Spotlight 12: Joy, a source of strength!
There are aspects of “Joy in Christ” that create spiritual strength. This is something that District Apostle Tshitshi Tshisekedi (Democratic Republic of the Congo) explains in his article on our 2015 motto.
In Nehemiah 8: 10 it says, “For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” That means, when joy—which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit—comes from faith, it creates strength in the soul.
Our encounters with God in the divine services are a source of strength. The word and sacraments that are administered there create joy in the soul. This joy in turn renews the spiritual strength in us so that we can take sure steps and so reach the goal of our faith.
Spiritual unity and brotherly fellowship are also a source of strength. The strength that we receive by sharing our experiences of faith with others and hearing about answered prayers makes us happy. All of us are called to support and strengthen the unity in the work of God, and particularly everyone in his own congregation.
The sacrifice brought by the Lord has opened the doors to victory over evil for us. The spiritual strength derived from this, together with the resurrection of the Lord, creates joy because we know that the following words in Scripture will be fulfilled, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son” (Revelation 21: 7). Alone the longing to be with the Son of God already makes our soul extremely glad and urges us to develop spiritual strength so that we can gain victories over evil every day.
If we examine ourselves closely and ponder about our election, our souls will automatically be filled with joy simply because of the grace that has been bestowed upon us. This joy triggers the spiritual strength in us that we received in the form of divine gifts at our Holy Sealing, and which is to contribute to the development of the work of God.
