Yesterday

You shall not go out with haste, . . . for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard —Isaiah 52:12

Security from Yesterday. “. . . God requires an account of what is past” (Ecclesiastes 3:15). At the end of the year we turn with eagerness to all that God has for the future, and yet anxiety is apt to arise when we remember our yesterdays. Our present enjoyment of God’s grace tends to be lessened by the memory of yesterday’s sins and blunders. But God is the God of our yesterdays, and He allows the memory of them to turn the past into a ministry of spiritual growth for our future. God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.

Security for Tomorrow. “. . . the Lord will go before you . . . .” This is a gracious revelation— that God will send His forces out where we have failed to do so. He will keep watch so that we will not be tripped up again by the same failures, as would undoubtedly happen if He were not our “rear guard.” And God’s hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience.

Security for Today. “You shall not go out with haste . . . .” As we go forth into the coming year, let it not be in the haste of impetuous, forgetful delight, nor with the quickness of impulsive thoughtlessness. But let us go out with the patient power of knowing that the God of Israel will go before us. Our yesterdays hold broken and irreversible things for us. It is true that we have lost opportunities that will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.

Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.

Enlarge the Place of your Tent

Continuous Conversion

. . . unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven —Matthew 18:3

These words of our Lord refer to our initial conversion, but we should continue to turn to God as children, being continuously converted every day of our lives. If we trust in our own abilities, instead of God’s, we produce consequences for which God will hold us responsible. When God through His sovereignty brings us into new situations, we should immediately make sure that our natural life submits to the spiritual, obeying the orders of the Spirit of God. Just because we have responded properly in the past is no guarantee that we will do so again. The response of the natural to the spiritual should be continuous conversion, but this is where we so often refuse to be obedient. No matter what our situation is, the Spirit of God remains unchanged and His salvation unaltered. But we must “put on the new man . . .” (Ephesians 4:24). God holds us accountable every time we refuse to convert ourselves, and He sees our refusal as willful disobedience. Our natural life must not rule— God must rule in us.

To refuse to be continuously converted puts a stumbling block in the growth of our spiritual life. There are areas of self-will in our lives where our pride pours contempt on the throne of God and says, “I won’t submit.” We deify our independence and self-will and call them by the wrong name. What God sees as stubborn weakness, we call strength. There are whole areas of our lives that have not yet been brought into submission, and this can only be done by this continuous conversion. Slowly but surely we can claim the whole territory for the Spirit of God.

Where the Battle is Won or Lost

’If you will return, O Israel,’ says the Lord . . . —Jeremiah 4:1

Our battles are first won or lost in the secret places of our will in God’s presence, never in full view of the world. The Spirit of God seizes me and I am compelled to get alone with God and fight the battle before Him. Until I do this, I will lose every time. The battle may take one minute or one year, but that will depend on me, not God. However long it takes, I must wrestle with it alone before God, and I must resolve to go through the hell of renunciation or rejection before Him. Nothing has any power over someone who has fought the battle before God and won there.

I should never say, “I will wait until I get into difficult circumstances and then I’ll put God to the test.” Trying to do that will not work. I must first get the issue settled between God and myself in the secret places of my soul, where no one else can interfere. Then I can go ahead, knowing with certainty that the battle is won. Lose it there, and calamity, disaster, and defeat before the world are as sure as the laws of God. The reason the battle is lost is that I fight it first in the external world. Get alone with God, do battle before Him, and settle the matter once and for all.

In dealing with other people, our stance should always be to drive them toward making a decision of their will. That is how surrendering to God begins. Not often, but every once in a while, God brings us to a major turning point— a great crossroads in our life. From that point we either go toward a more and more slow, lazy, and useless Christian life, or we become more and more on fire, giving our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory.

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“Walk in the Light”

If we walk in the light as He is in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin —1 John 1:7

To mistake freedom from sin only on the conscious level of our lives for complete deliverance from sin by the atonement through the Cross of Christ is a great error. No one fully knows what sin is until he is born again. Sin is what Jesus Christ faced at Calvary. The evidence that I have been delivered from sin is that I know the real nature of sin in me. For a person to really know what sin is requires the full work and deep touch of the atonement of Jesus Christ, that is, the imparting of His absolute perfection.

The Holy Spirit applies or administers the work of the atonement to us in the deep unconscious realm as well as in the conscious realm. And it is not until we truly perceive the unrivaled power of the Spirit in us that we understand the meaning of 1 John 1:7 , which says, “. . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” This verse does not refer only to conscious sin, but also to the tremendously profound understanding of sin which only the Holy Spirit in me can accomplish.

I must “walk in the light as He is in the light . . .”— not in the light of my own conscience, but in God’s light. If I will walk there, with nothing held back or hidden, then this amazing truth is revealed to me: “. . . the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses [me] from all sin” so that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke in me. On the conscious level it produces a keen, sorrowful knowledge of what sin really is. The love of God working in me causes me to hate, with the Holy Spirit’s hatred for sin, anything that is not in keeping with God’s holiness. To “walk in the light” means that everything that is of the darkness actually drives me closer to the center of the light.

The Hidden Life

. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God —Colossians 3:3

The Spirit of God testifies to and confirms the simple, but almighty, security of the life that “is hidden with Christ in God.” Paul continually brought this out in his New Testament letters. We talk as if living a sanctified life were the most uncertain and insecure thing we could do. Yet it is the most secure thing possible, because it has Almighty God in and behind it. The most dangerous and unsure thing is to try to live without God. For one who is born again, it is easier to live in a right-standing relationship with God than it is to go wrong, provided we heed God’s warnings and “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7).

When we think of being delivered from sin, being “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), and “walk[ing] in the light,” we picture the peak of a great mountain. We see it as very high and wonderful, but we say, “Oh, I could never live up there!” However, when we do get there through God’s grace, we find it is not a mountain peak at all, but a plateau with plenty of room to live and to grow. “You enlarged my path under me, so my feet did not slip” (Psalm 18:36).

