The scripture teaches us Joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).  And James wrote “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations.  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1: 2-3)   I have had days and circumstance where to count it all joy has been a seemingly impossible task.  How about you?  We can't always control happiness or sadness because those emotions are often driven by life circumstances such as a death, divorce, an illness, the loss of a job and so on.  However we can make a choice to live and walk daily in the joy of our Lord and savior.  We increase joy and gain victory through increasing our knowledge of who Jesus is, and receiving what he has done for us by faith!  “Then said Jesus to those which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples in deed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).  Free from what?  Free from doubt, from worry, from fear, from lack, free from unbelief.  Many folks quote the promise, verse 32; however it is prerequisite in verse 31---“continue in my word” that makes the promise work!  To do this we must begin to train our minds and be renewed in the spirit of our minds (Ephesians 4:23).  Although life may bring difficult circumstances our way we can take heart.  We can rejoice in our omnipresent (always present), omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful) loving heavenly father and his son Jesus Christ.   Jesus is the very expression of God’s love for us and to us through the cross and is revealed to us by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, the comforter (John 14:25-27).   We can rejoice and find comfort because He has said he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  Simply put we can choose to deny ourselves and operate in faith, which is simply acting on Gods word regardless of what our circumstances look like.  It’s not about feelings!  Feelings can mislead us.  It’s about trusting in God’s word and His ability to bring us through the fire, calm the storm, turn our mourning into dancing and give us beauty for ashes.  Well excuse me while I shout!  (See Daniel 3, Matthew 8: 23-27, Psalm 30: 10-12, Isaiah 61:2-4)  What an awesome God we serve!!!