Rejoice and Be Joyful

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. decketh: Heb. decketh as a priest - Isaiah 61:10

    The body of Christ, the church of the living God, has every reason to rejoice and be joyful. God is for his people, always has been and always will be. He has revealed his love, mercy and grace toward his people in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord lived for us, died for us, and is now reigning in his High Priestly office for his redeemed in power and great glory. The eternal security of the child of God rests in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Therein do we greatly rejoice and have joy. We rejoice and our soul is joyful in his incarnation. He became flesh and dwelt among us, and we behold his glory—the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth—full of truth to reveal God, and full of grace to redeem man. Abraham rejoiced to see his day and was glad; so do we rejoice! Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. In him all saved sinners rejoice and are joyful.

    We greatly rejoice in Christ’s righteousness. As a man, he fulfilled the law for his people to God the Father’s complete satisfaction. He wrought a righteousness for all the elect that makes us acceptable to God, and clothed us with it so we are found not having our own righteousness but His. Therefore, thereby, and therein, he presents us to God not having any spot or blemish or any such thing.

    We greatly rejoice in Christ and joy in our God in his death. The Lord Jesus Christ put away all our sin by the sacrifice of himself. He bore our sin in his own body on the tree. He put our sin so far away that God the Father remembers it against us no more. In the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, every sin was atoned for forever for all his sheep. All our sins and transgressions were charged to our substitute and he willingly, gladly, and lovingly took them for his own and died in our place.

    We rejoice in the Lord in his resurrection. He was raised for our justification. He not only lived for us and died for us, now he ever lives for us. Because he lives, we live. He rose from the dead having conquered every enemy that was against his people. He so vitally joined himself to us that when he died, we died; when he arose we arose, and now we live in Him. The Lord Jesus Christ ever lives to make intercession for us.

    We rejoice in his providence. Our Lord rules and reigns for us in heaven and on earth. He is sovereign over all things and events. All things are ours and all things are for our good.

    I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.