The more we show His Character and the more we become like Him (the more we are changed in every area into His likeness): the more we see heaven on earth.
God never leads us outside His Character!
Psalms 16:11 KJV “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”
God is a God of joy, there is fullness of joy, and joy of the Lord. Heaven is a place of great joy (Matthew 25:23).
Religion has made joy to be a bad thing, and serious face and lack of laughter a good thing: that’s a devil talking.
Your life as a Holy Ghost filled (baptized in Him, with fullness of joy) Jesus believer is a joyful life!
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, we are people of joy, church should be the happiest place on earth, and out of the lips of every believer should come a shouts of joy!
The enemy hates it when you are full of joy. Joy demonstrated in your life brings judgement on the kingdom of darkness.
Joy brings strength!
Nehemiah 8:9 KJV “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.”
Nehemiah 8:10 KJV “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.”
It is a necessity that we are STRONG in these end times – you choose the source of your strength! Let it be the joy of the Lord!
The Joy of the Lord is not the amusement of the mind, but an overflow of the heart.
We are to be strong! Joy empowers us to stay strong at all times, in all circumstances!
John 15:7-11 KJV “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.”
What happens when joyfulness is missing:
Deuteronomy 28:47-48 KJV “Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 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.”
- In reverse: we’ll be free to serve the Lord, we’ll be satisfied, we’ll be clothed, and all yokes are destroyed as we serve God with joyful hearts!
Ways to grow in Joy:
- We receive the Word with joy! Faith and joy go together! By the Word, and by hearing the Word, is how we receive faith. (Joh. 15:11)
Jeremiah 15:16 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.”
- Focus on being a blessing, and start pouring out to others. Get your eyes off self! Putting others before “me”. Share the Word with others and purpose to help someone else. Our lives are no longer our own. (“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 KJV)
Proverbs 11:25 NLT “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
- Get thirsty and hungry to be full of the Holy Spirit! Put aside all distractions, and desire to spend time with Him!
Psalms 42:1 NLT “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.”
Say:
“I am an overcomer!”
An overcomer is someone, who continues to display joy while going through a trial. You can’t overcome without JOY!
Isaiah 12:3 KJV “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
Salvation is an all inclusive word, with joy we partake of it all, and without it we can’t receive the benefits.
Pray and praise until you hit joy!