A feeling of great pleasure.
Joy is a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. It is an emotion evoked by well-being, success, good fortune, or the prospect of possessing what one desires. It is also a selfless feeling of extreme happiness and pleasure that may require great self-sacrifice. It is a state of mind and an orientation of the heart that involves contentment, confidence, and hope. It is a fruit of the Spirit and a response to something positive or to meeting your needs. Joy comes and go depending on what one does or the source. For example, you buy a product that you think it is going to be great and when you receive it if it is bad, it will turn your joy away. In God the things that he has for us will not deter his joy away, they turn our hearts into a content mode. Nehemiah told the people of God to go eat, drink and relax because they had just finished rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem and were about to engage in rebuilding themselves, so the joy of the Lord was going to strengthen them (Ne8:10). We know that hardship will come to us all for sure, and while we are in Christ the promise of joy and its appearance is guaranteed (Ps30:5). The source of true joy is found in God, it is the experience that every sinner experiences once he repents. David said to the Lord to let his bones whom he broke rejoice (Ps51:8).
John 15:11
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
There is a joyous feeling when people see God heal as in Matthew 15:31. God wants his joy to remain in us; he wants to be joyous about how we live our lives, and at the same time wants that we be totally content with what he is doing in us. In this chapter of John 15 one thing stands out the most that makes God happy over us, and that we develop a dependency on him. When sick, hardship or pain come our way that we run to God is what makes him happy and not burdened. We burden God when we run from him. Knowing that God is happy and that he is not against us a strength. Luke says that without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb11:6). He also says that it is with our sacrifices of our lips and by doing good deeds we please the Lord (Heb13:15-16). There is a fullness level that our joy that must be reached, and that is when he is happy over us (Ps16:11). Salomon says that joy is good like a medicine (Prv17:22), the same good feeling is felt when there is fullness of it in our lives.
Nehemiah 8:10
10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Psalms 30:5
5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Psalms 51:8
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
Matthew 15:31
31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.
Hebrews 11:6
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 13:15-16
15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Psalms 16:11
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Proverbs 17:22
22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.