In the days of the Apostle Paul, the Church in Rome was a mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers. Though unified in faith, they still had some disputable matters among them, such as what was lawful to eat and drink. Paul had to guide their thinking on what constituted and mattered in the kingdom of God, for which he listed righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Being much more than an emotion of the mind, Joy is one of the fruits of the recreated human spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. It is of the Spirit, not the mind and is therefore independent of circumstances and situations. In other words, you can have the joy of the Lord overflowing in your heart in the midst of trials and tribulations, as it stems from the confident assurance of God’s love for you at all times. 

In 1 Peter 1:3-8, Christians are admonished to remain joyful in spite of persecutions and challenges they face and the reasons are clear- God our Father, in His abundant and boundless mercy, has caused us to be born again to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Christ from the dead. We are born anew into an inheritance that is imperishable, and we are protected and shielded by the power of God through faith in our salvation. We are confident that the genuineness of our faith will result in praise, glory, and honour at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, even though we have not seen Him physically, we love Him, believe and trust in Him, and we greatly rejoice and delight with inexpressible and glorious joy. 

Understand that the reason for our joy is not based on external factors; it is generated from within because of our glorious life in Christ and our faith in His Name.

So, rejoice greatly throughout this month and beyond, and celebrate your life in Christ and your eternal heritage in Him. Be sure to carry the atmosphere of Joy everywhere you go and spread it to all those who come your way.