When you really see Jesus, I defy you to doubt Him. If you see Him when He says, “Let not your heart be troubled . . .” (John 14:27), I defy you to worry. It is virtually impossible to doubt when He is there. Every time you are in personal contact with Jesus, His words are real to you. “My peace I give to you . . .” (John 14:27)— a peace which brings an unconstrained confidence and covers you completely, from the top of your head to the soles of your feet. “. . . your life is hidden with Christ in God,” and the peace of Jesus Christ that cannot be disturbed has been imparted to you.

The Drawing of the Father

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him . . . —John 6:44

When God begins to draw me to Himself, the problem of my will comes in immediately. Will I react positively to the truth that God has revealed? Will I come to Him? To discuss or deliberate over spiritual matters when God calls is inappropriate and disrespectful to Him. When God speaks, never discuss it with anyone as if to decide what your response may be (see Galatians 1:15-16). Belief is not the result of an intellectual act, but the result of an act of my will whereby I deliberately commit myself. But will I commit, placing myself completely and absolutely on God, and be willing to act solely on what He says? If I will, I will find that I am grounded on reality as certain as God’s throne.

In preaching the gospel, always focus on the matter of the will. Belief must come from the will to believe. There must be a surrender of the will, not a surrender to a persuasive or powerful argument. I must deliberately step out, placing my faith in God and in His truth. And I must place no confidence in my own works, but only in God. Trusting in my own mental understanding becomes a hindrance to complete trust in God. I must be willing to ignore and leave my feelings behind. I must will to believe. But this can never be accomplished without my forceful, determined effort to separate myself from my old ways of looking at things. I must surrender myself completely to God.

Everyone has been created with the ability to reach out beyond his own grasp. But it is God who draws me, and my relationship to Him in the first place is an inner, personal one, not an intellectual one. I come into the relationship through the miracle of God and through my own will to believe. Then I begin to get an intelligent appreciation and understanding of the wonder of the transformation in my life.

Experience or God’s Revealed Truth?

We have received . . . the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God —1 Corinthians 2:12

My experience is not what makes redemption real— redemption is reality. Redemption has no real meaning for me until it is worked out through my conscious life. When I am born again, the Spirit of God takes me beyond myself and my experiences, and identifies me with Jesus Christ. If I am left only with my personal experiences, I am left with something not produced by redemption. But experiences produced by redemption prove themselves by leading me beyond myself, to the point of no longer paying any attention to experiences as the basis of reality. Instead, I see that only the reality itself produced the experiences. My experiences are not worth anything unless they keep me at the Source of truth— Jesus Christ.

If you try to hold back the Holy Spirit within you, with the desire of producing more inner spiritual experiences, you will find that He will break the hold and take you again to the historic Christ. Never support an experience which does not have God as its Source and faith in God as its result. If you do, your experience is anti-Christian, no matter what visions or insights you may have had. Is Jesus Christ Lord of your experiences, or do you place your experiences above Him? Is any experience dearer to you than your Lord? You must allow Him to be Lord over you, and pay no attention to any experience over which He is not Lord. Then there will come a time when God will make you impatient with your own experience, and you can truthfully say, “I do not care what I experience— I am sure of Him!”

Be relentless and hard on yourself if you are in the habit of talking about the experiences you have had. Faith based on experience is not faith; faith based on God’s revealed truth is the only faith there is.

The Focus Of Our Message

I did not come to bring peace but a sword —Matthew 10:34

Never be sympathetic with a person whose situation causes you to conclude that God is dealing harshly with him. God can be more tender than we can conceive, and every once in a while He gives us the opportunity to deal firmly with someone so that He may be viewed as the tender One. If a person cannot go to God, it is because he has something secret which he does not intend to give up— he may admit his sin, but would no more give up that thing than he could fly under his own power. It is impossible to deal sympathetically with people like that. We must reach down deep in their lives to the root of the problem, which will cause hostility and resentment toward the message. People want the blessing of God, but they can’t stand something that pierces right through to the heart of the matter.

If you are sensitive to God’s way, your message as His servant will be merciless and insistent, cutting to the very root. Otherwise, there will be no healing. We must drive the message home so forcefully that a person cannot possibly hide, but must apply its truth. Deal with people where they are, until they begin to realize their true need. Then hold high the standard of Jesus for their lives. Their response may be, “We can never be that.” Then drive it home with, “Jesus Christ says you must.” “But how can we be?” “You can’t, unless you have a new Spirit” (see Luke 11:13).

There must be a sense of need created before your message is of any use. Thousands of people in this world profess to be happy without God. But if we could be truly happy and moral without Jesus, then why did He come? He came because that kind of happiness and peace is only superficial. Jesus Christ came to “bring . . . a sword” through every kind of peace that is not based on a personal relationship with Himself.

“Approved to God”

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth —2 Timothy 2:15

If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else. But you must be willing to go through God’s winepress where the grapes are crushed. You must struggle, experiment, and rehearse your words to express God’s truth clearly. Then the time will come when that very expression will become God’s wine of strength to someone else. But if you are not diligent and say, “I’m not going to study and struggle to express this truth in my own words; I’ll just borrow my words from someone else,” then the words will be of no value to you or to others. Try to state to yourself what you believe to be the absolute truth of God, and you will be allowing God the opportunity to pass it on through you to someone else.

Always make it a practice to stir your own mind thoroughly to think through what you have easily believed. Your position is not really yours until you make it yours through suffering and study. The author or speaker from whom you learn the most is not the one who teaches you something you didn’t know before, but the one who helps you take a truth with which you have quietly struggled, give it expression, and speak it clearly and boldly.

