DEVOTIONAL GUIDE

FOR

THE FELLOWSHIP OF SHORT-TERM MISSION TEAM LEADERS

OCTOBER 8-12, 2004

Preparation for Suffering

Theme Verse:  John 16:33

John 16:29 His disciples said,  “Lo, now You are speaking plainly and are not using a figure of speech. 30  “Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them,  “Do you now believe? 32  “Behold, an hour is coming, and has [already] come, for you to be scattered, each to his own [home], and to leave Me alone; and [yet] I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. 33  “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

33a     These things I have spoken to you,

    b      so that in Me you may have peace.

    c      in the world you have tribulation,

    d      but take courage;

    e      I have overcome the world.”

When Jesus says that each day has enough trouble of its own, he’s talking about short-term mission team life along with every other dimension of life.  As short-term mission team leaders we need a vision of God that will sustain us in the most difficult troubles and we need a strategy for being overcomers amidst the troubles and we need to learn how to better prepare our teams for suffering.

Memorize this verse this week.  I’ve prepared a devotional guide to help you reflect more on each day’s topics.

Theme Verse: John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world (NIV).

Here are some other translations of John 16:33

KJV Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

NAS Joh 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

What follows are some ideas for individual devotions and small group discussions.  Choose one or two each day and invite the Lord to speak to you through His Word.

Thursday--In Me you have peace; in the world you have trouble

1) Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.”

The purpose (cf. “so that”) behind the teachings of Jesus in general and especially here in chapters 14-16 (cf.”these things”) is that we who are His followers experience peace (see “Why Does Jesus Talk” below).  In the next few days you may want to meditate on these chapters.  As you do, make a list all the things Jesus says that if you really trust His words will strengthen both individual peace within your own soul and corporate peace within your teams. 

2) The key to peace in our hearts and in our teams is found in John 14:1.  Describe it in your own words.  Make a list of the things you are troubled about now or that you are prone to be troubled about in pressured times on your teams.  Bring them before the Lord and pray about them in light of Jesus’ words here.  Ask people in your small group to talk about the things that trouble them.  Pray with them about it.  Point them to the words of Jesus.

3) Think of an area your life where there’s the least amount of peace.  Try to find something in the words of Jesus in John 14-16 (or elsewhere) that applies directly to this area.  Meditate on this and ask God to help your trust in His promises to grow.

4) If you are being especially tempted these days to pursue your peace and security in this world rather than through trust in Jesus Christ, choose one or two of the following Scriptures to prayerfully meditate on:  1 John 2:15-17; Psalm 73; Jeremiah 2:11-13; Isaiah 55:1-3; Matthew 7:24-27; Isaiah 50:10-11.

5)  Look at the page entitled “What the Bible Says About Peace”.  Read through this list and find:   1) some promises about peace

                                    2) the foundations for peace

                                    3) obstacles to peace

                                    4) the source of peace

                                    5) the perfect future peace which we all long for

                                    6) the way to peace

6) Read the story of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41).  Talk about His power to conquer anything that threatens us.  Notice that even the disciples (just like you) wondered sometimes if Jesus cared about them.  Reassure your own (and one another’s) heart that He does.

Friday--Take heart!

1)  Think about how the following thoughts relate to each other:

            Thought #1:  In the world you have trouble.

            Thought #2:  Take heart! Take courage! Be of good cheer!

            Thought #3:  I have overcome the world.

Sometimes when people speak they leave out the connecting words between thoughts because the connection is so obvious. (For example, “The house is on fire.  Get out!”  The connecting words which are left out are “therefore” and “since”.  Since the house is on fire, therefore get out.)  In the above three thoughts Jesus left out some of the connecting words because in His mind they are so obvious.  Are they obvious to you?  What connecting words would you insert between these thoughts to make the meaning absolutely clear.  Ponder these connections.  They are a goldmine!

2) Ponder what is unique about the peace that is in Jesus.  Read John 14:27 where Jesus says that His peace is different than the peace that the world gives.  What is the difference?  One of the differences that comes to my mind is reflected in verses like Ps. 23:5a; Habakkuk 3:17-19; Isaiah 54:10. Do you think this is what Paul means when he writes about “the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension” (Phil. 4:7)?

3) The command, “take heart” or “take courage” or “be of good cheer” (these are various translations of the same Greek word in John 16:33) is often on the lips of Jesus or the apostles (see “Take Courage” below). Read two or three of the stories where Jesus tells someone to “take heart” (Mt. 9:1-7; Mt. 9:18-26; Mark 10:46-52 [here Jesus’ disciples tell Bartimaeus to “cheer up”]; Mt. 14:22-32; Acts 23:9-11).

4)  Did you realize that the command, “Thou shalt be happy!” is found many times throughout the Bible.  It occurs (in various forms) much more often than the commands, “Thou shalt not murder!  Thou shalt not steal!  Thou shalt not commit adultery!”  Yet somehow we think the command to be happy is optional and we do not tend to ascribe this command the same authority as we do the “Thou shalt nots” of the Bible.  It is the same God who commands both.  An old preacher named Jeremy Taylor shocked his congregation by saying, “God threatens terrible things if we will not be happy!”  Discuss why the Bible doesn’t regard joy as optional.  What do you think is the nature of this joy? Meditate on Deuteronomy 28:47-48 and ask God to jar you into joy!  Along the same lines, consider also 2 Cor. 9:7. 

