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Do you realize that joy is something you choose? There is a time for mourning but it is not healthy on a daily basis. If gone unchecked it can become a downward spiral of self-focus. Oppression is not a fruit of the Spirit. It takes no faith to be depressed.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.Galatians 5:22
God has given us joy in His Presence. It takes a God-focus to enter into His joy. Jesus said the joy that I give you no man can take away. Even with the cross before Jesus it was “the joy that was set before Him” that gave Him the strength to endure it. We need to learn how to “rejoice in the Lord… always”. (Philippians 4:4) A life filled with joy does not mean the absence of difficulty. Rather, it is God’s joy that empowers us as overcomers.
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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Hebrews 12:2
The joy of the Lord is our strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) Have you ever felt sapped of your spiritual strength? Spiritual reality also affects your physical body. That are intimately connected. Joy is your breakthrough and it is something you must break into.
Joy is something you choose. God tells us that He “sets before us” the ability to choose what path we will walk on. It is our choice. (Deuteronomy 30:15) We can choose to believe a lie or believe the truth of God’s Word. There is a “sound of joy” that God releases through us that is terror to the devil. Why? Because it is our strength, freedom and that which demobilizes demonic powers.
Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound!They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.Psalms 89:15
Jesus was anointed with what? The oil of joy!
You have loved righteousness [You have delighted in integrity, virtue, and uprightness in purpose, thought, and action] and You have hated lawlessness (injustice and iniquity). Therefore God, [even] Your God (Godhead), has anointed You with the oil of exultant joy and gladness above and beyond Your companions.Hebrews 1:9
Joy is one aspect of our inheritance that lifts us to reality in the high places where we are seated with Christ. This is reality. This is what Jesus accomplished through the cross – setting us with Him in the heavenly realms far above all rule, authorities and powers. Here we live far above all circumstances that are bound in this earth.
When the devil is bound the people of God rejoice! When the disciples of Jesus cast out the devils that were very happy about it. They came back to Jesus rejoicing that demons had to submit to the name of Jesus. (Luke 10:17-26) This is before “Acts 2” – before the Spirit had been given. This meant volumes to Jesus. After this event He went about “rejoicing”. This word in the Greek means to “jump for joy”.
In that hour Jesus REJOICED in the Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.Luke 10:21g0021. ἀγαλλιάω agalliaō; from ἄγαν agan (much) and 242; properly, to jump for joy, i.e. exult: — be (exceeding) glad, with exceeding joy, rejoice (greatly).
Jesus was having fun seeing the disciples walk in the authority of His Name – and to see the devil have a hard day. Jesus basically said, “Yep, I saw satan fall like lighting from heaven.” (Luke 10:18) He fell and he fell HARD. Then Jesus went off to rejoice that the Father had given this authority to men who believed on His Name.
There is great joy in the Presence of the Lord. The oil (or anointing) of joy breaks the yoke of heaviness that the devil puts on people. A life of praise causes us to breakthrough into a realm of supernatural joy.
God wants to anoint you with fresh oil, with fresh joy in His Presence. There is a joyful shout of praise that needs released in your life. Religiosity wants to keep everything nice, quiet and dignified. You have to learn to lose your dignity, pride, reputation, looking good before men approach to life. What matters is that you are pleasing God, Him alone.
God wants to release a revival of joy that breaks the heaviness off your life. He has called you to fullness of life in His Presence. No more timidity. No more fear. No more men-pleasing. Breakthrough into the reality of His joy in your life through exuberant praise, the lifting up of your voice – as you shout to God with a voice of triumph! Let faith rise in your heart.
You will show me the path of life;In Your presence is fullness of joy;At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.Psalms 16:11
Activate your faith. Rejoice in the Lord! Let thanksgiving rise from your heart for all that He is, all that He has done, all He is doing and all that He will do – in this place you will experience breakthrough!
John Belt
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A Heart Of Thankfulness and a Prophetic Word
Bring along your communion and lest be thankful together