"Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation."
(Isa 12:3)
What is joy? Many confuse joy with happiness. Happy comes from happenstance which means a circumstance that is due to chance. (1) We, all know, that the being happy is dictated by the circumstances. When all goes well, we are happy. When it does not, we are sad. Joy is different.
Joy is a fruit of the spirit.(2) Feeling weak? Start singing songs and dance for the Lord. Remember the joy of the Lord is your strength! (3) But, you may say---I don't feel like being joyful. It is not based on a feeling, but on what the word says. One thing to remember when you are going through a trial or testing----God knows the end from the beginning. YOU ARE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR THROUGH HIM THAT LOVED US! (4)
That means that you are on the winning team! That means that your circumstances can change if you use the word by faith. Feeling dry? Start using that joy to bring out the waters of salvation! Isa 12:3 says that you have a well inside of you! That well is Jesus! That well is never dry!
That well will encourage and refresh you! We need to be covenant-minded in order to understand joy. Having health or financial issues? Dealing with stress and anxieties? Learn to laugh at your problems. You have a covenant with God through Jesus, our Lord! Learn to laugh at your enemies of sickness, debt, financial oppression,stress and anxieties. God does.
When you read Ps 2, you will find that God laughs at his enemies. You should, too! Why? When you have a covenant with God, your enemies become his enemies. Be encouraged because you matter with God. You have a friend in high places. When I saw the Godfather movie, I remember Vito Coleone saying that if you had him as a friend, your enemies would fear you! (5) Vito Coleone was a powerful mafia man with friends in high places. He had the muscle and he had the connections.
How much more with God? Jesus is Lord over all! A point to remember is when a king laughed and you were in his court, you'd better laugh even if you did not understand the joke. Your life could be at stake if you did not laugh. It was a sign of disrespect. Friend, let's see the whole picture! You win with God----Hands down, so learn to laugh at your problems.
Laughter is healthy and will improve your health. Medical science says that if you laugh for 10 minutes daily, your health will improve. Learn to understand the power of Joy.(6) Joy took the children of Israel out of bondage and it will with you too! So, friend, let not your heart be troubled. Rejoice for you have the victory. Learn to activate the joy that lies inside of you. You'll be glad you did--God bless!
Verses provided by www.biblegateway.com
References:
(1) http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/happenstance
(2) Gal 5:22
(3) Neh 8:10
(4) Rom 8:37
(5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCdcXoLs_NY
(6) Ps 105:43
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