 Wednesday--I have overcome the world

1) Jesus has overcome the world.  Through the cross He has conquered everything that is opposed to God and everything that is opposed to the good of God’s children (Col 2:13-15).  Today help one another to understand that since God is for us, who can be against us?  Meditate on Rom. 8:31-39 and try to paraphrase it.

2) We live in a world that victimizes people.  Thus many people have assumed the identity of victim, which leaves one helpless, bitter, and paralyzed.  God commands us not to succumb to the victim mentality (Rom. 12:21).  When confronted with troubles many people try to cope through denial, escape, fantasy, retaliation, etc.  But the Bible gives the Christian a theology of trouble that helps us not only to persevere through trouble but even to rejoice in the midst of trouble.  Consider for a moment the troubles that are confronting your life these days and then prayerfully meditate on the Scriptures printed on the sheet “What the Bible Says About Trouble”.

Why Does Jesus Talk?

John 15:11  “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and [that] your joy may be made full.

John 16:1 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. 2  “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. 3  “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. 4  “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. 5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me,  ‘Where are You going?’ 6  “But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7  “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

16:33  “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

17:1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said,  “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You…

17:13  “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.

What the Bible Says About “Take Courage”

(Gr. tharseo qarse÷w)

Matt. 9:2 And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic,  “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”

Matt. 9:22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said,  “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well. (The woman who suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years)

Mark 6:50 They all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them,  “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” (cf. Matt. 14:27 Jesus walking on the water)

Mark 10:49 And Jesus stopped and said,  “Call him [here].” So they called the blind man (Bartimaeus), saying to him,  “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”

John 16:33  “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Acts 23:11 But on the night [immediately] following, the Lord stood at his side and said,  “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.” (Paul in the barracks after he caused an uproar in the Sanhedrin; the soldiers took him there to save him from being torn to pieces)

!! What the Bible Says About Peace

Psa 4:8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For Thou alone, O LORD, dost make me to dwell in safety.

Psa 29:11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.

Psa 85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will say; For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones; But let them not turn back to folly.

Psa 119:165 Those who love Thy law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.

Psa 125:1 Those who trust in the LORD Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever.

Pro 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

Isa 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Isa 26:3 "The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in Thee.

Isa 32:2 And each will be like a refuge from the wind, And a shelter from the storm, Like streams of water in a dry country, Like the shade of a huge rock in a parched land.

Isa 32:17 And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

Isa 32:18 Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation, And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places;

Isa 48:18 "If only you had paid attention to My commandments! Then your well-being would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

Isa 54:10 "For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken," Says the LORD who has compassion on you.

Isa 54:10 "For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken," Says the LORD who has compassion on you.

Isa 54:13 "And all your sons will be taught of the LORD; And the well-being of your sons will be great.

Isa 55:12 "For you will go out with joy, And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Isa 57:2 He enters into peace; They rest in their beds, Each one who walked in his upright way.

Jer 33:6 'Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth.

Eze 34:25 "And I will make a covenant of peace with them and eliminate harmful beasts from the land, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.

Luk 1:79 [Jesus came] to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. "

Luk 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

Joh 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Act 10:36 "The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)--

Rom 2:10 but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Rom 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Rom 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

Rom 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom 15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Eph 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,

Phi 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Phi 4:9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things; and the God of peace shall be with you.

Col 1:20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Col 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

2Th 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

What the Bible Says About Trouble

The Bible promises that we will have trouble

Joh 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

Mat 6:34 "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Job 5:6 "For affliction does not come from the dust, Neither does trouble sprout from the ground, 7 For man is born for trouble, As sparks fly upward.

1Co 7:28 But if you should marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin should marry, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you.

1Th 3:3 so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. 4 For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.

Act 14:21 And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."

Sometimes God feels far away when we are in trouble

Psa 10:1 Why dost Thou stand afar off, O LORD? Why dost Thou hide Thyself in times of trouble?

Psa 77:4 Thou hast held my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

Psa 88:3 For my soul has had enough troubles, And my life has drawn near to Sheol.

Promises to help in times of trouble

Psa 9:9 The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed, A stronghold in times of trouble,

Psa 20:1 {For the choir director. A Psalm of David.} May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high!

Psa 27:5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Psa 31:7 I will rejoice and be glad in Thy lovingkindness, Because Thou hast seen my affliction; Thou hast known the troubles of my soul,

Psa 32:7 Thou art my hiding place; Thou dost preserve me from trouble; Thou dost surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Psa 34:6 This poor man cried and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles.

Psa 34:17 The righteous cry and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psa 37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.

Psa 41: How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The LORD will deliver him in a day of trouble.

Psa 46:1 {For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah, set to Alamoth. A Song.} God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.

Psa 50:15 And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me. "

Psa 71:20 Thou, who hast shown me many troubles and distresses, Wilt revive me again, And wilt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Psa 91:15 "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him, and honor him.

Psa 119:143 Trouble and anguish have come upon me; Yet Thy commandments are my delight.

Psa 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me; Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Thy right hand will save me.

Nah 1:7 The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.

Rom 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

2Co 4:17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,

Prayer in times of trouble

Psa 22:11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near; For there is none to help.

