Joy For All SeasonsSample

“Do not be grieved [or depressed] for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) You have an enemy who desires that you would live in a constant state of debilitating depression and discouragement. This enemy is unable to change the fact that you are heaven-bound and have been guaranteed eternal life. Since he is unable to touch your eternal life, what he attempts to do is to ruin your abundant life. You have a God who desires to inject you with His joy! It is God’s miraculous, perpetual joy that will deliver indomitable strength to your life this side of heaven’s glory. The devil does not want you to be strong. This diabolical laughing stock of absolute nothingness wants you to be the weakest version of yourself possible. The deceiver of God’s people goes about it in one singular way: the devil attempts to steal your joy. The devil is not just after your marriage, your health, your finances, your children, or your relationships. What he actually wants is your joy, and the way that he tries to access your joy is through your marriage, health, finances, children, and relationships. Don’t let the devil have your joy! Stand toe to toe ... nose to nose ... with the accuser of the brethren and have a stare-down. Hang onto your joy and declare in his face, “Devil, you weak, whining, immature caricature of all that is not holy, you will never have my joy. One of us is going down and it ain’t gonna be me!” If you release your joy to the enemy, it will turn you into a weak, whining, and ineffective Christian, because the joy of the Lord is your strength. Other than your salvation, I believe that your joy is the most valuable commodity you have been given while walking the surface of planet earth and breathing in oxygen. The powerful gift of joy is able to give you indomitable strength during your days of pain and trauma. If there is anything the devil hates more than a Christian ... it is a joyful Christian. Hang onto your joy. Don’t ever let go of your joy, because joy is what will give you the strength to fight and to carry on every day of your life! Joyful Thought to Ponder: How does joy give strength to a Christian’s life?