Tuesday, February 25, 2014

FULL OF JOY


TO BE LIKE JESUS IS TO SMILE AND LAUGH

John 15:11 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
 
Acts 13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 1:8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

As Christians, we are to be like Jesus. But what was Jesus like? Was He a happy person? Did He get depressed? Did He show joy and happiness? Or was He stern and solemn all the time? Well, let's look to the Bible and see what it says concerning this.

In Luke 10, Jesus sent seventy disciples out into the cities He was planning to go to. He gave them instructions and when they returned, they gave Him a good report. They said that even the demons were subject to His name. (v. 17.) In verse 21, the Bible says that Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit. The Greek word used in this verse for rejoice suggests shouting and leaping with joy. Can you imagine that? Jesus - shouting and leaping with joy! If you can't, you probably have a religious image of Jesus.

In Matthew 19, little children were brought to Jesus and He prayed for them. When the disciples tried to keep the children away, Jesus rebuked them, saying, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for such is the kingdom of heaven" (v. 14). There's no mention here that these children were afraid of Jesus or were forced to go to Him, which to me strongly implies that the children wanted to go to Jesus. Would children be drawn to a grumpy, rigid, mean old man? Of course not! Children are attracted to joyful people who smile and laugh.

Another time, in John 15, Jesus taught His disciples about love. In verse 11 He said, "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." Jesus said He was joyful and He wanted us to have His joy.

Listen, God loved us so much that He made a way for us to live throughout all eternity and never die. Through faith, He made a way for us to have special gifts that would help us supernaturally. (1 Cor. 12:4-11.) He gave us His Word that He would heal, prosper, and deliver us. He gave us His Holy Spirit as a comforter, helper, and intercessor. He gave us supernatural love. He gave us peace, not peace like the world gives, but supernatural peace. (John 14:27.)

James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning."

IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD?

JEREMIAH 32:27 - “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

Do you have a problem believing that the moment a sinner receives Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, he is saved? I believe that you will say, “No.”

Let me then ask you which is harder for God (though in reality, we know that nothing is hard for God): To save a soul from hell or heal a sick body? Of course, it is “harder” to save a soul from hell because God had to send His Son to the cross.

So if God has already given you the greatest miracle that you can ever receive, which is to pluck you out of the clutches of eternal damnation and give you eternal life, what is healing your body, saving your marriage, turning your rebellious teenage son around or giving you that business deal to Him?

Therefore, don’t think that when you come to God with a headache, He says, “No problem,” but should you come to Him with cancer, He says, “Cancer? Wow! Not that easy. This is more problematic. I will need more power!”

No! It may appear more difficult to us, but with God, nothing is too hard for Him because He says, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?”

This was indeed the case for a church member who was suffering from ovarian cancer. After I had prayed for her, I told her, “This cancer is not a problem for God. Just believe that when God said that nothing is too hard for Him, it is so!” In a matter of weeks, she came back with tears in her eyes, testifying that she went back to the doctor and he pronounced her healed after he could find no traces of cancer in her.

Beloved, if it is a miracle you need, it is a miracle you will get. God has already given you the greatest miracle of eternal life, so why would He not give you all the other lesser miracles?

 ACTIVATE HIS POWER :

“But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might...” - (Micah 3:8, NIV)

In today’s scripture, Micah knew how to encourage himself in the Lord. He understood how to draw in courage and strength and align himself with God’s purpose for his life. He knew there was power in his words and power in agreeing with God.

It works the same way with us today. Romans 10:9–10 tells us that salvation comes when we believe in Jesus and then declare what we believe. In the same way, we activate the power of God by believing and declaring it. (Job 22:28)

Today, know that God loves you and desires to empower you for every task you face. Receive His strength and activate it by declaring that He is at work in your life by the Holy Spirit! Declare that you are filled with power, strength, justice and wisdom as you face the challenges before you. Believe it, receive it and declare it because He has equipped you to overcome in every area of your life


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