Today I continue our new series entitled, “Power of Fellowship.” For days I have been teaching on learning to be content. The Holy Spirit will not allow me to move on from this. Yesterday I shared my heart and the responses I got were overwhelming. This is obviously something many people in the Body of Christ struggle with. Yesterday I talked about losing your joy. Today I will talk about getting it back!
Let’s go back to what the Apostle Paul said in his closing remarks to the believers in Philippi.
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:11-13)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Life is a long journey. It is lived out in levels and stages. Some levels and stages are harder than others. Life is also lived out in times and seasons. Some times and seasons can be more challenging than others. As you live life you realize that circumstances change. People change. You change. The only constant through it all is God. The more you develop a true and intimate relationship with God, the better equipped you will be to handle life’s challenges and changes.
2. If you live long enough you will eventually find yourself in a situation where you are dissatisfied. You may be dissatisfied with your life and what you consider to be a lack of progress. You may be dissatisfied with the people around you and what you consider to be a lack of support. You may be dissatisfied with yourself and the failures you have made that have led to where you are. Being dissatisfied and discontent will rob of your joy. But getting back in the face of God — falling on your knees, meditating and medicating on His Word, and allowing the Holy Spirit to minister to you — will get you out of your rut. True and intimate fellowship with God is the key to getting your JOY BACK! If you feel dissatisfied, discontent, discouraged or even depressed this morning, make a decision right now that you are going to spend time with God. Spending time with God, in His presence, free of all distractors, is a great way to GET YOUR JOY BACK! God can minister to you like no one else can.
3. I know good people, who love God, who have good hearts, and who are truly striving to live pleasing in God’s sight, who lost their joy. They lost the joy of their salvation because they failed to be content. Today my prayer is that you go back to God, you spend time with Him and you GET YOUR JOY BACK!
4. When you spend time in the presence of the Lord, connecting with Him through the Holy Spirit living inside of you, God will begin to minister to you like no one else can. The Holy Spirit will not convict you of the things you have done wrong. The Holy Spirit will convict you of your righteousness. The Holy Spirit will remind you of who you are in Christ Jesus. He will tell you that you are the head and not the tail. That you are above only and never beneath! That you are the winner and not the loser. That you are the VICTOR and never the VICTIM! And most importantly, the Holy Spirit will remind you that you are LOVED by God! God’s love will change you from the inside-out. If you open your heart to God’s love, the Holy Spirit will build you back up and you will GET YOUR JOY BACK. But you have to spend time with Him! This is the importance of fellowship.
5. I declare this over your life: “You are who God says you are. You can do what God has called you to do. You are called, appointed and anointed for such a time as this. You are the answer to the problems around you. God’s grace is on you. His Spirit is in you. The Blood of His Son covers you. The favor of God goes before you. As you spend time in God’s presence today and over the next few days, I declare that YOU GET YOUR JOY BACK!”
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for loving me despite my faults, flaws and failures. I look past yesterday and I open my heart to Your love. I bask in Your presence. I bathe myself in prayer. I rest in Your grace. I embrace the fact that I have new mercies this morning. And in this moment, as I enjoy Your love, grace, peace and mercy, I declare that I am content. I know You have called me to do much more than where I am today. And I shall get it done. But I refuse to lose my joy along the way. I enter this day empowered by Your love and filled with Your JOY! The Joy of the Lord is my strength! I look in the mirror and I love what I see. I like and love myself. I am at peace with who I am and where I am. I shall arrive at Your overall expected end for my life and I am determined to ENJOY THE RIDE! I can say this because I GOT MY JOY BACK! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