Intercessory Prayer

. . . men always ought to pray and not lose heart —Luke 18:1

You cannot truly intercede through prayer if you do not believe in the reality of redemption. Instead, you will simply be turning intercession into useless sympathy for others, which will serve only to increase the contentment they have for remaining out of touch with God. True intercession involves bringing the person, or the circumstance that seems to be crashing in on you, before God, until you are changed by His attitude toward that person or circumstance. Intercession means to “fill up . . . [with] what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ” (Colossians 1:24), and this is precisely why there are so few intercessors. People describe intercession by saying, “It is putting yourself in someone else’s place.” That is not true! Intercession is putting yourself in God’s place; it is having His mind and His perspective.

As an intercessor, be careful not to seek too much information from God regarding the situation you are praying about, because you may be overwhelmed. If you know too much, more than God has ordained for you to know, you can’t pray; the circumstances of the people become so overpowering that you are no longer able to get to the underlying truth.

Our work is to be in such close contact with God that we may have His mind about everything, but we shirk that responsibility by substituting doing for interceding. And yet intercession is the only thing that has no drawbacks, because it keeps our relationship completely open with God.

What we must avoid in intercession is praying for someone to be simply “patched up.” We must pray that person completely through into contact with the very life of God. Think of the number of people God has brought across our path, only to see us drop them! When we pray on the basis of redemption, God creates something He can create in no other way than through intercessory prayer.

Individuality

Jesus said to His disciples, ’If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself . . .’ —Matthew 16:24

Individuality is the hard outer layer surrounding the inner spiritual life. Individuality shoves others aside, separating and isolating people. We see it as the primary characteristic of a child, and rightly so. When we confuse individuality with the spiritual life, we remain isolated. This shell of individuality is God’s created natural covering designed to protect the spiritual life. But our individuality must be yielded to God so that our spiritual life may be brought forth into fellowship with Him. Individuality counterfeits spirituality, just as lust counterfeits love. God designed human nature for Himself, but individuality corrupts that human nature for its own purposes.

The characteristics of individuality are independence and self-will. We hinder our spiritual growth more than any other way by continually asserting our individuality. If you say, “I can’t believe,” it is because your individuality is blocking the way; individuality can never believe. But our spirit cannot help believing. Watch yourself closely when the Spirit of God is at work in you. He pushes you to the limits of your individuality where a choice must be made. The choice is either to say, “I will not surrender,” or to surrender, breaking the hard shell of individuality, which allows the spiritual life to emerge. The Holy Spirit narrows it down every time to one thing (see Matthew 5:23-24). It is your individuality that refuses to “be reconciled to your brother” (Matthew 5:24). God wants to bring you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up your right to yourself, He cannot. “. . . let him deny himself . . .”— deny his independent right to himself. Then the real life-the spiritual life-is allowed the opportunity to grow.

The Impartial Power of God

By one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified —Hebrews 10:14

We trample the blood of the Son of God underfoot if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our sins. The only reason for the forgiveness of our sins by God, and the infinite depth of His promise to forget them, is the death of Jesus Christ. Our repentance is merely the result of our personal realization of the atonement by the Cross of Christ, which He has provided for us. “. . . Christ Jesus . . . became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . . .” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Once we realize that Christ has become all this for us, the limitless joy of God begins in us. And wherever the joy of God is not present, the death sentence is still in effect.

No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot be earned, just accepted. All the pleading for salvation which deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless. It is knocking at a door other than the one which Jesus has already opened. We protest by saying, “But I don’t want to come that way. It is too humiliating to be received as a sinner.” God’s response, through Peter, is, “. . . there is no other name . . . by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). What at first appears to be heartlessness on God’s part is actually the true expression of His heart. There is unlimited entrance His way. “In Him we have redemption through His blood . . .” (Ephesians 1:7). To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to everything that was never a part of Him.

God is just in saving bad people only as He makes them good. Our Lord does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement by the Cross of Christ is the propitiation God uses to make unholy people holy.

“My Rainbow in the Cloud”

I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth —Genesis 9:13

It is the will of God that human beings should get into a right-standing relationship with Him, and His covenants are designed for this purpose. Why doesn’t God save me? He has accomplished and provided for my salvation, but I have not yet entered into a relationship with Him. Why doesn’t God do everything we ask? He has done it. The point is— will I step into that covenant relationship? All the great blessings of God are finished and complete, but they are not mine until I enter into a relationship with Him on the basis of His covenant.

Waiting for God to act is fleshly unbelief. It means that I have no faith in Him. I wait for Him to do something in me so I may trust in that. But God won’t do it, because that is not the basis of the God-and-man relationship. Man must go beyond the physical body and feelings in his covenant with God, just as God goes beyond Himself in reaching out with His covenant to man. It is a question of faith in God–a very rare thing. We only have faith in our feelings. I don’t believe God until He puts something tangible in my hand, so that I know I have it. Then I say, “Now I believe.” There is no faith exhibited in that. God says, “Look to Me, and be saved . . .” (Isaiah 45:22).

When I have really transacted business with God on the basis of His covenant, letting everything else go, there is no sense of personal achievement— no human ingredient in it at all. Instead, there is a complete overwhelming sense of being brought into union with God, and my life is transformed and radiates peace and joy.

Bible Verses For Encouragement: 20 Great Scripture Quotes

We all need to be lifted up and encouraged at times and the Bible is a great source for encouragement. The Bible is the living word of God and feeds us through the promises of God found in scripture. I have listed some of my favorite Bible verses for encouragement. These verses have lifted my spirit in times of need and I hope they do the same for you. Please also consider a deeper study of the Bible by looking up these verses and reading the context they come from. I pray these great scripture quotes are encouraging for you today!

Strength Quotes For Encouragement

 

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Isaiah 41:10 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18  So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Comfort And Encouragement Bible Verses

 

Deuteronomy 31:8 It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Psalm 9:9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 23:4  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;  your rod and your staff,  they comfort me.
Psalm 55:22  Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
Matthew 11:28-29 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Peace Scripture Quotes For Encouragement

 

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Romans 8:6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in 
one body. And be thankful.

