DAY 271:
Christians have many levels of maturity, and you will find the strongest, are filled with the joy of the Lord!
‘…For the joy of the LORD is your strength,’ (Nehemiah 8:10).
Sometimes people appear to be joyous, because they laugh or joke around.. but that is not a genuine test of someone having God’s joy! Many miserable people laugh, but it is usually at the expense of other people. They don’t have joy the way God intended them to have it! The joy of the Lord is our strength.. Not strength to speak evil or to do harm to others in any way, shape, or form. The joy of the Lord gives us strength to stand, to fight, and to endure in expectation of God’s goodness prevailing, no matter what.. to help and not hurt!!
The people of God are expected to be happy and joyful!! Let me remind you of His Word!!
‘O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph,’ (Psalm 47:1).
‘Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing,’ (Psalm 100:1-2).
‘Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad,’ (Psalm 126:-3).
‘Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp,’ (Psalm 149:3)
‘Rejoice evermore,’ (1 Thessalonians 5:16).
“Christians” without joy are most likely in a relationship with religion, rather than with Jesus, and therefore, they are weak. It doesn’t matter how strong you think you are, you are powerless without God and you won’t be able to withstand the wiles, deception, confusion, strife, contention, and temptations of the enemy.. I pray you realize the tremendous strength you will walk in and the victory you will find when you receive the joy of the Lord and confidently know that it is indeed your strength!! When you have His joy, you will truly be glad, because you will see more clearly the manifestation of the GREAT things God has done for YOU..!!
~David E. Taylor~
