Joy is Based on His Righteousness and Peace

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14: 17)

How do you "get" joy?

For starters, it's all about receiving the Holy Spirit, and the gifts that He brings with Him:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith," (Galatians 5:22)

So, it's the fruit of the Spirit, and we receive the Spirit by believe in that Jesus Christ died for all our sins:

"To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

"While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." (Acts 10: 43-44)

When we believe and receive that all of our sins are forgiven through the Blood of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, not just take residence over us.

The Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness (John 16: 10).

The Kingdom of Heaven starts with this righteousness, that before God all our sins are forgiven, and we are thus justified from everything that the law of Moses could never justify us (Acts 13: 38-39)

With righteousness comes peace. Paul explains:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5: 1)

God is no longer angry at us. We can never invite His displeasure ever again because Jesus died on the Cross for us, and He is and remains forever (Hebrews 13: 8) our mercy seat (1 John 2: 2).

When we know that all our sins are forgiven -- past, present, future -- and thus we have peace with God no matter what happens, or what we do,  then joy indeed will spring forth in your life, not by your efforts but by His grace.

Joy is based on Jesus living in us through His Holy Spirit (Colossians 1: 27), who is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30) and our peace (Ephesians 2: 14).