in accordance with His will and in faith in His name. Biblical petitions and answered prayers are a promise and they are the natural fruit of intimacy with Him. When we’re abiding in His love like He taught us to, our hearts will align with His heart. Asking will become natural and as we receive, our joy will be full! It's a promise.
Jesus also said in John 16:22,
“I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
The truth: Nothing and no one can take the joy that comes from Jesus.
Some believe this refers to Jesus’ second coming, but when did Jesus see them again? It was after His resurrection when He had gloriously destroyed the power of death and hell and torn the veil, allowing the Holy Spirit to be poured out on His church. The joy of heaven was poured out without measure because Jesus laid down His life.
He prayed to the Father in John 17:13,
“But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them.”
The truth: Our joy is the joy of Jesus. Heaven’s joy is given and received – not found.
It’s from Him. It is Him.
In the first sermon after the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church in Acts 2:17, Peter quoted the book of Joel saying in part,
“In the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.”
Soon after, Peter quoted Psalm 16—the very verse we started with! Acts 2:25-28 says,
‘For David says concerning Him (Jesus),
“I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken.
Therefore, my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.
For You will not abandon my soul to Hades or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life; You will make me full of gladness with your presence.”’
We want to ask you again: Are you living in constant, complete joy? Are you living in the fullness of His joy that cannot be taken away? Jesus died and was resurrected, went to His Father, and poured out the Holy Spirit, so you could live in the complete joy of His presence. Joy is not something you can find in your emotions or circumstances. It is His joy in His presence by His power. How do we receive the promise of His joy? It’s only by abiding in His love, in intimacy and obedience. We only live in joy by living in His presence every day of our lives. His kingdom is of righteousness, peace, and joy. It’s a kingdom full of life and hope and peace and freedom. If you need joy today, we encourage you to receive it from the only place it’s found – the light of His face. He has joy unspeakable and full of glory waiting to pour into your heart by His Spirit! This week, we encourage you to rejoice, to live in the constant joy Jesus died to pour out. He loves you and His joy is for you, every day of your life!
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