Let The Joy Flow

[bluidkiti]

A Bible Devotion

Let The Joy Flow

NEHEMIAH 8:10b GWN 10 Don't be sad because the joy you have in the LORD is your strength."

As children of God we have joy in our spirit. But we must choose to let it flow out into our minds, bodies, and circumstances.

Joy is part of the provision God has given us so we can walk in strength and victory. Not allowing joy to flow out of our innermost being allows a weakness that can provide an opening for the devil.

JOHN 17:13 GWN 13 "But now, Father, I'm coming back to you. I say these things while I'm still in the world so that they will have the same joy that I have.

Joy is part of the "fruit" produced by the Holy Spirit through our human spirits.

GALATIANS 5:22 GWN 22 But the spiritual nature produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

But we must choose to let the joy out. We must open our mouth and release words of joy, thanking and praising God. We must choose to let the joy flow!

But don't expect this to always be easy. It's when things seem the worst that you need to act on this the most.

JOHN 15:11 NLT 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!

Not only did Jesus tell us we should be filled with His joy, but it should overflow -- like a river of life flowing from our innermost being (John 7:38).

One way to keep our focus on the Lord is to rejoice in Him. As children of God, we have joy and peace in our spirits. But our minds may be blocking the flow by keeping our focus on circumstances and our reasoning.

Sometimes it's good for us to just let loose and force ourselves to really rejoice and praise God. Just go ahead and make a fool of yourself praising God! God won't mind.

2 SAMUEL 6:14-16,21 NLT 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. 15 So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams' horns. 16 But as the Ark of the LORD entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she was filled with contempt for him. 21 David retorted to Michal, "I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the LORD, so I celebrate before the LORD.

If it was not wrong for King David, it's not wrong for us! It's okay to shout for joy and to jump for joy! Some people may not appreciate it, but the Lord does, and it's good for us.

PHILIPPIANS 4:4 NKJ 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

To rejoice means to re-joy or to have joy again. In the Lord, we can experience joy again and again and again!

Circumstances in your life may not be perfect, but you can always rejoice in the Lord, because He is always perfect. God is perfect in goodness and greatness and love! There is no fault in Him!

SAY THIS: I will let God's joy flow out of my spirit by rejoicing in the Lord.