Rejoice ever more – Part 2

Any heart that will be grateful will be thankful and if you are thankful, you will be joyful. To be joyful (Merry) is like medicine but a broken spirit is destructive (Proverbs 17:22) 

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 No matter what, have joy and avoid heavy countenance because a sad heart is destructive. Your heart cannot be full of joy and you will be down and depressed by the enemy. Godly joy carries such an inexplicable power against oppression, sickness etc. Apart from that, joy procures for the believer God’s presence and in His presence all opposition bows, and darkness disappears. 

“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11 
Lack of joy in a man’s life is a tool in the hand of the devil to bring him out of God’s presence in order for him to attack. Many Christians fall victim of Satan’s devices; they complain and murmur until they are separated from His presence. Let us pray like David, “Show me the path of life, in thy presence is fullness of joy” .If you want God’s best in your life, make up your mind to make joy your lifestyle. If you do not want to be stranded in the journey of life, you need to seek the consistent flow of the oil of joy – until you are joyful, you don’t have a song of praise. 

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3. In the book of Philippians, Apostle Paul wrote so much about the believers’ character and conduct. He wrote about the Christian life, humility, pride of the Christian life and how we ought to live.  

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord…” Philippians 3:1a.Having done all, rejoice! Child of God, joy is it. It is our lifestyle and in verse 2 he said, “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers (that is those who have no joy), beware of the concision (those that cut down your joy).”  Philippians 3:2 

“For we are the circumcision (clean heart), which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus (in redemption), and have no confidence in the flesh.” Philippians 3:3 
Satan does not find a place in a joyful heart. A joyful heart is unstoppable by the enemy. Apostle Paul, having gone through various challenges and experience in his work with God and man, said to the Philippians and to us in Philippians 4:4, 

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” Philippians 4:4 
It takes joy to enjoy the full benefit of salvation. Joy is the instrument of harvest and it is the tool with which you to tap into God’s riches. 
Isaiah 12:3, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”  

“Well of Salvation in Isaiah 12:3”, that is, all blessings and miracles are attainable by the instrumentality of joy. To be healed, have joy; to prosper, have joy: achieving excellence in life takes joy. Joy is your access to God’s treasury. The devil will fight to hinder your joy, create enemies around you, make you feel bad at the slightest opportunity, will try to use circumstances and even your loved ones to oppose your joy – fight for your joy to stand. No matter how the enemy tries, you have the final say to be in joy or sadness. 
Apostle Lawrence Achudume, Victory Life Bible Church
Km 9 Olabisi Onabanjo Way, Opp. OGTV, Ajebo, Abeokuta, Ogun State. 08072929295
victory2life@yahoo.com