One of my favorite scriptures in the entire Bible is found in Nehemiah 8:10. This powerful verse emphatically states, "Do not be grieved for the joy of the Lord is your strength!" The joy of the Lord will give you strength in every season and in every circumstance of life. His joy will empower you to be more than you could possibly be and to do more than you could possibly do on your own.

Satan understands that it is the joy of the Lord that keeps you in a position of power and strength as you travel through life. Satan's main goal in the life of a Christian is to steal, to kill and to destroy. But let me tell you something ... Satan does not care about your marriage ... He actually does not want your children and he could care less about your finances or your health. What Satan really wants is your joy. He tries to steal your joy by robbing you of your marriage, your children, your finances and your health. But what he is really after is your joy. Satan knows that if he can steal your joy, he will turn you into a weak, whining, ineffective Christian.

Do not let Satan have your joy! Hold onto your joy by staying in the presence of the Lord every day of your life. As Christians, we especially need to stay in the presence of the Lord as we are walking through a time of deep disappointment or grief. The joy that is found in the presence of the Lord is the joy that will give you strength as you deal with the issues of life. Be strong in the Lord and be filled with His great joy!