Nehemiah 8:10 Then Ezra said to them, “Go your way, eat the rich festival food, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be worried, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold.”

We’ve all read this scripture and have even sung songs in church based on the joy of the the Lord.  The scripture above even tells us that its’ our strength. But, in the Amplified Bible it says, “…..for the joy of the Lord is your strength and your stronghold.” Notice here that joy is our stronghold which means a place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack, a fortress. Wow, that’s amazing! We can live inside a fortress of joy in our lives! If we will let the joy of the the Lord fill our lives, then we can thwart off the attacks of the enemy. No matter what the devil throws our way, the joy of the Lord will protect us.

So, how do we get this joy? By spending time with the Lord. Jesus said in John 15:10-11 If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy and delight may be in you, and that your joy may be made full and complete and overflowing. Therefore, the key to building a fortress of joy is to build a relationship with God. It is vitally important that we spend time in His presence through His Word and prayer. The closer we get to God the more fortified our fortress of joy becomes. Even when the attacks of Satan come your way, you’ll be able to defeat him with the overflow of joy that floods your spirit.

The joy of the Lord will protect you and keep you safe. So, put your trust in God and start building a fortress of joy through your relationship with Him. As you do, you will become stronger everyday and the devil will not be able to take away the truths that God has placed in your heart. You’ll never be the same, guaranteed!