I feel truly
ashamed and it’s with my face covered that I say… Happy New Year
to all MONIC Readers! First let me say that I have missed you all! And I know
it’s my fault for waiting this long before this post came and I am truly sorry.
As you read, I trust GOD that you’ll find it as being worth the wait after all.
I know that you will enjoy this article on joy and please let me know what you
think about it. Thank you for passing by, and for being a huge part of my
smile. Always remember that GOD loves you as do I!
So…Let’s Talk Joy!
In this life
and especially with teenagers and young adults, one word I’ve come to find
regular in speech is “depression”. We hear “I'm fine. Just a
little depressed” or “I was so depressed today”. I hope these truths that have
caused a rapid and radical change in my thinking spur such changes and more in yours too.
Today, we’ll be
learning a few facts about joy that has changed my life. Joy is a fruit of the
SPIRIT. I'm not talking about happiness or a state of glee, but genuine deep
seated joy that is found only in GOD. The Encarta dictionary explains that joy
comes especially from a spiritual source. I am talking about a stand where you
know that no matter what happens out here, deep down nothing can steal that
settlement, contentment and peace within.
The BIBLE in
Neh 8:10b says "...For the joy of the LORD is your strength" It links
the strength of a man to the level of GOD’s joy he has resident in him meaning
the absence of GOD’s joy is the presence of weakness. This means that joy that
is gotten from the LORD is what gives strength to a man, of which without it,
man lives a weak life void of strength for fulfillment of any of HIS goals and
dreams. The BIBLE speaking again says "the glory of the youth is in their
strength..." Prov 20:29. This clearly means that there’s a sole characteristic
that qualifies one to be called a youth and that is strength. This quality is
not found in older men or in children and that’s why the BIBLE tells us here
that when you see a person, what makes you know that he is a youth is only if he/she exhibits this
character of strength. Putting the two verses together we see clearly that, if
the joy of the LORD is our strength, and the glory of a youth is in his
strength, then anyone can remain a youth (exhibit full strength) in his/her
endeavors at whatever age so long that person
remains joyful. Joy refuels life’s energy and it is what keeps anyone strong
enough and refueled to fulfill GOD’s ordained plans and purpose for us as HIS
children. GOD calls us to reign on this earth (Rev 5:10), and to fulfill destiny
and GOD’s call upon our lives is not what we can carry in our own energy.
Listening to some of our fathers in this journey, I see clearly that joy indeed
is what has sustained them all.
The Big
Question is how?
Two simple ways
to get joyful and remain at it.
1. Salvation: The BIBLE says that “…in your presence there is
fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Ps 16:11). The
BIBLE also refers to every believer as one who has a seat far above in the
heavens in Eph 2:6 saying;
“And God
raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in
Christ Jesus,” Meaning simply that our new ranking as believers resident in
CHRIST gives us a new position and an atmosphere of joy. This is because joy is
a character of GOD. Infact, it is next to HIS personality of love as explained
to us in Gal 5:22-23.
“ But the
fruit of the SPIRIT is love, joy,…” So automatically every
believer has an inheritance, indeed a right to be joyful. Make that decision
today.
2. Praise: It is an
established fact that there’s an endless supply of joy in the presence of GOD.
One way to stay, dwell and keep on exploring that presence until it becomes our
conscious habitation is to live a life full of praise unto the LORD and yes
that is regardless of whatever mask life chooses to wear par time. Ps 100:4
says” Enter
his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him
and praise his name.” We do
this by being totally conscious of all the good things GOD has done and to lose
consciousness of what seems to be left undone. The character of lack of
satisfaction is exactly what landed the devil out of GOD’s presence
(Rev12:7-12), he praised GOD, he understood GOD was marvelous but somehow
thought he could do it better (meaning GOD wasn’t doing enough) and those kinds
of people have no place in GOD’s kingdom.
GOD loves
grateful people and HE daily pulls them close. Therefore, I plead with us today
and always, GOD will never chase us out of HIS courts, but let us not wander away
in search of what seems not to be there, rather when we give HIM thanks for
what HE has done, we enter in enough to inherit what we haven’t inherited yet!
When we praise, we qualify for things we never would have naturally qualified
for.
Check this out…
6 But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the
daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. 7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her
whatever she might ask.
8 So she, having been prompted by her mother, said,
“Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.”
9 And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of
the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to
be given to her. 10 So he sent and had John beheaded in prison. 11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to
the girl, and she brought it to
her mother.(Matt 14:6-11)
Can you imagine that? A girl not a
noble, given such priviledges and honors by an earthy king cause of her dance? Don’t
know about you but this stirs me to dance to GOD more.
Finally,
Praise is the fastest way to get out of depression and stay out of it. #Activate
Joy
Always
Remember: Get Excited- Stay Excited.
GOD loves u….
In HIM,
Monic
Nice piece, Joyce!
ReplyDeleteHis presence radiates joy, so if you hang around Him long enough, you'll smell like joy too!
Looking forward to reading your next article...
Thank you soo much Kingsley, by GOD's grace we'll have some more soon. Thank u so much again!
Delete