TOPIC: THE HOLY SPIRIT, JOY AND REST
Scripture: Proverbs 17:22 A joyful, cheerful heart brings healing to both body and soul. But the one whose heart is crushed struggles with sickness and depression.( TPT)
Beloved, I welcome you to another Moment of Daily Encounter! Today, the Holy Spirit want us to consider the relationship that exists between the Holy Spirit, joy and rest. I once visited a prison to minister to the prison inmates. I made a great observation that day that informed the basis of our meditation today.
In that prison, I discovered that even though their freedom is confined, they were not well fed, poor sanitary conditions, no quality water to drink, poor ventilation yet the inmates rarely fell sick! I saw joy and excitement on the faces of the inmates. When it was time to praise God they did it with all their hearts. You could literally see passion for God in their praises.
When compared to the church I pastored then, I wondered why we had to motivate the congregation to praise God! While pondering on this matter the Holy Ghost made me to understand that the people in prison though confined but their joy was not confined.
Hence they were able to praise God with excitement, whereas most people in the church though free, but many of them have their joy caged or robbed by the enemy!
Beloved, are you one of those whose joy has been truncated or aborted? Has your family lost the joy of marriage? Have you suddenly lost the joy of your salvation?
Was your heart battered and shattered by your most trusted friend or colleague? Is your partner betraying your trust? I have a good news for you, the Lord is coming for you! Don’t loose heart and don’t give up on God.
Beloved, back to my story, the prison inmates were able to maintain a healthy life because of steady joy!
And the Holy Ghost made me to understand again that many people in the church are sick because they don’t know how to keep their joy. They forget that without joy you cannot serve God. (Neh.8:10).
From our anchor scripture (Prov.17v22), we see that there is a relationship between joy and a healthy life!
Whatever affects your soul affects your body. Whatever affects your mind leaves an indelible mark on your life. This explains why the Bible said:
Philippians 4: 4. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
So even when hit with the worst scenarios, hope dashed, disappointments of various categories, choose to obey God by being joyful always.
Beloved, understand that the devil is a master of the sense realm, so he keeps on sponsoring activities that will make you sorrowful. All the attacks of the devil against your life is against your joy. The devil knows that;
Proverbs 15: 13. A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.
So he tries to break you down with disappointment, delay, broken promises, affliction, hardship, poverty etc. With the view that those are the things that your joy is based on.
Beloved, understand therefore that your joy is not based on anything other than the Holy Spirit!
Roman 14:17: For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
What the Holy Ghost is saying today is that the relationship between the Holy Spirit, joy and rest is that the Holy Spirit is the sponsor of joy and joy is the sponsor of rest.
Do you desire rest in any dimension, then be a friend of the Holy Spirit! Get filled with the Holy Spirit, maintain your joy by praying in the Holy Ghost all the time and the Holy Spirit will keep your joy alive while you enjoy maximum rest.
How does joy bring rest?
Remember this: Heaven is real and hell is real. The decision of where to spend eternity begins now, get ready.
Prayer points:
– Father thank you for your word to me today.
– Lord let your Holy Spirit take control of my life again and heal my broken spirit in the name of Jesus.
Prophetic Declaration:
– I prophesy the release of healing grace upon every wounded heart in the name of Jesus.
– I declare restoration of joy for everyone who has lost joy in the name of Jesus.
From your brother Alex
God bless you.