Psa 25:17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses. 18 Look upon my affliction and my trouble, And forgive all my sins.

Psa 77:2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; In the night my hand was stretched out without weariness; My soul refused to be comforted.

Psa 86:7 In the day of my trouble I shall call upon Thee, For Thou wilt answer me.

Psa 107:6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses. (See also verses 13,19,28)

Psa 120:1 In my trouble I cried to the LORD, And He answered me.

Psa 142:2 I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare my trouble before Him.

Psa 143:11 For the sake of Thy name, O LORD, revive me. In Thy righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.

How we are to respond to trouble

Isa 50:10 Who is among you that fears the LORD, That obeys the voice of His servant, That walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on his God.

Luk 24:38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?

Joh 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

Joh 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Rom 12:12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,

Rom 5:3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

Jam 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

The day is coming when our troubles will be forgotten

Gen 41:51 And Joseph named the first-born Manasseh, "For," he said, "God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household."

Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.

Rev 7:17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes. "

Rev 21:4 and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. "

! What the Bible Says About “Overcoming”

1Jo 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-- our faith.

1Jo 5:5 And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Rev 17:14 "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful."

1Co 15:54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.

1Co 15:55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"

1Co 15:57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Rev 2:11 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.'

Rev 2:26 'And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;

Rev 3:5 'He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.

Rev 3:12 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.

Rev 3:21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Rev 21:7 "He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.

What the Bible Says about Fear

Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great."

Genesis 26:24 And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, "I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, For the sake of My servant Abraham."

Exodus 14:13 But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.

Exodus 20:20 And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin."

Numbers 14:9 "Only do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them."

Deuteronomy 1:21 'See, the LORD your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.'

Deuteronomy 1:29 "Then I said to you, 'Do not be shocked, nor fear them.

Deuteronomy 3:22 'Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.'

Deuteronomy 20:3 "And he shall say to them, 'Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do not be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, 4 for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you. '

Deuteronomy 31:6 "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you…And the LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear, or be dismayed."

Deuteronomy 31:6  “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

Joshua 1:6  “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go…9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:18  “Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.”

Joshua 10:8 And the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands; not one of them shall stand before you."

Joshua 10:25 Joshua then said to them, "Do not fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you fight."

1Samuel 4:9  “Take courage and be men, O Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you; therefore, be men and fight.”

1 Samuel 12:20 And Samuel said to the people, "Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

2Samuel 7:27  “For You, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying,  ‘I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.

2Samuel 10:12  “Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

2Samuel 13:28 ¶ Absalom commanded his servants, saying,  “See now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you,  ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have not I myself commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.”

1Chronicles 17:25  “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house; therefore Your servant has found [courage] to pray before You.

1Chronicles 19:13  “Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what is good in His sight.”

1 Chronicles 22:13 "Then you shall prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed.

1Chronicles 28:10  “Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”

1 Chronicles 28:20 Then David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

2Chronicles 15:7  “But you, be strong and do not lose courage, for there is reward for your work.”

2 Chronicles 20:15 and he said, "Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's.

2 Chronicles 20:17 'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you. "

2 Chronicles 32:7 "Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude which is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him.

Nehemiah 4:14 When I saw their fear, I rose and spoke to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people: "Do not be afraid of them; remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses."

Job 39:22 "He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; And he does not turn back from the sword.

Ezra 10:4  “Arise! For [this] matter is your responsibility, but we will be with you; be courageous and act.”

Psalm 27:3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.

Psalm 31:24 Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the LORD.

Psalm 46:2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, The holy dwelling places of the Most High.

Psalm 78:53 And He led them safely, so that they did not fear; But the sea engulfed their enemies.

Psalm 94:19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Thy consolations delight my soul.

Psalm 112:7 He will not fear evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is upheld, he will not fear, Until he looks with satisfaction on his adversaries.

Psalm 118:6 The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?

Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts.

Proverbs 3:25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear, Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; 26 For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.

Isaiah 8:12 "You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. 13 "It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread.

Isaiah 35:4 Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you."

Isaiah 40:9 Get yourself up on a high mountain, O Zion, bearer of good news, Lift up your voice mightily, O Jerusalem, bearer of good news; Lift it up, do not fear. Say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!"

Isaiah 41:10 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Isaiah 41:13 "For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.'

Isaiah 41:14 "Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you," declares the LORD," and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah 43:1 But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!

Isaiah 43:5 "Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, And gather you from the west.

Isaiah 44:2 Thus says the LORD who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you, 'Do not fear, O Jacob My servant; And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

Isaiah 51:7 "Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My law; Do not fear the reproach of man, Neither be dismayed at their revilings.

Isaiah 54:4 "Fear not, for you will not be put to shame; Neither feel humiliated, for you will not be disgraced; But you will forget the shame of your youth, And the reproach of your widowhood you will remember no more.

Isaiah 54:14 "In righteousness you will be established; You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear; And from terror, for it will not come near you.

Jeremiah 1:17  “Now, gird up your loins and arise, and speak to them all which I command you. Do not be dismayed before them, or I will dismay you before them.

Jeremiah 10:2 Thus says the LORD,  “Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; 3 For the customs of the peoples are delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool…4 “They decorate [it] with silver and with gold; They fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter. 5 "Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good."

