Question: I continue to hear about the "joy of the Lord" as our strength in these challenging times. Looking up the phrase in the Bible, the only scripture [I found] was from Nehemiah and referred to the Passover Day celebration. Nowhere in the New Testament is the phrase spoken, and the closest allusion is from First Thessalonians, [where] the reference is "The joy the Holy Spirit brings." I feel that there are a great many Christians, especially the biblical and fervent ones, who are experiencing trials (such as myself) and would appreciate some biblical input that is not pabulum. If called to stand for Christ in these Last Days, we need to know the sources of the strength [necessary] to continue standing.
Response: In 1 Peter:1:8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:, we read, "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." This passage assures us that "the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Pt 1:7). And don't forget Jesus' words in John:8:56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." The phrase "rejoice in the Lord" occurs at least nine times, including Habakkuk:3:18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.: "Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation."
Concerning our faith, even "though it be tried with fire," we know the certainty of His appearing, and thus we still have joy. In John 15, the Lord Jesus instructs the disciples to abide in the vine (Jn:15:1-8 [1] I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
[2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
[3] Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
[4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
[5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
[6] If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
[7] If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
[8] Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
) and later warns of persecution that will come to those who follow him (Jn:15:18-21 [18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
[19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
[20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
[21] But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
). Before this, however, He says, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full " (Jn:15:11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.). Why should our joy be "full"? Well, because "the joy of the Lord" enables us to withstand the trials that will come. This is not some masochistic concept. As you point out, Nehemiah:8:10Then he said unto them, 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. tells us, "The joy of the LORD is your strength." But this applies to more than the Passover. The Jews had returned from 70 years of exile and had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, witnessing the Lord's protection from their enemies. So they read the Scriptures celebrating the Passover, which portrays the Lord's first coming.
