Luke 2:10 – But the angel said to them, do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.
This is used many times as a Christmas verse. Today when I read it the words “GREAT JOY” jumped out at me. What is great joy?
1 Peter 1:8 – Without having seen Him, you love Him; though you do not [even] now see Him, you believe in Him and exult and thrill with inexpressible and glorious (triumphant, heavenly) joy.
Great joy is inexpressible joy, triumphant (has a meaning of triumph and victory) joy. Is your life filled with such joy that it is inexpressible? If not, you are not full enough of God and His truth!
Joy is a part of the kingdom of God. It is a fruit of being controlled by the Spirit of God. I see very few Christians full of joy except maybe occasionally in a worship service at church. Why is this? I think we are so trial and trouble conscious that we miss the foundational truth that true, real, overflowing, outwardly-manifested joy is at the heart of the Gospel. Our doctrine has been wrong in this area, and we need to adjust to the Word of God. The coming of Jesus is GREAT JOY to all of the people. The coming of Jesus is GREAT JOY to YOU!
Romans 14:17 – The kingdom of God IS…righteousness, peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22 – The fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY peace…
Romans 15:13 – Now may the God of hope fill you with all JOY and peace in believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
His kingdom IS joy, full and overflowing joy in the Holy Spirit. Not having joy in your life is an indication of not being full enough of the Holy Spirit. When He fills you, you WILL HAVE JOY!
Psalms 16:11 – You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.
There is JOY in His presence, fullness of joy. If I abide in His presence, I have fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore!
1 Thessalonians 5:16 – Rejoice always. We are to rejoice ALWAYS. This means to never not be rejoicing.
Jesus Has Joy
Hebrews 1:9 – …God, [even] Your God (Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond Your companions.
Jesus had more joy than those around Him. Our God is not a sad God. He is a joyful God! Jesus wants the same joy He had in us. He desires that our joy be FULL. What is full joy? Joy that is full isn’t just an inner emotion. It overflows into your life and through our life manifested in some sort of action.
John 15:10-11 – Obey His commands – remain in His love. He told us this that His joy may remain in us and that our joy may be full.
John 16:24 – Ask and receive and your joy will be complete.
John 17:11 – Jesus prayed that I might have the full measure of His joy within me.
Scriptures on Joy
There are many words in the Bible languages translated joy. The meanings go from a having a calm, cheerful, happy, positive frame of mind to jumping or leaping for joy, even spinning around under the influence of a violent emotion. I would say that great joy might cause you to jump, leap and spin under the influence. Laughter is also an expression of joy. Joy is like medicine for us. (Proverbs 17:22).
Joy: Strong’s
8057 – exceeding gladness.
2305 – rejoice; make glad.
7440 – shout of joy or grief.
8342 – cheerfulness, gladness, joy.
5479 – chara – cheerfulness, calm delight, gladness.
2167 – euphrusune – joyfulness, gladness.
7797 – to be bright, cheerful, glad.
8055 – brighten up, make gleesome, cheer up.
8056 – be joyful.
5463 – chairo – to be cheerful, calmly happy or well off.
2165 – eupharino – to put I a good frame of mind, rejoice.
1523 – to spin around under the influence of any violent emotion (rejoice).
21 – jump for joy, exult.
Below are scriptures with the number from Strong’s Concordance and the meaning to give more an idea what they really say.
Nehemiah 8:10 – The joy (2304 – rejoice, make glad) of the Lord is your strength.
Nehemiah 12:43 – He made them rejoice with great joy (8057 – exceeding gladness).
Esther 9:22 – …turned them from sorrow to joy (8052).
Psalm 16:11 – …in Your presence is fullness of joy (8057).
Psalm 27:6 – offer sacrifices of joy (8643 – clamor, acclamation of joy or a battle cry.
Psalm 43:4 – I will go unto the altar of God my exceeding joy (1524 – spin around under the influence of violent emotion).
Isaiah 12:3 – …with joy (8342 – cheerfulness, gladness) you draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isaiah 29:19 – …the meek shall increase their joy (8057) in the Lord.
Isaiah 35:10 – The redeemed shall come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy (8057) shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy (8342 – cheerfulness, gladness) and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 61:3 –He will give me the oil of joy (8342) for mourning.
