Hang on to Your Joy

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. Hebrews 10:35 (NKJV)

As a citizen of God’s Kingdom, you have access to a life of righteousness, peace and joy (Romans 14:17). Today I want to unpack this word joy, because it’s one of the most powerful weapons at your disposal for beating fear.

But first, let’s talk about what joy isn’t. Joy is not the same thing as happiness, which comes from happenings. Now, I treasure all the great happenings in my life, but when bad news comes or things don’t go the way we want, happiness leaves. We need something deeper to depend on. We need to build our lives on a foundation of joy.

According to God’s Word, joy is a powerful force that pushes back fear. Even when you’re experiencing loss, disappointment or hurt, the joy of the Lord can fill you with an incredible strength and confidence.

But confidence in what? It can’t be a confidence in your own knowledge or abilities, because we all fail sometimes. No, real joy comes from a confidence and trust in Jesus. It’s a joy that says, “No matter what I’m facing, I have placed my life in the hands of the King of kings. I trust Him and I’m at peace, because He won’t ever let me down.”

When fear pushes at you, Hebrews 10:35 tells us not to cast away our confidence. I’m not saying you should fake happiness when you’re hurting. But when you decide to place your trust in Jesus, Holy Spirit enables you to tap into an incredible force of joy. This joy destroys fear’s hold on your life, stabilizes your emotions and brings an incredible sense of peace. Don’t let go of your joy!