Along about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn’t believe their ears. Acts 16:25–26 (MSG) You need to make a decision today. Over the past few days, we’ve been discussing the fact that joy is in you because of your relationship with Jesus. Today, you can decide that you will live a life of incredible joy. I know that sometimes joy seems far from reach because of the situations you face in life, but joy is so much deeper than your circumstances. When Paul and Silas were beaten, whipped and then held in the deplorable conditions of a Roman prison, they had joy. Their circumstances couldn’t have been much worse; the Romans were nailing …

For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17 (NKJV) God wants you to live a joy-filled life; it’s one of the rewards Jesus gained for you. It’s one of the perks of being in God’s family—the family you became a member of when you began a relationship with Jesus. That being said, I can think of many Christians who don’t cultivate the joy He provides for their lives. They aren’t living it, and part of the reason is because they’re waiting for it to drop from heaven. Meanwhile, joy is within them! Joy is in you because Holy Spirit is in you. However, you have to choose it. Of course, we …

Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength! Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT) Joy is something that’s often forgotten, but it’s powerful. It’s not just nice to have. It’s a necessity. Our verse today makes it very clear that joy brings you the strength you need in life. Without it, you can’t be strong against the stuff life throws your way. It’s interesting that the Bible calls joy your strength, not prayer or God’s Word. We know that prayer is vital and we absolutely need to meditate on God’s Word, so why is joy so important when it comes to staying strong? Think of it this way. When you don’t have joy in your heart, it’s the symptom of a bigger …