Daily Devotional

THE BEAUTIFUL STRENGTH IN THE JOY OF GOD

March 5

eloved Child of the King: Do you know that the source of your strength in the Lord is equal to the measure of your joy and peace in Him. "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10) If you give up your joy because of a lie from the enemy, you will also give up your strength. Slowly but surely you will descend deeper and deeper into defeat. But, if you will say, "A part of my inheritance is to walk in joy and peace that my Jesus bought for me with His precious blood on the cross of Calvary," your Father will send you renewed joy and strength with that joy as a daily reward to you. You may say, "I don't want to be all happy and fanatical in my life as a Christian, there are some who are too happy for their own good, and they turn me off." Child, what is your option? Do you intend to remain stern faced, and grim in your walk with the Lord? Repent of judging others! Perhaps their incredible deliverance from a life of darkness has infused them with a genuine "joy unspeakable and full of glory "(I Peter 1:8) as the Bible describes it! If their joy offends you, pray for them that they will tone it down a bit and not turn off others. Beloved, your lack of strength and life is directly proportional to your lack of expression of true joy in your life. You don't need to be fanatical or call attention to yourself because of that joy. But, if you have no joy, you will live in defeat. Your Father is filled with Joy. His Holy Spirit is the Holy Joy-Giver! Loosen up, relax and be happy in the Lord. You say, "If you had all the trouble in your life that I have had, you would not be so joyful yourself!" Then I say to you "stop using your past brokenness and pain as an excuse to hold back from the "new wine" of your Father to heal and release you into a walk of victory and true release for joy in this present moment of your life!" Get a new life! Your joy can inhabit your personality. It can be a meditative form of joy and peace, but above all it must be present and active in your life for you to grow in the Lord! Remember, "In His Presence is fullness of joy." (Psalm 16:11) How much joy is this? Fullness (all kinds of joy and happy thoughts and fun things in your life are released as you come into His holy presence). Get that joy flowing child, allow yourself to laugh and shout and pray freely in the presence of your Father, and your joy and strength and peace will be the blessed result! You are greatly loved by your Father!

Prayer

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Father, I have judged others and have consequently "locked myself in" through that judgment so that I have resisted the blessings of joy so freely offered by you from heaven. Forgive me Father, and let me walk free in that forgiveness, in Jesus’ name, amen!