Jeremiah 17:8 "For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit.

Jeremiah 30:10 'And fear not, O Jacob My servant,' declares the LORD, 'And do not be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar, And your offspring from the land of their captivity. And Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, And no one shall make him afraid.

Lamentations 3:57 Thou didst draw near when I called on Thee; Thou didst say, "Do not fear!"

Ezekiel 2:6  “And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 3:9  “Like emery harder than flint I have made your forehead. Do not be afraid of them or be dismayed before them, though they are a rebellious house.”

Joel 2:21 Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For the LORD has done great things.

Daniel 10:19 He said,  “O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!” Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said,  “May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Micah 3:8 On the other hand I am filled with power — With the Spirit of the LORD — And with justice and courage To make known to Jacob his rebellious act, Even to Israel his sin.

Haggai 2:4 'But now take courage, Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD, 'take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,' declares the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' says the LORD of hosts. 5 'As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!'

Zephaniah 3:16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp. 17 "The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

Zechariah 8:13 'And it will come about that just as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong’…15 so I have again purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear!

Matthew 6:25 "For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing? 26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27 "And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life's span? 28 "And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. 30 "But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith? 31 "Do not be anxious then, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'With what shall we clothe ourselves?' 32 "For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 9:2 ¶ And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic,  “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said,  “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.

Matthew 10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mark 6:50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them,  “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”

Mark 10:49 And Jesus stopped and said,  “Call him [here].” So they called the blind man, saying to him,  “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”

Luke 5:10 and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men."

Luke 12:7 "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows.

John 12:15 "FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT."

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

Acts 23:11 ¶ But on the night [immediately] following, the Lord stood at his side and said,  “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”

Acts 27:22 “[Yet] now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but [only] of the ship.

Acts 27:25  “Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.

Acts 28:15 And the brethren, when they heard about us, came from there as far as the Market of Appius and Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

2Corinthians 5:6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord —7 for we walk by faith, not by sight — 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Philippians 1:14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.

Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.

Hebrews 13:6 so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT SHALL MAN DO TO ME?" (literally, being of good courage, we say...)

1 Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

Revelation 2:10 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Revelation 1:17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as a dead man. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

What the Bible Says About Joy

Deut. 16:15  “Seven days you shall celebrate a feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful.

Deut. 28:47 “Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.

1Sam. 18:6 ¶ It happened as they were coming, when David returned from killing the Philistine, that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments.

1Kings 1:40 All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook at their noise.

1Kings 8:66 On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king. Then they went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to David His servant and to Israel His people.

1Chr. 12:40 Moreover those who were near to them,  [even] as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules and on oxen, great quantities of flour cakes, fig cakes and bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen and sheep. There was joy indeed in Israel.

1Chr. 15:16 ¶ Then David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their relatives the singers, with instruments of music, harps, lyres, loud-sounding cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

1Chr. 15:25 ¶ So [it was] David, with the elders of Israel and the captains over thousands, who went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom with joy.

1Chr. 16:27 Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and joy are in His place.

1Chr. 16:33 Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD; For He is coming to judge the earth.

1Chr. 29:17  “Since I know, O my God, that You try the heart and delight in uprightness, I, in the integrity of my heart, have willingly offered all these [things]; so now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here, make [their] offerings willingly to You.

2Chr. 20:27 Every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

2Chr. 29:30 Moreover, King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with joy, and bowed down and worshiped.

2Chr. 30:21 The sons of Israel present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread [for] seven days with great joy, and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day after day with loud instruments to the LORD.

2Chr. 30:23 ¶ Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate [the feast] another seven days, so they celebrated the seven days with joy.

2Chr. 30:26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem, because there was nothing like this in Jerusalem since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel.

Ezra 3:12 Yet many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’  [households], the old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.

Ezra 6:16 ¶ And the sons of Israel, the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy.

Ezra 6:22 And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

Neh. 8:10 Then he said to them,  “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Neh. 12:43 and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar.

Esth. 8:16 For the Jews there was light and gladness and joy and honor.

Esth. 8:17 In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them. 

Psa. 5:11 ¶ But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You.

Psa. 16:11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

Psa. 20:5 We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

Psa. 21:6 For You make him most blessed forever; You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.

Psa. 27:6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Psa. 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy [comes] in the morning.

Psa. 32:11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Psa. 33:1 ¶ Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright.

Psa. 33:3 Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

Psa. 35:27 ¶ Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually,  “The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

Psa. 42:4 These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go along with the throng [and] lead them in procession to the house of God, With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

Psa. 43:4 Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.

Psa. 45:7 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows.

Psa. 47:1 ¶ O clap your hands, all peoples; Shout to God with the voice of joy.

Psa. 48:2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, Is Mount Zion [in] the far north, The city of the great King.

Psa. 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

Psa. 51:12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit.

Psa. 51:14 ¶ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;  [Then] my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

Psa. 59:16 ¶ But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; Yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress.

Psa. 63:5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.

Psa. 63:7 For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

Psa. 65:8 They who dwell in the ends [of the earth] stand in awe of Your signs; You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.

Psa. 65:13 The meadows are clothed with flocks And the valleys are covered with grain; They shout for joy, yes, they sing.

Psa. 66:1 ¶ Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;

Psa. 67:4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah.

