JOY

John 15:10-12, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. ¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." (NKJV)

I was listening to a song by Kirk Franklin a few minutes ago. His song was reminding me of the importance of the joy of the Lord being present in my life. In a recent prayer time the Spirit reminded me of one of the tactics of the enemy of our soul. Satan seeks to remove our joy. Satan does not want the people of God walking in the strength of the joy of the Lord. The world may be able to provide temporary happiness at the very best but Christ and His Word can provide eternal joy that will stand the test of time. The Spirit also revealed some of the tactics that the enemy has used against me and continues to use against me. Some of these may apply to you and some may not but I felt that I needed to bring them to your attention.

The enemy will use disappointment; the disappointment that you have with yourself as well as the disappointment that others bring to your life. The enemy also uses the tactic of fear to rob you of your future hope, dreams, desires and plans that God has placed in your heart. Discouragement can play a major role in the evaporation of our joy. We can become so overwhelmed with the challenges and chores of life that our walk with Christ becomes a burden to us and not a blessing to us. We also can realize the effects of aggravation and frustration with our daily responsibilities. Again this frustration and aggravation can be with yourself as well as with others. I am sure that you are already formulating your own personal list in your mind. This blog post is not intended to give the devil any credit or any glory. Rather it is written so that we can resist these and any other tactics that satan will throw against us. After all, he is called the "accuser of the brethren." Even this morning I had to resist and rebuke some tactics of the enemy during my prayer time. The enemy seeks to hinder, defeat and overthrow the faith of the saints of God. BUT GOD has given us authority and power in Jesus' name so that we might defeat and overcome the powers of satan. You are a champion and a warrior who has cast your lot with Christ. Walk in His joy and realize that you are not alone in your daily challenges.