Proverbs 17:22 says ” A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
We know the Bible says that the enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and one of the things we allow the enemy to steal most often is our joy. By looking at this scripture in Proverbs 17 we can see why, because being joyful is good medicine! If the enemy can steal our joy, then he steals the good medicine that sees us through even difficult times. The thing about this though is that our joy can only be stolen if WE allow it! It is up to us to hold tight to our joy, to choose it daily and to walk with it in our lives. Our joy can only be lost if we choose for it to be.
Joy is one of the fruits of the spirit, given to us from God; it is evidence to the world that we are His children. When we allow the enemy to steal our joy (or allow ourselves to refuse to walk in it), we choose to then lay down one of the very pieces of evidence that signals to the world that we are His. Our Joy is like a lighthouse sitting high and shining bright lighting the way to Jesus. It is such a vital necessity to our Christian walk yet one of the first things to go when we face difficulty. In Matthew 5:14 it says that we are a light to the world, and it goes on to compare us to a town on a mountain side that is so well lit it cannot be hidden, it stands out against the landscapes surrounding it. If we are a light to the world, then Joy is the fuel that keeps us lit.
As you go about your week I will be praying the prayer Paul prayed in Romans 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
May you take notice if you are lacking in joy and think on the very source of our joy and why we of all people should be overflowing with joy at all times. May you enjoy your life and be filled to overflowing so that all those around you will experience the overflow of joy in your life.
Much love and blessings,
Pastor Ginny