Psa. 71:23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You; And my soul, which You have redeemed.

Psa. 81:1 ¶ Sing for joy to God our strength; Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.

Psa. 84:2 My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

Psa. 87:7 Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes [shall say],  “All my springs [of joy] are in you.”

Psa. 89:12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.

Psa. 89:15 How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance.

Psa. 90:14 O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Psa. 92:4 For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.

Psa. 95:1 ¶ O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.

Psa. 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.

Psa. 96:12 Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy

Psa. 98:4 ¶ Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth; Break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.

Psa. 98:6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn Shout joyfully before the King, the LORD.

Psa. 98:8 Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy

Psa. 100:1 ¶ Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

Psa. 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.

Psa. 105:43 And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout.

Psa. 107:22 Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing.

Psa. 113:9 He makes the barren woman abide in the house [As] a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!

Psa. 118:15 ¶ The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.

Psa. 119:111 I have inherited Your testimonies forever, For they are the joy of my heart.

Psa. 126:2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations,  “The LORD has done great things for them.”

Psa. 126:5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with joyful shouting.

Psa. 126:6 He who goes to and fro weeping, carrying [his] bag of seed, Shall indeed come again with a shout of joy, bringing his sheaves [with him].

Psa. 132:9 Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, And let Your godly ones sing for joy.

Psa. 132:16  “Her priests also I will clothe with salvation, And her godly ones will sing aloud for joy.

Psa. 137:6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth If I do not remember you, If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.

Psa. 145:7 They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

Psa. 149:5 ¶ Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds.

Prov. 11:10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting.

Prov. 12:20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, But counselors of peace have joy.

Prov. 15:13 A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken.

Prov. 15:23 A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word!

Prov. 17:22 A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones.

Prov. 21:15 The exercise of justice is joy for the righteous, But is terror to the workers of iniquity.

Eccl. 2:26 For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.

Is. 12:3 Therefore you will joyously draw water From the springs of salvation.

Is. 12:6 Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, For great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Is. 14:7  “The whole earth is at rest [and] is quiet; They break forth into shouts of joy. 

Is. 24:14 They raise their voices, they shout for joy; They cry out from the west concerning the majesty of the LORD.

Is. 26:19 Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, For your dew [is as] the dew of the dawn, And the earth will give birth to the departed spirits.

Is. 35:2 It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God.

Is. 35:6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah.

Is. 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, With everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Is. 42:11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up [their voices], The settlements where Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud, Let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains.

Is. 44:23 Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done [it]! Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it; For the LORD has redeemed Jacob And in Israel He shows forth His glory.

Is. 48:20 ¶ Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare with the sound of joyful shouting, proclaim this, Send it out to the end of the earth; Say,  “The LORD has redeemed His servant Jacob.”

Is. 49:13 Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted.

Is. 51:3 Indeed, the LORD will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And her wilderness He will make like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in her, Thanksgiving and sound of a melody.

Is. 51:11 So the ransomed of the LORD will return And come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy [will be] on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Is. 52:8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up [their] voices, They shout joyfully together; For they will see with their own eyes When the LORD restores Zion.

Is. 52:9 Break forth, shout joyfully together, You waste places of Jerusalem; For the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.

Is. 54:1 ¶  “Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no [child]; Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed; For the sons of the desolate one [will be] more numerous Than the sons of the married woman,” says the LORD.

Is. 55:12  “For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap [their] hands.

Is. 56:7 Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

Is. 60:15 ¶  “Whereas you have been forsaken and hated With no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, A joy from generation to generation.

Is. 61:7 Instead of your shame [you will have a] double [portion], And [instead of] humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double [portion] in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.

Is. 65:14  “Behold, My servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart, But you will cry out with a heavy heart, And you will wail with a broken spirit.

Is. 66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word:  “Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for My name’s sake, Have said,  ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy.’ But they will be put to shame.

Is. 66:10  “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,

Jer. 7:34  “Then I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a ruin.

Jer. 15:16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

Jer. 25:10  ‘Moreover, I will take from them the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.

Jer. 31:12  “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, And they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD — Over the grain and the new wine and the oil, And over the young of the flock and the herd; And their life will be like a watered garden, And they will never languish again.

Jer. 31:13  “Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together, For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.

Jer. 33:9  ‘It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’

Jer. 33:11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,  “Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, For the LORD is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting”;  [and of those] who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the LORD.

Jer. 51:48  “Then heaven and earth and all that is in them Will shout for joy over Babylon, For the destroyers will come to her from the north,” Declares the LORD.  

Joel 1:16 Has not food been cut off before our eyes, Gladness and joy from the house of our God?

Zeph. 3:14 ¶ Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout [in triumph], O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all [your] heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Zech. 2:10  “Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the LORD.

Zech. 8:19  “Thus says the LORD of hosts,  ‘The fast of the fourth, the fast of the fifth, the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth [months] will become joy, gladness, and cheerful feasts for the house of Judah; so love truth and peace.’

Matt. 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

Matt. 13:20  “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

Matt. 13:44 ¶  “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid [again]; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Matt. 25:21  “His master said to him,  ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Matt. 25:23  “His master said to him,  ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

Matt. 28:8 ¶ And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.

Luke 1:14  “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

Luke 1:44  “For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.

Luke 2:10 But the angel said to them,  “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;

Luke 6:23  “Be glad in that day and leap [for joy], for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.

