“The Joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10 NKJ).
This word translated strength has a military connotation. The original Hebrew word is ma’owz (maw-cze’) and indicates a fortified place, a citadel, a place of defense or a stronghold. Thus, the joy of the Lord is our fortified place, our place of safety and protection.
Since I was the only born-again. Spirit-filled person in a barracks of twenty-four men, my military experience was a time of extreme testing. Standing alone against ridicule, rejection, social ostracism, group humiliation, and constant verbal harassment made this one of the most difficult times of my entire life.
The Lord graciously compensated me for it by giving me holy laughter and overwhelming joy. I had so much inner joy during that three-year period that it seemed like an inward buoyancy was suspending me.
The more the demonic hostility surfaced, the more inwardly fortified I became with the joy of the Lord. I understood what the Apostle Peter meant when he wrote: “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye…” (1 Pet. 4:14).
The happiness that we experience at the human level always comes as a result of good things happening to us. In the spiritual walk of faith, happiness can be imparted to us even when bad things are taking place in our lives.
When things go wrong and our Christian witness is being violently opposed or even mildly criticized. God imparts His tranquilizing joy that takes all the pain of ridicule and rejection from us. The joy the Lord gives us is our stronghold. It is a place of safety were Satan’s darts cannot touch us.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.