"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." (Prov. 13:12) Our hope is not in a natural world. Our hope is in God. Our hope is in Christ, His Word and all of His Promises. When we become born-again, the Spirit of Christ lives on the inside of us. Therefore, since the Spirit of Christ lives on the inside of us, the fruit of His Spirit includes joy (Gal. 5:22-23).

"Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." (Is. 12:3) The way we draw from the wells of salvation is with joy. If we are truly believing God there will be an inexpressible joy (1 Pt. 1:8). We have a joy that comes from the inside. We have a joy that comes from Christ. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is living in us. His life is flowing through us. When we are joyful in difficult t ...