Luke 10:17 ¶ The seventy returned with joy, saying,  “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

Luke 15:7  “I tell you that in the same way, there will be [more] joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Luke 15:10  “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 19:37 As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen,

Luke 24:41 While they still could not believe [it] because of their joy and amazement, He said to them,  “Have you anything here to eat?”

Luke 24:52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

John 3:29  “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.

John 15:11  “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and [that] your joy may be made full.

John 16:20  “Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.

John 16:21  “Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.

John 16:22  “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one [will] take your joy away from you.

John 16:24  “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

John 17:13  “But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.

Acts 12:14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

Acts 13:52 And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 15:3 Therefore, being sent on their way by the church, they were passing through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and were bringing great joy to all the brethren.

Rom. 7:22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,

Rom. 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Rom. 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rom. 15:32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find [refreshing] rest in your company.

2Cor. 1:24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but are workers with you for your joy; for in your faith you are standing firm.

2Cor. 2:3 This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be [the joy] of you all.

2Cor. 7:4 Great is my confidence in you; great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.

2Cor. 7:13 For this reason we have been comforted. ¶ And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.

2Cor. 8:2 that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Phil. 1:4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all,

Phil. 1:25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,

Phil. 2:2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Phil. 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

Phil. 2:18 You too,  [I urge you], rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Phil. 2:29 Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;

Phil. 4:1 ¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long [to see], my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.

Col. 1:11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously

1Th. 1:6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit,

1Th. 2:19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

1Th. 2:20 For you are our glory and joy.

1Th. 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account,

2Tim. 1:4 longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy.

Philem. 1:7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Heb. 10:34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.

Heb. 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

Heb. 13:17 ¶ Obey your leaders and submit [to them], for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

James 1:2 ¶ Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

James 4:9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.

1Pet. 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

1John 1:4 These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

2John 1:12 ¶ Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to [do so] with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full.

3John 1:4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

Jude 1:24 ¶ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,

What the Bible Says About Rejoicing

Lev. 23:40  ‘Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days.

Deut. 12:7  “There also you and your households shall eat before the LORD your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you.

Deut. 12:12  “And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.

Deut. 12:18  “But you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all your undertakings.

Deut. 14:26  “You may spend the money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen, or sheep, or wine, or strong drink, or whatever your heart desires; and there you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.

Deut. 16:11 and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite who is in your town, and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your midst, in the place where the LORD your God chooses to establish His name.

Deut. 16:14 and you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter and your male and female servants and the Levite and the stranger and the orphan and the widow who are in your towns.

Deut. 26:11 and you and the Levite and the alien who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the LORD your God has given you and your household.

Deut. 27:7 and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and rejoice before the LORD your God.

Deut. 32:43  “Rejoice, O nations,  [with] His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And will render vengeance on His adversaries, And will atone for His land [and] His people.”

Deut. 33:18 ¶ Of Zebulun he said,  “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going forth, And, Issachar, in your tents. 

1Sam. 2:1 ¶ Then Hannah prayed and said,  “My heart exults in the LORD; My horn is exalted in the LORD, My mouth speaks boldly against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation.

2Sam. 1:20  “Tell [it] not in Gath, Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, Or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice, The daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.

1Chr. 16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations,  “The LORD reigns.”

2Chr. 6:41 ¶  “Now therefore arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might; let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good.

2Chr. 20:27 Every man of Judah and Jerusalem returned with Jehoshaphat at their head, returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

Ezra 6:22 And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. 

Psa. 2:11 Worship the LORD with reverence And rejoice with trembling.

Psa. 9:14 That I may tell of all Your praises, That in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation.

Psa. 13:4 And my enemy will say,  “I have overcome him,”  [And] my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

Psa. 13:5 ¶ But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

Psa. 14:7 ¶ Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

Psa. 21:1 ¶ O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad, And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice!

Psa. 30:1 ¶ I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.

Psa. 31:7 I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul,

Psa. 32:11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Psa. 34:2 My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.

Psa. 35:9 ¶ And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD; It shall exult in His salvation.

Psa. 35:19 Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously.

Psa. 35:24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness, And do not let them rejoice over me.

Psa. 35:26 Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress; Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.

Psa. 35:27 ¶ Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually,  “The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

Psa. 38:16 For I said,  “May they not rejoice over me,  [Who], when my foot slips, would magnify themselves against me.”

Psa. 40:16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually,  “The LORD be magnified!”

Psa. 48:11 Let Mount Zion be glad, Let the daughters of Judah rejoice Because of Your judgments.

Psa. 51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness, Let the bones which You have broken rejoice.

Psa. 53:6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His captive people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Psa. 58:10 ¶ The righteous will rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

Psa. 63:11 But the king will rejoice in God; Everyone who swears by Him will glory, For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped.

Psa. 66:6 He turned the sea into dry land; They passed through the river on foot; There let us rejoice in Him!

Psa. 68:3 But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

Psa. 70:4 ¶ Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually,  “Let God be magnified.”

Psa. 85:6 Will You not Yourself revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?

Psa. 89:16 In Your name they rejoice all the day, And by Your righteousness they are exalted.

Psa. 89:42 You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries; You have made all his enemies rejoice.