 

 

Encouragement Through God’s Promises

•  The Promise of Eternal Life

John 6:47 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.

•   God’s Faithful

Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations

•  God promises To Guide Us

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

•  All Scripture Is Inspired From God- The Bible Is The True Word Of God

2 Timothy 3:16-17  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

• God Hears Our Prayers

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

Christian Encouragement Quotes

God will not be absent when His people are on trial; he will stand in court as their advocate, to plead on their behalf.  –Charles Haddon Spurgeon
You are valuable because you exist. Not because of what you do or what you have done, but simply because you are. –Max Lucado
Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you. –George Mueller
The stars may fall, but God’s promises will stand and be fulfilled. –J. I. Packer

The Law and the Gospel

Whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all —James 2:10

The moral law does not consider our weaknesses as human beings; in fact, it does not take into account our heredity or infirmities. It simply demands that we be absolutely moral. The moral law never changes, either for the highest of society or for the weakest in the world. It is enduring and eternally the same. The moral law, ordained by God, does not make itself weak to the weak by excusing our shortcomings. It remains absolute for all time and eternity. If we are not aware of this, it is because we are less than alive. Once we do realize it, our life immediately becomes a fatal tragedy. “I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died” (Romans 7:9). The moment we realize this, the Spirit of God convicts us of sin. Until a person gets there and sees that there is no hope, the Cross of Christ remains absurd to him. Conviction of sin always brings a fearful, confining sense of the law. It makes a person hopeless— “. . . sold under sin” (Romans 7:14). I, a guilty sinner, can never work to get right with God— it is impossible. There is only one way by which I can get right with God, and that is through the death of Jesus Christ. I must get rid of the underlying idea that I can ever be right with God because of my obedience. Who of us could ever obey God to absolute perfection!

We only begin to realize the power of the moral law once we see that it comes with a condition and a promise. But God never coerces us. Sometimes we wish He would make us be obedient, and at other times we wish He would leave us alone. Whenever God’s will is in complete control, He removes all pressure. And when we deliberately choose to obey Him, He will reach to the remotest star and to the ends of the earth to assist us with all of His almighty power.

The Darker the Night, the Brighter your Light

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure”(Philippians 2:13).

If you observe the trend in the world today, it’s as though man has finally descended into the deepest depth of corruption, moral decadence and wickedness. Amidst all these, however, the Bible assures us of victory. We are not subject to the circumstances of this world; we are born of the Spirit of God.

We need to learn to think smartly and wisely because of the day we’re living in. We need to realise that the corruption, insincerity and wickedness around us aren’t any problem for us; we must see them as opportunity. “Opportunity for what?” you ask. They are your opportunity to show forth the glory of your heavenly Father. Remember, if there was no Goliath, there would have been no David.

The Word of God would always prevail; it will triumph in any system of government. So never think the government policies or unfavourable economic conditions are designed to destroy you. If you live by the Word of God, there’s no government policy or economic system on earth that can beat you. Jesus described the people of His day as serpents and a generation of vipers. (Matthew 23:33). Surely, these people must have been very decadent, because you don’t call good people serpents. They even conspired to kill Him. That sounds like what’s happening today, doesn’t it?

You have to realise that the darker the night, the more brightly your light shines. Don’t become like them or talk like them, and don’t succumb to their way of doing business. The more the evil and the corruption, the brighter your light shines. Jesus said you are the salt of the earth, and again He said, “ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid” (Matthew 5:14).
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Thought For Today: Command the Light to Shine Out of That Darkness

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts… But we have this treasures in earthen vessels… (2 Corinthians 4:6.7).

This portion of the Scripture is one of the most inspiring in the Bible because of the truth it reveals and there are two vital things I want to highlight from it. Firstly, it says that the light of God is in our hearts. Secondly, the scripture doesn’t say “God commanded the darkness to become light’ neither does it say “God brought light into the darkness. You see, either of these two statements may be good, but what this scripture really says is even better.

“For God commanded the light to shine out of darkness…” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Can light come out of darkness? We all know that light and darkness don’t mix yet the Bible says that God commanded the light to shine out of darkness. Remember, the earth was a chaotic mass that was enveloped in complete darkness (Genesis 1:2). But at His command, God brought order to the maddening chaos and light leapt out of the looming darkness. As a child of God, you have received the same ability; you can call the light out of darkness. 2 Corinthians 4:7 says “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels…” There’s a treasure in you; it’s a treasure of love, light and divine perfection. God has shone in our hearts and given us the ability to bring light out of darkness. Therefore, make a change in your situation today. There’s no problem too hard that you can’t solve, no situation is too hopeless that you can’t change. If you feel pain in your body for example, turn to where the pain is and say, I command healing to come out of this pain in Jesus’ Name.” Bring forth light from that darkness in your body. The reason some Christians are full of regrets, suffer all kinds of problems and even die is that they are ignorant of their inherent ability.

If you find yourself in any predicament, prophesy your way out of it for God has given you the power to command light out of darkness. You were born to be great because you’re the seed of Abraham. You’re more than a conqueror (Romans 8:3 7) and you can never be disadvantaged. No wonder the Bible says that all things work together for your good (Romans 8:28). Just as Isaiah prophesied upon the children of Israel in Isaiah 61:7, I prophesy to you today; “For your shame, you shall have double; and for confusion you shall rejoice in your portion: Therefore, in your life (this month and beyond), you shall possess the double (abundance): Everlasting joy shall be in your household.” Hallelujah!
In this month of light, you must refuse to negotiate with the darkness; rather you must always command the light to come out of that darkness. Praise the Lord!!

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Still Human!

