The Joy of the Lord is my Strength - part 1

The Joy of the Lord – Fighting from Victory

Are you tired of being discouraged in your walk with the Lord? Has your joy left you? Satan wants your joy, and he wants it badly. Be of good cheer! This powerful truth will help you find your joy and get you back on the track of being a victor instead of a victim!

2Co 4:8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
2Co 4:9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed—

Don’t just read the troubles, read the note of victories as well. In Other Words: I might get knocked down, but you’re never going to knock me out!

In fact, Satan has been defeated on the Cross by our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan should be afraid of you, Christians are a terror to Satan ! How to become a Holy Terror to Satan? Make a decision (not just try…). Say this: “I am not going under, I am going over! No matter what lies ahead, none of these things move me”   If you are willing to wait, it will not take very long.

Let’s see the story of King David, who was called to battle and destined to win.

1 Samuel 30:1
David was so distressed he sat down to cry. House burnt down and families taken into captivity.
His men blamed him. (David could have reacted to say I don’t want this job anyway, I prefer to herd sheep)
David decided to be his own cheerleader. He made up his mind, if God has delivered him before (the lion, the bear, the giant, the battles), He will do it again!  He is a covenant man.

Covenant man can be distressed but we don’t have to stay distressed. We don’t give up.  We get knocked down but not knocked out!  You were so bad before you got saved, when you served the devils; but now after you’re saved, you become a whim?  When you get over on God’s team, you become a whim?

David began to encourage himself in the Lord. He started to ask the Lord if he should pursue.  Lord told him that he will pursue, overtake them and take everything back.  And that is the marching order from Heaven to the people of Christ today.  It is time to get up in the power of the Holy Spirit, and it is time to fight back and get back everything Satan’d stolen.

2 Samuel 21:15
The Philistine was like Satan, keep giving trouble. (see V15, V18, V19, V20) ; King David always being prosecuted.
the Devil may be So persistent – But where covenant people are concerned, he is a persistent loser.

Q: Did the devil try to stop you from reading this message?  That is one way he is doing, keep attacking. But our weapon is not carnal; they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong hold (2Co 10:4).

Are you desperate for victory?  Make an uncompromising stand, don’t give in.

2 Samuel 22:1, In the midst of battle, David sang. “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer, ….”. Distress gone and Joy enters.

When you are under pressure, it is an indication that Satan has fired his best shot.  And if this one does not get you, he is finished!  Shout: I am never going under. V.29..by my God…I leap over the wall. David was joyous. He refused to give in to his emotion.  He expects God to give him the victory again. David knew it is not God’s will for his servants to be defeated.

Jesus said the words He spoke will give you JOY:
John 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

But Satan always tries to steal the word of God:

Mar 4:15  And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

Why Satan wants to steal the Word?
As long as you have the Word in your heart, you will have the joy in your heart. The devil will not be able to defeat you.

When we read the Word and realize that it’s God’s will for us to prosper and be in health that produces JOY on the inside of us. The devil knows that the best time to take away the Word from your heart is immediately after you have received it. Because the Word has not taken root yet and to prove God is wrong.

How does the devil steal?
Through affliction, persecution, the cares of this world, the lust of other things, and the deceitfulness of riches.

Do you know that the devil can also steal things from you?  (John 10:10  The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…) Do you know that it was the devil who stole your car, your money, boyfriend, or whatever it was that you have lost?

He can’t just reach in and get your joy out of your heart. He will try to steal from you physically to weaken you spiritually. Devils Start by Stealing things, is to get to your heart ultimately.  Satan also likes to use the “little things” to steal our joy, such as: your car won’t start, your hair isn’t looking right, a husband and wife start fussing…

Nehemiah 8:10 says, The JOY of the Lord is your STRENGTH.

The devil knows that if he can get your joy, even over something “little,” he can steal your strength. No strength = can’t resist devil = devil won’t flee. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. If he can’t get your joy, HE CAN’T KEEP WHAT HE STOLE FROM YOU!

Do you want what the devils stole from you, back?  Simply this: The devil can’t defeat a joyful believer!

The Hebrew word for Joy = “exhilaration”
The Hebrew word for strength = “stronghold.”
In other words, the exhilaration we have is a stronghold in our lives and keeps us able to face the enemy and withstand him when he is attacking us.

Jesus always tells us to be of good cheer: 677 times in the Bible, God said to take joy. In the Old Testament, God told His people “Be of good courage, be not dismay. Fear not.”  In the New Testament,Jesus said: In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Our New testament Bible, was originally written in Greek: The Greek word for “joy” is ‘Chara’, derived from the word ‘charis’, which is the Greek word for ‘GRACE‘

Bible contains words that are all true, truly recorded by true people. But not all the words are the Truth (Satan also spoke in the Bible), the Truth that will set you free is the word of Grace, the Gospel of Grace. So, by knowing & believing in Grace, the Gospel of Grace that Jesus Christ died to give us, we will experience the Joy, that no man nor devils can take away from our heart. The Joy that Jesus promised to give us in John 15:11.  JOY is a spiritual powerful force!

Be of good cheer. Satan wants your joy. If he can make you joyless, then he has defeated you. When you get defeated, he will spoil your goods and steal them from you.

No One Can Take Your Joy (Word of God) : John 16:22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

The devil cannot take your joy….unless you allow it.

1 Peter 5:8-9 says Satan is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour – so, unless you allow him, but if you resist him he will flee from you. And, the reason, he is roaring is that he ain’t got no teeth anymore! Jesus has defanged all his teeth. A roaring lion knows well that it has no teeth to kill its prey, so its only weapon is to roar the prey to death.

Just like the devil, he cannot take your joy from you, but he can create enough pressure roaring around you, until you are emotionally drained up and give up your joy.

Joy comes from the Word of God, reading your Bible on God’s promises, on Grace, on God’s goodness, God’s unconditional Love, God’s total forgiveness of sins; then you can rejoice to have Joy. And if you can rejoice, then your victory is near! For example: When you are in financial pressures, keep meditating this scripture promise word: But my God shall supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19); When it looks as if there is no way out, say the verse out loud. Learn to say the verse until it gets rooted in your heart and Satan cannot take away anymore. (Power of meditation)


www.liftingjesus.org