Introduction
When God says a things, He has made provisions for it already. The provisions for joy and rejoicing without end has been made available for you. When God tells you to rejoice forevermore, it means He has put things in place that will make you rejoice forever.
Every child of God is redeemed a bundle of joy. At new birth, you are endowed with the joy of salvation.
Psalms 51:12: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.”
At the baptism of the Holy Spirit, you partake in intoxicating joy.
You are redeemed a bundle of joy!
Sorrow is not your portion!
Depression is not your portion!
Every Word encounter stirs great joy.
Depression is costly!
Depression is risky!
Depression is the highway to destruction!
What is in Joy for You?
1. Joy provides continuous access to revelation.
Isaiah 30:30 – 31: And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.
For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.
Micah 4:2: “And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
Revelation is accessing the light of God’s Word and when that happens, darkness gives way.
2. Joy and rejoicing secures health and vitality.
Proverbs 17:22: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”
Proverbs 18:4: “The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.”
When your heart is broken, it breaks your body but when your heart is merry, your body follows suit.
Don’t watch your bones dry up!
3. Joy sustains divine presence.
Nehemiah 8:10: “Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Daniel 11:12: “And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.”
God’s presence cannot stay in a joyless environment and when you repel His presence, you become defenseless. You rob yourself of exploits when you give in to a broken spirit.
5. It guarantees returns on your stewardship.
Psalms 67:5 – 7:
Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
Deuteronomy 28:37: “And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.”
Not all stewardship attracts rewards; it is serving God with joy and gladness that guarantees returns.
You are redeemed as a bundle of joy!
Sorrow is not your portion!
Depression is not your portion!
Every person of true faith rejoices uncontrollably.
You cannot be hopeful and not be joyful; and you cannot be hopeless and not be downcast. You are begotten to be a living hope and so your case can never be hopeless.
1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”
As long as you are joined to the living God, your life can never be fruitless.
Christ in you signifies a glorious future.
Colossians 1:27: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”
Practical Approach to Sustain God’s Joy
1. To keep your joy alive, you must keep your faith alive.
Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Every true believing person rejoices uncontrollably.
2. Remain assured of eternity by being committed to what is required.
1 Corinthians 15:19: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”
Hebrews 12:2: “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.”
The greatest enemy of joy is hopelessness. You cannot be hopeless and not be downcast and you cannot be hopeful and not be joyful. Begin to challenge every form of hopelessness that engenders depression.
Behind depression is the Spirit of heaviness but the Spirit of gladness is the answer to the spirit of heaviness. You don’t hurt anybody by being down; you only hurt yourself.
Stand up and keep rejoicing in God.
It is not unscriptural to be challenged, but it is unscriptural to be defeated therefore, keep your hope alive.
