In the Old Testament, the Bible speaks of the works of Sampson. He was a strong man, stronger than any man of his time. The Bible says he even killed a lion with his bare hands. But Sampson’s strength was not simply natural; it was supernatural! Soon after he was born, the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him. Sampson had the anointing of God’s favor which was the reason he could do so many powerful things that other men could not do.
You and I are no Sampson, but we have access to the same Love of the Lord that Sampson had. Scripture tell us this in Nehemiah 8:10, “Then Nehemiah said to them, go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah was reading the book of the law to the people who had not heard God’s word for many years. When they heard it, they wept because they realized they were not living the way God wanted them to live. They were sorrowful to the point of tears. But Nehemiah encouraged them, because through their repentant sorrow, they would get to experience a supernatural strength much like Sampson’s that came in the way of Spiritual Joy.
I mentioned in one of my previous writings that joy and happiness are not the same thing. Being happy is an emotion we have because of external circumstances we like. Joy is a spiritual state of being that we come to when we realize who we are in Christ. Joy is indeed the place where we get the strength to live through our circumstances instead of being overcome by our circumstances. Joy is the realization of how much the Lord loves each of us. It is coming to realize the real meaning of the children’s song, “Jesus loves me, Yes I know, For the bible tells me so.” Most of us know this song, but few of us understand the joy that is present within it. Joy comes not because the bible tells us Jesus loves us, but because we come to know for ourselves what it really means that Jesus loves us.
Just like the people of Nehemiah’s time came to know God’s Word and were moved to sorrow, we will be moved to a state of joy in our spirits when we come to know God’s love for us. The person who comes to know that God simply loves loving us, that it is the Lord’s great joy that He gets to be our Lord, will be filled with the same joy Jesus has towards us, the same joy that moved Him to die for us so we could live with Him.
When we come to know that God loves loving us, we are strengthened in the Spirit to live in ways that enable us to overcome the challenges of life that cause others to stumble. We have a supernatural strength to see right from wrong, to see good over bad, and to see what others cannot see. We are given strength to understand all that we hear, to give when others take, and to serve when others want to be served. The joy of the Lord brings a spiritual anointing upon our lives that enable us to be content in our natural state because our spiritual state has the power to change the things around us.
We may not be able to kill wild animals with our bare hands, but knowing that the Joy of the Lord is our strength gives us the confidence to endure with joy all that comes our way. So go your way, and do not allow your circumstance or your desire for happiness keep you from the strength of the Lord that is found in His joy for you. There is supernatural power in the Joy of the Lord. Seek it and enjoy it. Live a Delivered Life. Love you.
Live Delivered 