Topic: What is the source of your joy?
Bible Reading: Psalm 119:57-112; Romans 6
Memory Verse: “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.” Psalm 119:92 (KJV)
Joy is defined by the American dictionary of the English Language as the passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune, the gratification of desire or some good possessed or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits. So many things can bring joy to the heart but they are always short-lived.
Many people look for joy in wrong places. Some look unto men to provide for them either physically, emotionally or materially and while for a while this may work out; in the long run, it is a disappointment. Firstly, it’s not because the man is unwilling to provide your need but because he is also limited. Imagine a man who promises to pay the school fees of a young undergraduate based on the fact he has a job; but suddenly he lost his job and because of this, he is unable to fulfill his promise. In some other cases, some may not fulfill their promises not because they do not have the ability but because their priorities have changed! This is why the Bible says in Psalm 60:11 (KJV), “Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.”
So you should always look unto Jesus in every area of your life. He is the only one who can provide all you need and is your true example. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:2 (KJV), “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.” When you face any challenge and you commit it unto the hands of God, you have an assurance that He will meet you at the point of your needs with the right dosage and at the right time because He knows all things. 1 John 3:20 (KJV) says, “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.”
This is why God tells His children not to worry about anything or situation that may confront them because He has the capacity not only to know everything but also to do everything! What a mighty God we serve. However He expects you to call on Him and give Him glory in all situations recognizing His ability to restore you to the best position. Thus, He says in Philippians 4:6 (KJV), “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Are you challenged by any affliction, troubled by any situation, despaired by the misuse of authority by men? Remember, the true source of your joy is Christ Jesus and not any other power or authority. This is why the Psalmist says that he is alive because God is the source of his joy and therefore unshakeable because the Almighty God says to His children in Romans 8:37 (KJV), “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” So in your situation today, just remember to study and meditate on the word of God in which your joy lies and see how you remain victorious. No wonder the Psalmist says in Psalm 119:92 (KJV), “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.”
However, if you do not have Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, you do not have the cover just explained above. But God is so merciful such that you do not need any special sacrifice to come under the cover. All you need is to repent of your sins and ask Him to be your Lord and Saviour promising sincerely to forsake those sinful ways and obey Him going forward and He will accept you! Thus, Jesus says in Matthew 11:28 (KJV), “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Prayer point: Father as I study and meditate on your word, fill me with your joy afresh in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero