Pray the Word with David Platt is a resource from Radical.net. Nehemiah chapter 12, verse 43,

and they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy.

The women and children also rejoiced, and the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

What a great verse. You hear the repetition there, don't you?

They offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy.

The women and children also rejoiced and the joy of Jerusalem was heard five away.

Five different times in one verse we see this picture of rejoicing with great joy. All the people

rejoicing in a way that's heard far away among the surrounding nations around Jerusalem.

Remember, these are people who had taunted God's people

when they were rebuilding the walls. It said even if a fox climbs up on those walls, they'll fall down.

Well, now in Nehemiah chapter 12, they are dancing on the walls. They're marching around them,

singing with great joy. What a picture of joy to the glory of God.

How God gives joy to all who trust in Him, a joy that surpasses circumstances, a joy that transcends suffering, a joy that nothing in this world can take away,

a contentment in Jesus and all that He is for us and all that He promises to us.

Joy in God that resounds to the glory of God. So I just want to pray this over you and then

for us to pray this together over the nations. So God, I pray first, for the people who are

listening to this right now, I pray that no matter what they are walking

through in their lives right now, that you would give them joy, pure joy, transcendent joy.

No matter what their circumstances might be, God, I know that some people

listen to this right now are walking through really, really hard times, but I also know what your

word says in Romans chapter 5, how we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Not only so, we rejoice in suffering, knowing that suffering is producing endurance,

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