. . . whatever you do, do all to the glory of God —1 Corinthians 10:31

In the Scriptures, the great miracle of the incarnation slips into the ordinary life of a child; the great miracle of the transfiguration fades into the demon-possessed valley below; the glory of the resurrection descends into a breakfast on the seashore. This is not an anticlimax, but a great revelation of God.

We have a tendency to look for wonder in our experience, and we mistake heroic actions for real heroes. It’s one thing to go through a crisis grandly, yet quite another to go through every day glorifying God when there is no witness, no limelight, and no one paying even the remotest attention to us. If we are not looking for halos, we at least want something that will make people say, “What a wonderful man of prayer he is!” or, “What a great woman of devotion she is!” If you are properly devoted to the Lord Jesus, you have reached the lofty height where no one would ever notice you personally. All that is noticed is the power of God coming through you all the time.

We want to be able to say, “Oh, I have had a wonderful call from God!” But to do even the most humbling tasks to the glory of God takes the Almighty God Incarnate working in us. To be utterly unnoticeable requires God’s Spirit in us making us absolutely humanly His. The true test of a saint’s life is not successfulness but faithfulness on the human level of life. We tend to set up success in Christian work as our purpose, but our purpose should be to display the glory of God in human life, to live a life “hidden with Christ in God” in our everyday human conditions (Colossians 3:3). Our human relationships are the very conditions in which the ideal life of God should be exhibited.

Blog Summary

The Energy Of God

20 Encouragement Quotes To Keep You Going In Your Christian Faith

That feeling of you never fitting in is God leading you from faith to faith and glory to glory, steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord

Anytime you come into a new arena, you must humble yourself and become a student so you can move from this level to the next.

You CANNOT lead what you fit in with! Leaders always stand out from the crowd!

God has the ability to take all the things of your life that seem to make no sense and use them all for His purpose and your benefit.

You CANNOT rebuke a devil you continuously grant access to your life.

If you curse the way God led you, you will not reach the place He is taking you.

You cannot lead someone to a place you’ve not been yourself.

If God exposes you to something and you turn the other way and keep walking its not for you. You CANNOT ignore what God has ordained for you

Relationships are 1 of your greatest resources, invest wisely, protect vehemently, and always try to be the friend you wish you had!

God is going to use everything you’ve been through to get you ready for what He’s going to do through your life!

Your need for affirmation and acceptance from your critics will often derail you from your purpose.

When the enemy comes in like a FLOOD, Spirit of The Lord lift up a STANDARD against the enemy!

If you are not prepared, you will find yourself torn between who you were and who God has called you to be!

We all have our failures and defeats. The good news is that God never disqualifies us. God never writes us off.

Don't forget, you have been called to live a bold, confident, overcoming life!

You are not here on earth by accident. God has a plan and a purpose for your life.

God will always send the right person to say the right thing to keep you from missing your destiny.

What begging won't do, believing will do. Don't be a beggar. Be a believer.

God is in complete control. So be a prisoner of hope. Get up each day expecting His favor.

If God showed you everything He had in store for you, it would boggle your mind.

Joel Osteen - Having Mountain Moving Faith

Christian Parenting Advice For Raising Teenagers

I don’t know if raising teens is any harder today than it was in previous generations, but it sure seems so. Doesn’t it? You probably think your teens go through temptations worse than you had. And your parents thought that the trials you experienced as a teenager were worse than what they had to deal with.

Whether things are worse now than they were before, here are some practical tips for raising teenagers that every Christian home can put into practice regardless of the generation. These are not in any particular order and they can be worked on one at a time or together. Try to find one or two that you can implement today.

Love Your Teenagers

Love can be shown in many different ways. The actions and attitudes we show towards our teens mean much more than the words we say. However, don’t neglect to tell them you love them. It may seem mushy and unnecessary to say “I love you” to your teen, but it will mean much to them in the coming years having heard their parents say it.

A right attitude towards your teen will communicate love to them. Does every conversation leave you exasperated? It is doing the same for your son or daughter too. Find ways to engage them in conversation that does not end with one or both of you frustrated with the other. Communicate with love.

Respect Your Teen

Show your respect in the way you speak to them and about them. Talk to them with honor and speak of them respectfully before other adults and your teen’s peers. Your kids are watching and listening. They will pick up when you speak honorably towards them.

While you are probably mentally and emotionally superior to your teen, this does not mean you need to lord that over them with insults. Even as innocent as playful insults seem to you, make sure your child sees them that way too. Teasing on your part may not be accepted as funny to your teen.

Have Clear, but Few Rules

Part of respect and love is to have good rules. This sets boundaries. Even if we say we don’t like rules, the truth is, everyone likes to know the limitations and expectations. Have rules that are clear. I don’t know that I can give you a set of rules that will work in every house or situation, but I can give you an example of what my parents used with us growing up.

Your job is to train your teenagers into godly citizens who know how to think on their own.

As older teens my brothers and I had already learned what was expected of us from our parents. Therefore, I only remember one rule that we had through those last years in my parents home. The amazing thing is that rule summed up so much of everything we had been taught as younger kids. The rule was, that we must be home from any activity or outing by 11:00 PM. If we were going to be out any later, we needed to call for permission or to explain why we could not be home by then.

This simple rule kept us out of a lot of trouble. My parents knew exactly where we were and who we were with. Our parents were showing respect to us in trusting us. We showed respect to our parents by calling (even if we were only 2 minutes from home at 11:00 we would find a pay phone and call because we respected them enough to not cause them to worry). It also caused our friends to have a higher respect for my parents and they knew the rules were not negotiable.

A single-rule environment won’t work in every family. But if you can choose good clear rules that encompass many aspects of love and respect, then you will probably have fewer battles. Our system worked because we were taught well in our more formative years that rules were to be obeyed and authority was to be respected.

