Bible Reading: Psalm 119:65 – 96
“Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. Thou art good; teach me thy statutes” Psalm 119:67(KJV).
God is a good and merciful God who does not hold us to our iniquities and sin. God’s mercy and love is engraved on every line of scriptures. God’s actions are all love motivated, even his chastisement of his children. When we go astray we open our life for the enemy to torment. “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him” Ecclesiastes 10:8(KJV). As children of God we are hedged round by God’s divine protection in righteousness. See what the devil told God about God’s protection of Job “Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and all about his house and all, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land” Job 1:10(KJV) In righteousness Job was hedged by God’s divine protection round about, so are you. When we go astray we become victims of affliction and suffering induced by the devil, but when we cry out to our God from a sincere heart and godly sorrow he hears us and intervenes to end our misery. The word says in Psalm 103: 8-10(KJV) “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities” God has promised us deliverance in times of trouble. The word says “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him from them all” Psalm 34:19(KJV). God will not hold us to our sin which he has forgiven us in dealing with us. When our sins are forgiven they are blotted away by the blood of Jesus and it has gone into God’s sea of forgetfulness. He remembers our sins no more and in his future dealing with us he sees us as someone who has not committed sin. His forgiveness is forever. Staying with God’s word even in our affliction is the surest way out of it. Our God is a God of mercy by whom all actions are weighed. When our repentance is genuine God knows and he is quick to deliver us. Every experience we pass through has something to teach us. We need to stay with God and his word to understand and know what he is teaching us from such experiences. God’s anger is but for a moment, but in his favour is life. Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5). No matter the situation you find yourself in life your best bet is to stay with God and his word. God’s word provides succour for a languishing soul. Staying with God and his word with gladness, joy and always rejoicing is a knockout against your adversary. Joy ventilates your spirit for divine ideas and intervention. Staying joyful is the easiest way to attain destiny in Christ. The bible says in Isaiah 12:3(KJV) “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation” Joy is a restorer of destiny, stay in it. In any situation you find yourself say no to depression and say yes to joy and remain always rejoicing.
Prayer: Father, grant me a joyful heart and a heart that pants after you and your word even in hard times.
Bro. Joel Ezeugo