Being a melancholy, one of the biggest problems I struggle with is maintaining a right level of joy in my life. It is hard to see the positive, the goodness around when all you see is the “half empty” glass.

The reality is, the challenge is great for many today. With the recent slide in our economy and trying to live in the uncertainty, maintaining joy is hard. Keeping joy in focus requires us to fight for it.

Fighting for joy seems like an oxymoron, but the reality is, we know that it is true. We need to fight for it because the enemy of our joy is evil. The enemy is unbelief and the satanic forces behind it and the sins that come from it. We see that daily as we battle the flesh’s attempt to take our eyes off of God and put them on ourselves. That all being said, fighting for joy is a good thing.

Another reason why it is a good and worthwhile battle is because we don’t do it on our own. God gives us His Spirit and strength to fight the good fight. Martin Luther said, “Our striving would be losing.”

In other words, when a child of God fights for joy in God, God is behind us giving us the will and power to sustain us. Philippians 2:12-13 says, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” God fights for us and with us. That being said, fighting for joy is a good thing.

We also need to realize that the fight is not a struggle to carry a burden but to let the burden be carried for us. We sometimes forget the joy-filled life is a life in Christ. It isn’t something that we carry, rather it is carried for us.

But it is hard and we need to fight trust God with the burdens of life. We have to fight for freedom from worry. We have to fight for hope, peace and joy which are constantly being assaulted by unbelief and doubt about God and His promises. Because, freedom, hope, peace and joy are good, fighting is a good thing.

Fighting for joy isn’t about lifting us up, rather it is lifting up the name of Christ. In our culture of self, joy and happiness are usually associated with self-exultation rather than humility.

Proving our worth and goodness as a means of joy is wrong. It misses the source of all goodness and joy in life.. that being God Himself. John 15:5 says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing”

At the heart of faith is the need to admit our helplessness. It is through Christ alone that this eternal joy is available. Again, fighting for joy means fighting for Christ and that is a good thing.

In the end, living a life of joy means that God is being glorified in our lives. When we devote ourselves to resisting the principalities and powers that conspire to derail our joy, we bring glory to God. He becomes our Focus. He becomes our Treasure. And the resulting joy shows me the worth of God and this is a good thing to fight for.

In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Keeping the faith for a lifetime is the result of fighting the good fight for a lifetime. And if in that fight, we experience the joy and glory of Christ, it makes this fight for joy a very good fight.

Fighting for joy is a worthwhile venture. Will we do it? It is challenging, but the rewards definitely make it worthwhile!