Bible Reading: Isaiah 30 & 31: Philippians 4
“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” Philippians 4:4(KJV)
We are admonished to stay joyful always in the Lord. One of the tricks of the devil that opens up Christians to the attack of the enemy is negative thoughts. These negative thoughts comes to our mind and we take ownership by allowing them to stay and pondered over. Negative thoughts are evil whispers of the devil which comes to our mind and we assumed we are the one thinking. Most of these negative thoughts when they mature can lead to depression, sin and death.
One of the deadliest channel for satanic encroachment into our life is depression. The reason that Apostle Paul is encouraging us to always rejoice in Christ is to help us build up resistance against the subtle evil thoughts of the enemy. Joy is a ventilator to our soul from depressive thoughts and evil imagination. Joy enriches and enlivens our soul. Joy is an incubator to our soul that helps us to tap into the unsearchable riches in Christ. “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation” Isaiah 12:3 (KJV).
Joy gathers goodness and positive ideas while depression gathers negatives thought and evil. Joy is a carrier of divine blessing because a joyful heart is a godly heart because joy is the fertile ground upon which righteousness thrive. Joy accelerate praise and ushers in divine presence. There is healing virtue in being joyful.
Rejoicing in the Lord should be a ceaseless activity as a lifestyle in our Christian race. In the old testament, God instructed the children of Israel to eat in their various feast and rejoice in the Lord. When we rejoice in the Lord it is an act of gratefulness and thanksgiving. We must have so much reasons to praise and rejoice in the Lord. This is why the song writer wrote the song for us to count our blessings and name them one by one. Joy enables us to be positive and confess positively. If you say nothing is working in your life, what of your heart that is beating continuously? What happens if your heart stops working? Is this not enough reason to remain Joyful? “And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou and the levite, and the stranger that is among you” Deuteronomy 26:11 (KJV).
The fact that your heart is beating and your liver is functioning is enough to rejoice in the Lord always. Being alive is a great blessing from God that should fill our heart with joy. We take breathing freely and having water to drink for granted. Joy is infectious and contagious. It reproduces itself and multiplies among people. Joy is the transporter of divine blessings and virtue. The joy of the Lord is strength to the joyful. Joy is a defense and it dispels evil and refreshes the soul.
Dear reader without the salvation that Christ offers joy will allude you here on earth. To live rejoicing always in the LORD requires that you get hold of the source of that joy. I therefore encourage you surrender your life to Christ and become a recipient of this joy unspeakable.
Prayer: Father give me the grace to stay rejoicing always in you.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo