Is Joy Mandatory?

Near the end of June, I attended the Harvest Network International Annual Assembly in Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania. A number of pastors shared messages on the theme of “resilience,” including Pastor Cliff Wrener of Harbor Church in Hastings, MN, whose message, titled “Obedience” was all about joy. And it got me thinking…

Is it disobedient to be a joyless Christian? Is joy a mandatory quality of the obedient Christian? As a child, it was not uncommon to be exposed to fire and brimstone sermons focused on the fear of the Lord, and surely the Bible does say that “Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…” in Psalm 111:10, but that’s not the whole verse. The second half of that verse is , “all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” 

So, of course the LORD is worthy of reverence and awe and falling-to-our-knees respect, but is that eternal praise the One Who is Worthy joyous? Does God ask for joy?

When I looked it up, I found the words “joy"  and “rejoice” appear over 400 times in the Bible. Let's take a look at some of them:

Leviticus 23:40 On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. (Seven days! Sure seems God’s pretty serious about this joy thing.)

Deuteronomy 12:18 Instead, you are to eat them in the presence of the Lord your God at the place the Lord your God will choose—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites from your towns—and you are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to.

Deuteronomy 16:13-15 Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. 14 Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. 15 For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. (Again with a solid week of celebration!)

God tells Israel all the things they must obey and how they should serve Him, then lists all the amazing blessings they will enjoy if they do so, then He lists all the curses they will endure if they do not, saying:  

Deuteronomy 28: 47 Because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity, 48 therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the Lord sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. (Lack of joy really seems to annoy the Lord!)

1 Chronicles 15:15-17 And the Levites carried the ark of God with the poles on their shoulders, as Moses had commanded in accordance with the word of the Lord. David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their fellow Levites as musicians to make a joyful sound with musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals.

1 Chronicles 16:10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

1 Chronicles 16:27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place. (Joy in His dwelling place!)

1 Chronicles 16:31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” (His creation rejoices in him!)

1 Chronicles 16:33 Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

In Nehemiah 8, after the people had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem that had been torn down, the priest, Ezra, brings out the book of the Law and starts reading it aloud before all the people. Convicted of their sins, they break out in tears, weeping. 

But Nehemiah comes before them saying:

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.” 12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

(The joy of the LORD is your STRENGTH!)

Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Psalm 19:8 

The commandments of the Lord are right,
    bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
    giving insight for living.

(Even His laws bring joy!)

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 33:21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.

Psalm 33:3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. (Joy in music!)

Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 40:16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The Lord is great!”

Psalm 47:1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.

Psalm 65:8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.

Psalm 65:13 The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.

Psalm 66:1 Shout for joy to God, all the earth!

Psalm 66:6 He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot— come, let us rejoice in him.

Psalm 68:4 Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.

Psalm 89:16 They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.

Psalm 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Psalm 96:11- 12 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.

Psalm 98:4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;

Psalm 98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy;

Psalm 100:2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Psalm 104:34 May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the Lord. (Our thoughts should be joyful!)

Psalm 119:14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.

Isaiah 12:6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

Isaiah 29:19 Once more the humble will rejoice in the Lord; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 35:1 The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.

Isaiah 44:23 Sing for joy, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; shout aloud, you earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.

Isaiah 49:13 Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.

Isaiah 62:5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

Jeremiah 32:41 I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (God rejoices over US!)

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Jesus tells His disciples to rejoice over their persecution!)

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

Luke 6:22-23  Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you  and reject your name as evil,  because of the Son of Man.  “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.

John 15:10-12 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

John 16:22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

John 16:24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

John 17:13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. (Clearly, Jesus is not talking about a shallow, skin-deep joy here. It’s a complete, soul-filling, glorious, eternal kind of joy.)

Acts 2:28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, (Ahhh, so the Holy Spirit IS involved in this joy!)

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 7:4 I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.

2 Corinthians 8:2 In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (There it is, right behind love. JOY! )

Philippians 1:4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

Hebrews 1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

Hebrews 12:2 …fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,

James 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (Joy even in trials!)

1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

1 John 1:4 We write this to make our joy complete.

1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (Wow! Read that again! Joy in suffering now and overjoyed later!)

Revelation 19:7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

And finally:

Philippians 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Twice! Paul says it twice! Rejoice!

And, really, we have more cause for joy than any other people on earth! The God of the universe, the God who created anything and everything simply by speaking it into being loves US so much that He sent His only Son to die for us and bring us not just back into relationship with Him, but that we would be adopted into the family of God! We are sons and daughters in the kingdom of life and light! The kingdom of darkness has been defeated, nullified, brought to nothing and our inheritance of eternal life and eternal peace and ETERNAL JOY is guaranteed by God the Father, Jesus our savior, and His own Holy Spirit living in all who believe! 

HALLELUJAH!

So, is joy mandatory? Are we being disobedient if we live without joy? 

Paul writes in Romans 8:37-39  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If that doesn’t bring us true real and complete  joy, we are just not paying attention.