The child
of God however has within him rivers of living water flowing, a well springing
up into everlasting life, yes, life and that more abundantly! As we allow the
spontaneous movement of this life within us we are able to experience a joy
unspeakable and full of glory.
WE ARE COMMANDED BY THE WORD OF GOD TO REJOICE!
We are commanded to Rejoice
in the Lord alway: and again I say,
Rejoice. Philippians 4:4 KJV
Psalms
132:9 KJV Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy
saints shout for joy.
Psalms
35:27-28 KJV Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous
cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath
pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. 28 And my
tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day
long.
Be glad in
the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that
are upright in heart. Psalms 32:11 KJV
It is the inherent right of the
Christian to rejoice for the Word says: But let all those that put their
trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest
them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. Psalms
5:11 KJV So do we trust Him? Do
we love His Name? Then we need to begin rejoicing!
The Bible says A
merry heart doeth good like a medicine:... Proverbs 17:22 KJV It is medicine
that should be taken regularly without fail!
When the Saviour was born some
shepherds had a heavenly visitor who brought joyful news, then was joined
by a heavenly host that put on a joyous dazzling display for the shepherds
because the Beloved Son had come down to man!
And the
angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great
joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:10 KJV
Luke 2:13-14
KJV And suddenly there was with the
angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
WHAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE TO REJOICE AND HAVE JOY?
As a citizen of
the kingdom of God, we are partakers of not only righteousness and peace but
Joy, For
the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy
in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17 KJV
When we dwell in the presence of the
Lord we experience fullness of joy! The Word says: Thou wilt shew me the path of
life: in thy presence is fulness
of joy; at thy right hand there
are pleasures for evermore. Psalms 16:11 KJV
When we ask and
receive from the Lord we experience fullness of Joy! Hitherto have ye asked nothing in
my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. John 16:24 KJV
The Bible says Blessed
is the people that know the
joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. 16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the
day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. 17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn
shall be exalted. Psalms 89:15-17 KJV
Nehemiah 8:8-10
KJV So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,
and caused them to understand
the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the
Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn
not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the
law. 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.
The joy of the
Lord does not just strengthen; the joy
itself is our strength. This joy helps us to stand and look the enemy full
in his eye and laugh when he threatens. It helps us to sing praises during our
sufferings and to think little or nothing of the shame connected to serving Him.
We are able to praise Him in the storm because we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose. Romans 8:28 KJV
Remember He
that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32 KJV
THE ENEMY
IS ALLOWED ACCESS WHEN WE FAIL TO SERVE GOD WITH JOY
Deuteronomy
28:47-48 KJV 47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with
joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of
all things; 48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies
which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in
nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron
upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
When we serve God without joy we
make God a liar and underline our unbelief in His promises. We are in effect
saying that I will serve you God for what it is worth but I do not have to be
happy about it. We are saying that serving you is no picnic. I also see that
while I am burdened with complying with your Word my unsaved friends are having
a fun time yet nothing bad seems to happen to them. The tragedy is that we have
not allowed God access to our whole life, so He constantly stands outside the
door shut out from intimate personal relationship with us. Can you hear Him
knocking?
Remember the time you first came to
a saving knowledge of Christ. Remember the joy? The sense of newness, the joy, and
the praise that filled your heart and flowed from your spirit finding
expression through the songs on your lips tone deaf though you may have been.
It was the beautiful relationship with the Lord Whom having not seen, ye love; in
whom, though now ye see him not,
yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 1 Peter
1:8 KJV
What happened to us since then?
How we need to get back to that relationship in Christ! The Word says: Blessed
is the people that know the
joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. 16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the
day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. 17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn
shall be exalted. Psalms 89:15-17 KJV
SIN WILL EFFECTIVELY STEAL OUR JOY AND RENDER US
INEFFECTIVE
That’s why David prayed: Make me to hear joy and
gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may
rejoice. 9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine
iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a
right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the
joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free
spirit. 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and
sinners shall be converted unto thee. Psalms 51:8-13 KJV
JESUS
TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE SPOKE TO THEM FOR A REASON…A JOYOUS REASON!
Delighting in His Word results in
Joy!
These
things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be
full. John 15:11 KJV
John 17:13
KJV And now come I to thee; and these
things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in
themselves.
Thy testimonies
have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
Psalms 119:111 KJV
Thy words were
found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of
mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16 KJV
Nehemiah 8:8-10
KJV So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense,
and caused them to understand
the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the
Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn
not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the
law. 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 1:1-2 KJV
Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor
sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2
But his delight is in the law
of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Laughter in our lives is more than
just an outward audible expression. It is a definite attitude of the spirit
that should be an integral part of the child of God. Your outward expression is
an manifestation of your inner influence. Does this influence come from a
carnal soulish realm or does it come from a regenerated spirit?
A merry heart does not come
naturally... it takes conscious effort to keep it merry. Joy is one of the
fruits of the Spirit which needs to be cultivated. Galatians 5:22-23
KJV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law. Fruit bearing requires patience, perseverance and
persistence.
WE ARE ADVISED ON WHAT TO REJOICE
ABOUT
Matthew
5:11-12 KJV Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice,
and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Luke
6:22-23 KJV Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they
shall separate you from their company, and shall
reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's
sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold,
your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their
fathers unto the prophets.
Luke
10:19-20 KJV Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions,
and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you;
but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
John 14:28
KJV Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and
come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I
said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
James
1:2-4 KJV My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers
temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith
worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
JESUS KNEW HOW TO REJOICE! HE HAD A REASON TO!
Hebrews
12:1-3 KJV Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and
let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of
sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
THE EARLY CHURCH KNEW HOW TO REJOICE
2 Corinthians
8:1-2 KJV 1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed
on the churches of Macedonia; 2 How that in a great trial of affliction the
abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their
liberality.
Romans 15:13-14 KJV
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may
abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. 14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my
brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able
also to admonish one another.
Acts 5:40-42 KJV
And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should
not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the
council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his
name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in
every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 16:25-26
KJV And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the
prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the
foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were
opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
As we deliberately develop an
attitude of praise and rejoicing in the LORD, the waters of life that flow in
us begins to stir and swell and build up into a torrent, a veritable tsunami of
joy that hits the enemy with an effectiveness that reverberates throughout the
spirit world bringing the hosts of heaven right down into the prison that holds
you and suddenly…we are free!
Isaiah 51:11 KJV Therefore
the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and
everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness
and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
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