“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” – Zechariah 9:9
Once more, we see an Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in the New Testament. This doesn´t just help us see the Bible as a whole, but also helps us understand that God has always had a plan. The Bible is not a bunch of random stories put together – from the beginning to the end, it´s the amazing plan of God that would lead humanity to Jesus and to salvation.
What I love about today´s verses is that they give us a simple but accurate definition of joy. Joy doesn´t depend on circumstances. It doesn´t depend on people, money, possessions, or skills. It has nothing to do with feelings, emotions, or moods. Joy is not something that can be taken away from you because it is rooted in the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross on your behalf. We rejoice because we have eternal life. We rejoice because Jesus forgave all our sins in the cross. We rejoice because we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. We are redeemed, we are made free, and we have new life. Rejoice and shout!
Sometimes we live situations that drain us. We don´t feel like rejoicing. We can´t laugh or feel happy. I don´t know what kind of situation you are facing right now but remember – even if you are going through the darkest valley of your life, you can find joy. Joy comes from Who God is and what Jesus did on the cross. There´s nothing that can take it away from you.
Abba, Father, help me remember that Your joy is my strength. I praise You for the joy I have because of what Jesus sacrificed on the cross for me. I praise You because there is no circumstance, no person in my life that can take my joy away. Amen.
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Ok! Today I needed that message on Joy! I must look beyond what the circumstances in my life present, & find my center in Jesus where I can be be restored to His Joy! Amen
As I began this school year I decided that my theme would be Joy. After a difficult year last year (my mom’s cancer battle and her passing and a difficult class) I wanted this school year to be a reflection of the work of the Lord in my life. I also was leaning hard on the song All I Have is Christ. As this year has progressed my emotions have been up and down and fears and anxieties have flared, I need regular reminders that my joy is not in my situation, but in my Savior. The times that I struggle the most are when I’ve neglected time with Him. I am thankful for this reminder of where my joy comes from!
https://youtu.be/oNeekgRDPIY
I always thought that joy came from happiness in thins that you have accompanied thank you for showing me where true JOY really comes from.
I wish that these blogs where included in the study. They are so inspiring.