The meaning of JOY is the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: delight.
To the Church at Rome, the Apostle Paul wrote of JOY:
Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
In his second letter, after they fixed their problems, the Apostle Paul wrote of JOY; to the Church at Corinth .
2 Corinthians 1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.
2 Corinthians 2:3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.
2 Corinthians 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
2 Corinthians 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
2 Corinthians 8:2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
And to the Galatian church he lists Joy a one of the fruits of the Spirit:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
The Apostle Paul expressed the Joy he felt toward the Philippian church:
Philippians 1:4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,
Philippians 1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
Philippians 2:2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
Philippians 2:17-18 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
To the Church at Colossi, the Apostle Paul wrote
Colossians 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Colossians 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
Joy comes from the Lord:
1 Thessalonians 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy.
1 Thessalonians 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
He greatly loved Timothy, his spiritual son:
2 Timothy 1:4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;
And to Philemon, His brother in the Lord:
Philemon 1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
Philemon 1:20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my bowels in the Lord.
There may be sadness all around us, but if you are saved, you can still have Joy in your heart, knowing you will be in eternity forever with the Lord. Look what the apostle Paul had to endure.
Romans 10:9-13
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