The Joy Of The Lord

The Joy Of The Lord “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose your peace and joy? You get up every morning expecting things to be bright and rosy and that everything is going to go your way. However when you experience your first setback such as a spilled cup of coffee, or experience a traffic jam on your way to work, or a rude waitress, your day becomes frustrating and your peace and joy is instantly gone. When this happens you have just experienced Satan at work in your life. Satan does not want you to be happy and joyful in your daily walk. He wants you to experience worry and misery wherever you go. This is the atmosphere he thrives in, as if you are miserable, you will not have your mind and thoughts on God, but rather will be concentrating on worry and the pressures of life. It is so easy to lose our peace and joy, but this is not what God commands us to do. 1st Thessalonians 5:16 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” You will notice that the scripture doesn’t say “I suggest” or “maybe you should” be joyful always. It says to “Be joyful always”. When we lose our happiness and joy we are right where Satan wants us, and certainly not obeying God’s command. We can see how God expects us to act in the face of adversity by reading the Psalms, as we constantly see King David rejoicing and praising God even while circumstances were not what he wanted. Think about the things that destroy your peace, and be aware of these when they arise the next time. Don't let Satan ruin your day and destroy your happiness. My Daily Devotional Volume Six August 27 Robert William Brock, Jr.