Psa. 96:11 ¶ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains;

Psa. 97:1 ¶ The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; Let the many islands be glad.

Psa. 106:5 That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance.

Psa. 118:24 This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psa. 119:162 I rejoice at Your word, As one who finds great spoil.

Psa. 149:2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.

Prov. 5:18 Let your fountain be blessed, And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

Prov. 23:16 And my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak what is right.

Prov. 23:24 ¶ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

Prov. 23:25 Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

Prov. 29:2 When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, But when a wicked man rules, people groan.

Eccl. 3:12 ¶ I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime;

Eccl. 5:19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

Eccl. 11:8 Indeed, if a man should live many years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come [will be] futility.

Song 1:4  “Draw me after you [and] let us run [together]! The king has brought me into his chambers.” ¶  “We will rejoice in you and be glad; We will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you.”

Is. 9:3 You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Is. 14:8  “Even the cypress trees rejoice over you,  [and] the cedars of Lebanon,  [saying],  ‘Since you were laid low, no [tree] cutter comes up against us.’

Is. 25:9 And it will be said in that day,  “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Is. 29:19 The afflicted also will increase their gladness in the LORD, And the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

Is. 35:1 ¶ The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus

Is. 35:2 It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God.

Is. 41:16  “You will winnow them, and the wind will carry them away, And the storm will scatter them; But you will rejoice in the LORD, You will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

Is. 49:13 Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted.

Is. 60:5  “Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you.

Is. 61:10 ¶ I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Is. 65:13 ¶ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD,  “Behold, My servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Behold, My servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.

Is. 65:18  “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem [for] rejoicing And her people [for] gladness.

Is. 66:10  “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her; Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,

Jer. 31:13  “Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old, together, For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow. 

Joel 2:21 ¶ Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For the LORD has done great things.

Joel 2:23 So rejoice, O sons of Zion, And be glad in the LORD your God; For He has given you the early rain for [your] vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, The early and latter rain as before.

Hab. 3:18 Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

Zeph. 3:14 ¶ Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout [in triumph], O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all [your] heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Zech. 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout [in triumph], O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zech. 10:7  “Ephraim will be like a mighty man, And their heart will be glad as if [from] wine; Indeed, their children will see [it] and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the LORD.

Matt. 5:12  “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Luke 1:14  “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

Luke 10:20  “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

Luke 15:6  “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them,  ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

Luke 15:9  “When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying,  ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’

Luke 15:32  ‘But we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and [has begun] to live, and [was] lost and has been found.’”

John 4:36  “Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

John 5:35  “He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

John 16:22  “Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one [will] take your joy away from you.

Rom. 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Rom. 15:10 Again he says,  “REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.”

1Cor. 12:26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if [one] member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

1Cor. 13:6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

1Cor. 16:17 I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part.

2Cor. 2:3 This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I came, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be [the joy] of you all.

2Cor. 7:9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to [the point of] repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to [the will of] God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.

2Cor. 7:16 I rejoice that in everything I have confidence in you.

2Cor. 13:9 For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete.

2Cor. 13:11 ¶ Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

Gal. 4:27 For it is written,  “REJOICE, BARREN WOMAN WHO DOES NOT BEAR; BREAK FORTH AND SHOUT, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR; FOR MORE NUMEROUS ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE THAN OF THE ONE WHO HAS A HUSBAND.”

Phil. 1:18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. ¶ Yes, and I will rejoice,

Phil. 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

Phil. 2:18 You too,  [I urge you], rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Phil. 2:28 Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned [about you].

Phil. 3:1 ¶ Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things [again] is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Phil. 4:4 ¶ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Col. 1:24 ¶ Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

1Th. 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account,

1Th. 5:16 Rejoice always;

1Pet. 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

1Pet. 1:8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

1Pet. 4:13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

Rev. 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth [will] rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Rev. 12:12  “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has [only] a short time.”

Rev. 18:20  “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”

Rev. 19:7  “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

What the Bible Says About Being Glad

1Chr. 16:10 Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.

1Chr. 16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations,  “The LORD reigns.”

Psa. 5:11 ¶ But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You.

Psa. 9:2 I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Psa. 14:7 ¶ Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores His captive people, Jacob will rejoice, Israel will be glad.

Psa. 21:1 ¶ O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad, And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice!

Psa. 31:7 I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul,

Psa. 32:11 Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Psa. 40:16 Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let those who love Your salvation say continually,  “The LORD be magnified!”

Psa. 48:11 Let Mount Zion be glad, Let the daughters of Judah rejoice Because of Your judgments.

Psa. 53:6 Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When God restores His captive people, Let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.

Psa. 64:10 The righteous man will be glad in the LORD and will take refuge in Him; And all the upright in heart will glory.

Psa. 67:4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy; For You will judge the peoples with uprightness And guide the nations on the earth. Selah.

Psa. 68:3 But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.

Psa. 70:4 ¶ Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually,  “Let God be magnified.”

Psa. 90:14 O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Psa. 96:11 ¶ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains;

Psa. 97:1 ¶ The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice; Let the many islands be glad.

Psa. 97:12 Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones, And give thanks to His holy name.

Psa. 104:31 ¶ Let the glory of the LORD endure forever; Let the LORD be glad in His works;

Psa. 104:34 Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.

Psa. 105:3 Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.