Jeremiah 15:16 – … Thy Word was unto me the joy (8342) and rejoicing of my heart…
Zephaniah 3:17 – He will rejoice over thee with joy (8057)… He will joy (1523 – spin around under the influence of violent emotion) over you will singing.
Psalm 149:2-3 – Let Israel rejoice (8055) in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful (1523) in their King. Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
Psalm 35:9 – … my soul shall be joyful (1523 – spin round under the influence) in the Lord. It shall rejoice (7797) in his salvation.
Isaiah 61:10 – I will greatly rejoice (7797 – be bright, cheerful, glad) in the Lord and my soul shall be joyful (1523 – spin around under the influence) in my God.
Psalm 21:1 – The king shall joy (8055) in thy strength, O LORD, and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice (1523)!
Psalm 31:7 – I will be glad (1523) and rejoice (8055) in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
Psalm 35:9 – And my soul shall be joyful (1523) in the LORD:
Psalm 89:16 – In thy name shall they rejoice (1523) all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
Psalm 118:24 – This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice (1523) and be glad (8056) in it.
Luke 6:22-23 – Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice (chairo – cheerfulness, delight, gladness) in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven…
John 15:11 – that my joy (8479 – charis) might remain in you and that your joy (5479) might be full.
John 16:22 – Your joy (5479) no man takes from you.
John 16:24 – Ask and receive that your joy (5479) may be full.
John 17:13 – …have my joy (5479) fulfilled in themselves.
Romans 14:17 – The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy (5479) in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13 – May He fill you with all joy (5479) and peace in believing…by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:22 – The fruit of the Spirit – joy (5479).
1 Thessalonians 1:6 – having received the word in much affliction with joy (5479) of the Holy Spirit.
James 1:2 – Count it all joy (5479) when you fall into various temptations.
1 Peter 1:8 – yet believing, you rejoice (21) with joy (5479) inexpressible and full of glory,
1 John 1:4 – these things write we unto you that your joy (5479) may be full.
Rejoice
The tidings of the coming of Jesus into the world was to bring GREAT JOY to all of mankind. There is joy in the Lord and joy in His kingdom that we should be daily experiencing. If we don’t feel the joy, we are to RE-JOICE.
Take the time to study more on these scriptures and take seriously what God does: that you have joy in your life and that you rejoice always! Adjust your thinking to think like God. He wants you to always have joy, to always rejoice.
Rejoice (8055 – brighten up; cheer up) before the Lord your God – Leviticus 23:40; Deuteronomy 12:12, 18; 16:11; 27:7) (8055 – This kind of rejoicing has hope involved in it. You brighten up when you realize that it will all work out.)
Deuteronomy 12:7 – Rejoice (8055) in all that you put your hand to. (Also 26:11)
1 Chronicles 16:10 – Let the heart of them rejoice (8055) that seek the Lord. Here the hope is that those who seek Him find Him. That is why you can rejoice here.
Nehemiah 12:43 – …He made them rejoice (8055) with great joy.
Psalm 2:11 – Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice (1523 – spin around under the influence of great emotion) with trembling.
Psalm 40:16 – Let all those that seek you rejoice (7797 – be bright, cheerful, glad).
Psalm 63:7 – In the shadow of your wings I will rejoice (7442 – shout for joy, sing in triumph).
Psalm 68:3 – But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice (5970 – jump for joy; triumph) before God, yea, let them exceedingly rejoice (7797).
Psalm 70:4 – Let all those that seek you rejoice (7797) and be glad in you.
Psalm 89:16 – In your name shall they rejoice (1523 – spin) all the day…
Psalm 118:24 – This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice (1523) and be glad in it.
Habakkuk 3:18 – Even when everything goes wrong…I will rejoice (5937 – jump for joy) in the Lord; I will joy (1523) in the God of my salvation.
1 Peter 1:6-,8 – Wherein (even in the midst of the trials of this present life) you greatly rejoice (21 – jump for joy, exult) with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
I can practice rejoicing in the Lord even when my feelings don’t feel like it. I can rejoice because of who I know He is, because of what I know He has done, because of what I know He wants to do for me, because of the wonderful promises He has made. I can jump for joy and dance and spin around and laugh on purpose. This will release a true joy and power and strength.
ACTING IN JOY CONSISTENTLY EVEN WHEN I DON’T FEEL LIKE IT WILL PRODUCE A CONSTANT JOY IN MY LIFE!