Nehemiah 8:10
Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
We have a secret weapon that the devil simply has no defense against. This weapon is the joy of the Lord. When this weapon is deployed, he has no counter attack. There is nothing that he can defeat you with when you are living in the joy of the Lord. You need to notice that this is the Lord’s joy, and not yours. It originates with Him and then emanates to you. It is NOT your trying to muster up a good feeling in spite of things going on around you that are bad. This joy flows unhindered through the life of a believer who allows Jesus to be the Lord and Master of his or her life. You will also be glad to know, that this joy is not dependent on outward circumstances. It is there regardless of situations and circumstances and gives you strength even when outwardly, things are a mess.
I have learned that the devil can’t get your goods unless he can get your joy. Therefore, he is out to try to steal your joy. He knows that if he can steal away your joy and get you to pouting in self pity, he can come in and steal your goods. This is exactly what he is trying to do to you too. Don’t let the devil get your joy!Joy is a very helpful sidekick to faith. In fact, you hardly ever find one without the other. These two seem to build on each other. When joy kicks in, faith begins to rise and expectation levels soar. As faith rises and brings to fruition the things believed for, joy begins to flow all the more. The more joy flows, the more faith prevails, the more faith prevails, the more joy flows, etc. Soon there is a runaway of joy and faith and you, the believer, get to go along for the ride. Remember, the joy of the Lord is your strength. Therefore, guard your fellowship with Him, and your life will be full and overflowing.