Don’t Have Stupid Rules

Ephesians 6 says to not provoke your children to wrath (Ephesians 6:4). This means don’t frustrate them. Stupid rules that no one understands or rules that are inconsistent with other expectations simply frustrate those being governed by them. As adults we have probably all experienced these types of rules at work.

Expect Obedience

When you set rules, you should also discuss consequences. Allow your children help you determine the consequences. You might be surprised that they would assign greater punishment on themselves than you would. Then you need to be consistent in applying the consequences. This goes along with not frustrating your child with stupid rules. Your teen needs to know that there are always consequences for disobedience. If one of your children gets away with breaking a rule and another one doesn’t then you frustrate your children and break down the respect they have for you and their siblings.

When enforcing the rules you have agreed upon, you need to remember you are the parent, not their high school best friend. Your job is to train your teenagers into godly citizens who know how to think on their own. A true friend and parent will do what is right for the teen, not partner with them to fight other authority figures.

Engage Them

Talk with your teenager. Find ways to engage them in conversations. They aren’t going to go to you for advice and share their heart if their only interaction with you is when you are saying to them: “Brush your teeth.” “Clean your room.” “Don’t wear that.”

Find conversation starters—and, “what did you do in school today?”—does not count. What is your child interested in? You should become at least somewhat knowledgeable about that subject and engage them in it.

Seek common ground to help you engage your teen in conversation. Then listen. Let them talk. If you correct them on everything they say or feel like you have to control the conversation, then you are going to turn off your teen’s interest in talking. They should talk and you should listen. You may be surprised as to what you can learn from them.

Be a Good Role Model

Be an example of how you want them to live. Speak respectfully to and of others. Model the behavior you want your child to show. If you spend the evenings complaining about the way the boss runs his business, you are modeling the behavior of your teens sitting with their friends complaining about the way you run your house.

“Do as I say and not as I do” should never be part of your training strategy. Your children will do as you do. The question is, are you living in the same way you want them to live?

I have heard it said that what leadership does in moderation, their followers will do in excess. If you took all of your own habits, good or bad, and multiplied their intensity 2 or 5 times, would you want to be around yourself? Consider that every trait you and your spouse have will be magnified in your teenagers. Do you like what you see? Change what you can.

Pass on Your Relationship with God

It is said that God has no grandchildren. What is meant by that a child is not saved because of the relationship his parents have with God. Each person must come to God on his own. Theologically that is true. However, practically a child will more likely come to a personal relationship with God because of the lessons he learns from his parents. Share your love for God with your children.

Affirm Their Good Actions

Teenagers need reassurance. While they are seeking independence they also want to know that they are accepted and loved. Praise them when they do well. It is so easy to live in the same house without talking or engaging one another. Even in a home which is free of stress.

For many, the only time they talk with their teenager is when they have to deal with a problem. Don’t let this be your relationship with your child. Seek out ways to affirm their good actions and decisions.

Your Tips?

I am curious to see what God has taught you in raising teens. Particularly I am curious as to what you consider to be good rules for teenagers. Please leave a comment below with your thoughts.

Bible Verses About Inner Beauty: 22 Awsome Quotes

nner beauty is inside each of us.  We are all beautiful in God’s eyes as we are created in the image of God.  God doesn’t make junk.  However, many people don’t feel beautiful inside.  We are often smothered by a lack of confidence and even a lack of acceptance of other people.  It is easy to compare ourselves to others especially when we compare our outward appearance.  God’s word makes it clear that we are all beautiful to Him.  Beauty isn’t just reserved for models and Hollywood actors and actresses.  You are beautiful.  Read the following scripture passages and let God heal you as you come to the realization of how much God loves and values each of His created beings.

Featured Bible Verse 2 Corinthians 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self his being renewed day by day.

Beautiful In God’s Eyes

 

1 Peter 3:4-6 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.  For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands,  as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.

Proverbs 31:30  Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Beauty is More Than Outward Appearance

God’s word makes it clear that we are all beautiful to Him.

1 Samuel 16:7  But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

Psalms 34:5 Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.

Psalms 45:11  and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him.

Proverbs 3:15   She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 20:29   The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.

Song of Solomon 4:7   You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.

Ezekiel 28:17  Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you.

Matthew 5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Matthew 23:27   “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and pall uncleanness.”

John 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Beauty Because We Are Created By God

 

Genesis 1:31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Psalms 139:14   I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Beauty Because We Are Children of God

 

Genesis 1:26  Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

Colossians 3:12  Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

1 Thessalonians 5:5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.

1 John 3:1  See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that bit did not know him.

Beauty is more than skin deep.  One interesting thing is that the love of another person will often make us feel beautiful.  When we have the love of a spouse or our family member we will feel accepted and better about ourselves.  When there is a lack of love in our lives, we often feel alone and isolated and even depressed.  That is one reason why people are often drawn to the Lord God.  God is love.  It is what He is.   No matter how alone we feel in this life we can always know that God is there for us and He loves us the way we are.  Maybe today you are feeling alone and depressed.  People have let you down in your life and you don’t feel any inner beauty.  Turn to God today.  He thinks that you are His masterpiece and He loves you. Embrace Jesus Christ today.  Praise Him!!!

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-verses-about-inner-beauty-22-awesome-quotes/#ixzz2BSh455Zy

Living with Criticism - Part 1

THE VICTORY OF LOVE

I gave my heart to Christ in 1983 in secondary school. It was an early Sunday afternoon in February. We had just concluded what, at that time, I considered to be a truly boring protestant Sunday Service; that is, boring with the exception of the music. At that time, I went to church just to sing to God, because i really enjoyed singing.

