Stolen Joy
At
what cost do we allow ourselves to wallow in discouragement?
Or despair? Or self-pity? What
do we release in order for them to take up residence?
The
very things we need in order to defeat these enemies, are the qualities we
release willingly in order for the foes to set up camp!
The
moment we let Joy fly out the window we’ve opened for it, it is replaced with
dismay – and enemy with many tentacles. Like
a wild, vine, it send out shoots of discouragement, sorrow, despair, self- pity,
hopelessness, anger and apathy. Each
in turn sends out roots that grow deep into our soul.
Where once the beams of Joy flooded in, the darkness flows.
We
then no longer have the ability to open the door or window for Joy to return. We can only willingly ask the Light of the world to
return it to its place. But, with
this comes a painful removal of the darkness.
The Light can effectively replace the Joy, but the scars remain as a
reminder to us of what our choices cost us.
So
easily we forget, and let the scarred areas return to the darkness – each time
letting it dig in deeper.
And
each time we call out to Him, He returns in His faithfulness.
Yet we are never the same…. He forgives and forgets, but our humanness
always remembers. Alas, our
remembering does not always call us to obedience! Oh, that it would! We wait anxiously for when our resurrected being will no
longer bear the scars nor the memories – and we shall have tears no longer.
Then and only then will our Joy be full and complete.
We
must chose to believe our true Joy is never connected to our circumstances –
otherwise we willingly weigh it down and destroy it with externals.
True Joy resides within and untouched by the world!
Even in our greatest pain, we can stand because of His Grace.
His faithfulness goes beyond our feelings.
When we are down, the enemy attacks our witness, our purity, our wisdom,
our faith and our integrity. He
will bring charges against us and we must be wise enough to keep silent when we
find ourselves attacked by others.
When
we find ourselves in the storms of life that threaten to steal our Joy, all we
can do is hang onto Christ (our Light) and ride it out!
He will bring us through no matter how hopeless it may seem.
He may even require us stand alone for a time, in order that we will
learn to lean on Him.
As
I read through the scriptures, I am made aware of how many
times JOY is associated with trials and pain, when I would
have expected it to be found only in good times ! I
have enclosed many scriptures for you to ponder… and
hopefully you will look up each passage and learn what the
father has to say to you about Joy in your own life!
Click here to search the scriptures:
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"You
have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your
presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
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Psalm
43:4 "Then
will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you
with the harp, O God, my God."
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Psalm
51:8 "Make
me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may
rejoice."
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Psalm
51:12 "Restore
to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain
me."
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Psalm
65:8 "Those
living far away fear your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades you
call forth songs of joy."
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Psalm
126:5 "Those
who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy."
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Isa
61:7 "Instead
of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace
they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double
portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs."
Isa
12:3 "With
joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."
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Isa
35:10 "and
the ransomed of the LORD will return. They will enter Zion with singing;
everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and
sorrow and sighing will flee away." Isa
61:3 "and
provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of
praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of
righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."
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Isa
66:5 "Hear
the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word: "Your brothers who hate
you, and exclude you because of my name, have said, 'Let the LORD be glorified,
that we may see your joy!' Yet they will be put to shame." |
Zeph
3:17 "The
LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in
you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with
singing.""
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John
16:20 "I
tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will
grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." |
John
16:24 "Until
now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and
your joy will be complete."
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Psalm
63:3-8 "Because
your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." "I
will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my
hands." "My
soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth
will praise you." "On
my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night." "Because
you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings." "My
soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me."
Isa
64: 5 "You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways.
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Psalm
35:5-9 "Of
David. Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who
fight against me." "Take
up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid." "Brandish
spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your
salvation."" "May
those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay." "May
they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them
away;" "may
their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them." "Since
they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for
me," "may
ruin overtake them by surprise-- may the net they hid entangle them, may they
fall into the pit, to their ruin." "Then
my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation."
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John
17:13 ""I
am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so
that they may have the full measure of my joy within them." |
Isa
56:7 "these
I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their
burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will
be called a house of prayer for all nations."" |
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1
Peter 1:8 "Though
you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you
believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy," |
Romans
15:13 "May
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you
may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
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2
Cor 1:24 "Not
that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it
is by faith you stand firm."
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2
Cor 2:3 "I wrote as I did so that when I came I should not be distressed by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy."
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Gal
6:4 "Each
one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without
comparing himself to somebody else," |
Gal
5:22 "But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness,"
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Col
1:11 "being
strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have
great endurance and patience, and joyfully"
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2
Cor 7:4 "I
have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly
encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds."
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1
Thess 1:6 "You
became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you
welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." |
Hebrews
1:9 "You
have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set
you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.""
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Hebrews
12:2 "Let
us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy
set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God." |
"No
discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it
produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by
it."
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1
John 1:4 "We write this to make our joy complete." |
James
1:2 "Consider
it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,"
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Heb
3:6 "But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast."
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Psalm
89:15 "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD." |