Psa. 109:28 Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, they shall be ashamed, But Your servant shall be glad.

Psa. 118:24 This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psa. 119:74 May those who fear You see me and be glad, Because I wait for Your word.

Psa. 149:2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker; Let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King.

Prov. 23:15 ¶ My son, if your heart is wise, My own heart also will be glad;

Prov. 23:24 ¶ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who sires a wise son will be glad in him.

Prov. 23:25 Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her rejoice who gave birth to you.

Song 1:4  “Draw me after you [and] let us run [together]! The king has brought me into his chambers.” ¶  “We will rejoice in you and be glad; We will extol your love more than wine. Rightly do they love you.”

Is. 9:3 You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Is. 25:9 And it will be said in that day,  “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Is. 35:1 ¶ The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus

Is. 65:18  “But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem [for] rejoicing And her people [for] gladness.

Is. 65:19  “I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people; And there will no longer be heard in her The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.

Is. 66:14 Then you will see [this], and your heart will be glad, And your bones will flourish like the new grass; And the hand of the LORD will be made known to His servants, But He will be indignant toward His enemies.

Joel 2:21 ¶ Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, For the LORD has done great things.

Joel 2:23 So rejoice, O sons of Zion, And be glad in the LORD your God; For He has given you the early rain for [your] vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, The early and latter rain as before.

Zech. 2:10  “Sing for joy and be glad, O daughter of Zion; for behold I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” declares the LORD.

Zech. 10:7  “Ephraim will be like a mighty man, And their heart will be glad as if [from] wine; Indeed, their children will see [it] and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the LORD.

Matt. 5:12  “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Luke 6:23  “Be glad in that day and leap [for joy], for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets.

Rev. 19:7  “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”

What the Bible Says About Being Happy

Psa. 128:2 When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you.

Eccl. 3:22 I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?

Eccl. 7:14 In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity consider — God has made the one as well as the other So that man will not discover anything [that will be] after him.

What the Bible Says About Delighting

Neh. 1:11  “O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.” ¶ Now I was the cupbearer to the king.

Psa. 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Psa. 16:3 As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.

Psa. 36:8 They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights.

Psa. 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psa. 37:11 But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

Psa. 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.”

Psa. 94:19 When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your consolations delight my soul.

Psa. 111:2 Great are the works of the LORD;  [They are] studied by all who delight in them.

Psa. 112:1 ¶ Praise the LORD! How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who greatly delights in His commandments.

Psa. 119:16 I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.

Psa. 119:24 Your testimonies also are my delight;  [They are] my counselors.

Psa. 119:35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it.

Psa. 119:47 I shall delight in Your commandments, Which I love.

Psa. 119:70 Their heart is covered with fat,  [But] I delight in Your law.

Psa. 119:77 May Your compassion come to me that I may live, For Your law is my delight.

Psa. 119:92 If Your law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction.

Psa. 119:143 Trouble and anguish have come upon me,  [Yet] Your commandments are my delight.

Psa. 119:174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight.

Is. 55:2  “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance.

Is. 58:2  “Yet they seek Me day by day and delight to know My ways, As a nation that has done righteousness And has not forsaken the ordinance of their God. They ask Me [for] just decisions, They delight in the nearness of God.

Is. 58:13 ¶  “If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot From doing your [own] pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy [day] of the LORD honorable, And honor it, desisting from your [own] ways, From seeking your [own] pleasure And speaking [your own] word, Then you will take delight in the LORD, And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; And I will feed you [with] the heritage of Jacob your father, For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”

Jer. 15:16 Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.

What the Bible Says About Being Satisfied

Psa. 17:15 As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with Your likeness when I awake.

Psa. 22:26 The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever!

Psa. 54:7 For He has delivered me from all trouble, And my eye has looked [with satisfaction] upon my enemies.

Psa. 63:5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.

Psa. 65:4 How blessed is the one whom You choose and bring near [to You] To dwell in Your courts. We will be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple.

Psa. 81:16  “But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Psa. 90:14 O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Psa. 91:16  “With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation.”

Psa. 103:5 Who satisfies your years with good things,  [So that] your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Psa. 104:28 You give to them, they gather [it] up; You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.

Psa. 105:40 They asked, and He brought quail, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.

Psa. 107:9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.

Psa. 112:8 His heart is upheld, he will not fear, Until he looks [with satisfaction] on his adversaries.

Psa. 118:7 The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look [with satisfaction] on those who hate me.

Psa. 132:15  “I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her needy with bread.

Psa. 145:16 You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Psa. 147:14 He makes peace in your borders; He satisfies you with the finest of the wheat.

Is. 58:11  “And the LORD will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

Is. 66:11 That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts, That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”

Jer. 31:14  “I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance, And My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the LORD.

Jer. 31:25  “For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.”

Jer. 50:19  ‘And I will bring Israel back to his pasture and he will graze on Carmel and Bashan, and his desire will be satisfied in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead.

Joel 2:19 The LORD will answer and say to His people,  “Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine and oil, And you will be satisfied [in full] with them; And I will never again make you a reproach among the nations.

Joel 2:26  “You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; Then My people will never be put to shame.

Matt. 5:6 ¶  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Luke 6:21  “Blessed [are] you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed [are] you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

Acts 14:17 and yet He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good and gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.”