And so it was, that right after the service, there was an announcement for a fellowship meeting to hold. Without thinking, I went to the section of the school hall arranged for the fellowship meeting. Till this day, I don’t know what was said or done, but I can recall that I found myself at the front, giving my heart to Christ alongside some other people. After that, it was like being the same person on the outside, but with the knowledge that something seemed to have changed but I couldn’t place a finger on it.
There was a feeling of contentment and satisfaction in me after this experience. I have always enjoyed having people around me but even with all that, I was never really close to anyone, as there was just some kind of fear that if you allow people too close, they would inevitably hurt you, so while having people around me, I kept them at arm’s length in my mind. It was therefore easy to observe after I gave my heart to Christ that I was no longer afraid of being hurt or betrayed. I just wanted to love everyone and to help everyone in all sincerity.

Of course, at home it was not so easy because I was the first to commit to Christ this way. My parents were, at the time, committed to the Anglican Church and although my siblings were not so interested in the Church, they nevertheless were hard on me for going the fanatic way. But I weathered the storms. In February of 1985, several of us (members of my dormitory) gathered together on the school field to pray during the siesta break.

We were led by one of the A’ level students who had just experienced something wonderful – the infilling of the Holy Spirit. We prayed and asked God to fill us with His Spirit and we received him and began to speak in other tongues. I remember that it was such an amazing experience that we did not want to stop. We went back to our dormitory and continued to pray; I remember that we prayed on and on till the housemistress came to drive us all out, to go for prep.

What a glorious day that was! From that time, the persecutions became so bearable that they almost did not exist. I spent more hours praying and enjoying fellowship with God that it was all I could do to get into other things in the day. This story can never be complete without talking about what this gospel has done for me: I remember reading so hard for my examinations and then by the time we were to start, I developed a fever, then it relapsed. I only suffered fevers like that every 4-5 years, as I had been an asthmatic patient and the attacks were incessant.

I had suffered over several years with migraine headaches, peptic ulcer and rheumatic pains but to have all these attack one’s body at the same time was almost unbearable. I sat for most of those examinations in the hall because I insisted, that I wanted to be with others, but I was always led to the sick bay afterwards. It was amazing how I insisted on writing the exams when, sometimes, i could not even see what I was writing; One of the teachers invigilating described then that I had written one line on another in a particular subject. It was so bad that the principal told my mum that, she should register me for the Nov/Dec GCE exams, as he was not sure about what I was able to write; I had even missed part of a practical exam and couldn’t really write one paper.

A glorious encounter was when my mum told me that I had to write the GCE exams, I felt like a complete failure; I recall feeling so sad one afternoon, like everything was over. I don’t recollect leaving the house or even locking the doors, I only recall that I was leaving a shop on the main street leading into the estate where we lived. It was a bookshop of some sort and I had picked up a book by the late Oral Roberts. It was a re-print and prior to that time, I had never been able to read a book that was a local re-print.

I found myself with the book in my hand, couldn’t even recollect paying for the book, I only realized where I was, when I was on the way back home. The book in my hand had an amazing title, “Don’t Give Up. ” I read the book as though my life depended on it and I was thoroughly blessed. But this beautiful encounter did not end like that.

The next day, I went back to the bookshop, because I wanted to get another book and I was shocked that it was not a bookshop; It was a spare parts shop. Nobody could even remember ever seeing a bookshop there. What a discovery. I had an encounter of the God kind!!! He ministered to me by himself, telling me not to give up.

So rather than give up, I prayed for some kind of miracle and I changed my expectation, to that of a miracle, and I got it. I passed my exams in an amazing way.   After the encounter I had to ask God in prayer: “Lord, why did you really save me?” I recall hearing in my heart these words “I want you to show my love in a way that people have never known, so I have put within you the ability to love the most seemingly unlovable people in the world. ” And those words has shone a light in my heart, and it has been burning brighter, daily.
How true and important it is that, ‘knowing your calling is the first step to success. Knowing your assignment is the first step to accomplishing it. ’ I have found out that, with such great ease, I am able to love people, no matter who they are or where they are. It just flows and no matter what a person does, God’s love just overshadows and takes over.

As I went about sharing God’s love, the infirmities simply disappeared from my life. Today, it is still my joy to influence people with God’s love and to share that love with them and help them to understand him in a whole new dimension. Another glorious encounter, was my first encounter with Pastor Chris was in 1988 in Benin City, at a program, “Word Assembly. ” There we were, when Pastor ministered and at a particular time, the thoughts that came to me were in the exact words: ‘This just has to be Jesus.

’ At that same point in time, Pastor spoke of a recurring experience that the he’d had at many programs, when the people came to him afterwards to tell him that at some point during the program, they thought that it was Jesus ministering to them. At the end of the program, my friends and I gathered together to discuss the meeting and we asked ourselves to know what each person was thinking when Pastor said the thing about Jesus ministering and I was shocked! At that point, everyone was thinking the same thing: “It just has to be Jesus. ” For me, that was another encounter with Jesus, in that program in Benin City, Nigeria. I recall that, there was a particular ministration of the Spirit when Pastor made a call, for some people who just knew within them that they would be ministering to the sick etc.

to come out, to which I responded. One would have expected that he would have laid hands on us or something, but he didn’t. To my utter amazement, when I was in front of him, with my hands lifted up, he simply said to me, ‘Look into my eyes. ’ And there I was, looking into his eyes, but something was happening inside me, and the center of my palms were burning.

Pastor had called for the sick and they were standing out in front, then, Pastor said we should go to them and minister to them. It was awesome! The people fell under the power and got up, completely healed. There were testimonies all over the place. From that day till now, I have been winning souls and doing the things that the Lord wants me to do, through the power of his love.

I have so much more to say. Do visit this page often, because I will add more to my story. God bless you. .

Manifesting Increased Glory- You Are The Express Image of God

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth (Psalm 50:2 AMP).

Zion is revealed as the perfection of beauty, from where God’s glory shines forth. This means we’re meant to radiate the glory of God as citizens of Zion because we have received eternal life, the God-kind of life. The world ought to see the expression of God’s beauty in our lives, for we’re the bearers of His splendour.

