“And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.” – Luke 13:13 (NKJV)
The above Scripture refers to a woman with a deformity for eighteen years, a curvature of the spine caused somehow by a demon. She was bent over and could in no way straighten herself. Jesus called her and changed her situation by releasing her from the binding spirit, giving her joy.
Cultivating joy through Jesus is the most profound and long-lasting joy one could have; it could last a lifetime. What we see, receive, or witness is that God will be glorified. Our situations are only temporary; God’s love is permanent. This is the attitude we should all adopt.
Revelation 12:11 (NKJV) says, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives to the death.” God’s joy is a testimony, a positive feeling, a wonderful story we want to share, and it keeps bubbling over inside us. What looks like defeat is victory; satan tries to kill it, but we are ultimate victors in Jesus’ joy. Seek His face today.
Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us “….for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” So let us share that joy we have by telling someone, and that one tells another, and the whole world will be filled with His joy.
In cultivating joy through Jesus Christ, I had to learn what God requires of us to live this life with His joy. We will suffer pain as He moulds us, but in the end, it will bring us joy. He gives us free will to choose whether we will serve Him, walk in His ways, and see His glory face to face. God never fails.
Reading: Proverbs 15:23; 2 John 1:12
Bible Reading Guide: Psalm 68:15-20; John 18:25-40; 1 Samuel 24; 1 Samuel 25