In Hebrews 1:3, the Bible describes Jesus as the effulgence of God’s glory, “…and the express image of his person….” And the Lord Jesus himself proclaimed, ‘…he that hath seen me hath seen the Father…” (John 14:9). As a Christian, the same truth applies to you today, “…because as he (Jesus) is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:1 7). You’re the express image of God’s Person and the out-shining of His glory. That’s the reason fear, sickness or lack can’t rule over you; you’re too beautiful to be sick or live a beggarly life! You’re ordained to function in divine health, strength, abundance and prosperity. You see, when the Bible says you’re the perfection of beauty, it means that the fullness of God, with all the totality of His power, dwells in you. So you’re complete in Him (Colossians 2:10).

However, it’s important that you let this truth dawn on your spirit irrespective of the circumstances around you. Jacob only recognized the presence of God around him after he had a dream in which he saw angels of God descending and ascending into heaven on a ladder. Then he said, “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not” (Genesis 28:16).
Recognize today that God dwells in you today, and learn to fellowship with Him with your spirit, for the bible says, “God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Then you will be able to manifest His glory to the world! Hallelujah!

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Bible Study On Joy: 7 Things You Have To Know

The word ‘joy’ is defined by Merriam-Webster as, “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires…the expression or exhibition of such emotion…a state of happiness” .  Let us look at the biblical understanding of ‘joy’.

Worldly Joy Is Fickle And Temporary

The joy that the world offers is a pale imitation of the true joy only God can give us.  The joy that unsaved people experience is a temporary joy that comes and goes depending on the situation that person is in at the time.  If things are going well, there is joy.  When things are difficult, there is no joy.  In the book of Job, one of Job’s friends utters some insightful words:  “…the exulting of the wicked is short, and the joy of the godless but for a moment?”  (Job 20:5 ESV cf. 20:18).  There can be no true joy apart from God.

Wherever people know, love, and worship God, His love instills a joy, that only He can give, into the hearts of His worshipers

In The Old Testament, Joy Was Associated With The True Worship Of God

Joy is a prominent feature of the true worship of God in the Old Testament.  Wherever people know, love, and worship God, His love instills a joy, that only He can give, into the hearts of His worshipers (I Chronicles 15:16; Ezra 3:12, 6:16; Psalm 16:11, 32:11, 51:12 and many more).

In the times of King Hezekiah, the Israelites rededicated themselves to God and we read, “So there was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon the son of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem” (II Chronicles 30:26 ESV).  The people’s renewed commitment to God reignited the joy in their hearts that only He can produce.  Believers today can experience this same joy when he or she is dedicated to Jesus.

Joy Is A Gift From God

Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, who resides in the heart of the believer, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness…”  (Galatians 5:22 ESV).  Since God is the author of all these good things, when one becomes a Christian, and is united to God through faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit imparts these qualities to the believer.  Joy is also an integral part of the Kingdom of God and will exist wherever believers are present, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17 ESV).

Doing God’s Will Increases Our Joy

As many Christians can attest, being involved in the spread of the Gospel brings joy to the believer’s heart.  Personally, when I see someone become a follower of Jesus or I know that someone has discovered a truth from God’s Word that will encourage him or her in their walk of faith, I cannot help but feel a sense of joy.  The apostle Paul also experienced this often in his ministry (II Corinthians 1:24, 2:3; Philippians 1:4, 2:2; I Thessalonians 2:19, 20, 3:9; II Timothy 1:4; Philemon 1:7; and many other passages).  The writer of Third John experienced the joy of ministry, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (3 John 1:4 ESV).

Circumstances Cannot Take Away Our Joy

In Second Corinthians 6:10, Paul says that Christians can even be “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (ESV).  This means that even when we are in the midst of a situation that legitimately brings us sorrow, our inner joy is never taken away.  The very core of our being can still rejoice in the fact that we are forgiven children of God who enjoy an intimate relationship with the Creator of the universe.  Our joy is strengthened when we remember that, no matter what the circumstances, God is with us and He is above all.

We see this in the writings of several New Testament authors:

James says that we should, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2-3 ESV).

Again, we read of the inspired determination of the apostle Paul as he faced incredible hardships, “Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.  Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me” (Philippians 2:17-18 ESV).

The apostle Peter encourages us with, “…rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (I Peter 4:13 ESV).

The Only Thing That Can Steal Our Joy Is Sin

Godly joy is a wonderful thing; it is a supernatural gift from God to every believer.  However, one warning must be issued.  Sin can steal our joy.  It is difficult to experience the joy of our relationship with God when we have done something that damages that relationship.  Joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit; when we grieve the Holy Spirit by our sin, we interfere with the flow of joy (among other things) from God.  If we find that we are experiencing joy less and less, we may need to reevaluate our relationship with Jesus Christ to make sure we are living as we should.

Christians Should ‘Rejoice Always’

Merriam-Webster defines ‘rejoice’ in this way, ‘to feel joy or great delight’.  There are several passages in the New Testament where Paul instructs us to ‘rejoice’.  These passages carry a sense of urgency or command, as if Paul were saying that a Christian is to be full of joy and he is urging believers to make sure that their relationships with God and others are relationships that produce joy (Philippians 3:1, 4:4).

Paul writes in First Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (ESV).  This joy, prayer, and thanksgiving should characterize the life of the Christian.  It is God’s will for the believer (see v. 18); this is how God wants us to live.  “Rejoicing always” does not mean that we are to paste a fake smile on our faces no matter what is going on in our lives or the lives of those we love.  It means that we are to remain steadfast in our knowledge that God is our strength and comfort, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves.  If our relationship with Jesus is right, and we confess and repent of any sin of which we are aware, we will experience this supernatural joy at all times…whether those times be good or bad.

Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/bible-study-on-joy-7-things-you-need-to-know/#ixzz2AD5urUue