Rejoice!

Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4 AMPC

[4] Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

Psalm 37:4 AMPC

[4] Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.

Two different verses, spoken by two different people in different generations, but with the same message. Two different verses inspired by the same Spirit, charging all who read them to react in a specific way to whatever it is that may be happening around them. Starting with the letter of Paul and Timothy written to the church in Philippi, this was addressed to those called saints, God's consecrated people who had surrendered their lives to His leading and direction. This foundation is important for the rest of this devotion, as there can be no other foundation for joy than to have the presence of God living in you. How do you show the attributes of a person possessed by the Spirit of God without the Spirit of God? I also note that Paul's letter did not ignore the realities of the experiences of the people reading this, but there a focus that was bigger and better than the sum of these experiences.

This is why joy is special. It does not need me to have everything I need before I have joy. It is not tied to anything that the world can define or limit. The presence or absence of physical things does not impact the reality of joy in me. I do not take pleasure in position, power, pleasure or possessions; these are temporary things that will always change with the passage of time. It could be as a result of physical growth or simply the expiry of a thing but with joy, you just cannot outgrow it, as it is not tied to anything this world can give or take away from you. Like David, I see the things that go on around me: the wicked seems to be doing well for themselves, and it appears that they live long, but the response of David is also a lesson for me. Focus on the God who calls me to Himself. Focus on the faithfulness of God, and trust Him, as a righteous judge, to do what brings Him glory. 

It is not a wonder, then, that both David and Paul could speak so eloquently and clearly about the value of joy. It also shows that it is only IN God that one can define what you hold as joy. Both David and Paul/Timothy made reference to 'Delight IN the Lord' and 'Rejoice IN the Lord'. Location determines allocation. Residency status defines entitlement and access to benefits. If nations can make it a crime to take benefits without being a citizen, it applies in the same way to spiritual benefits. God sends His rain on all men, good or bad, but He reserves the manifestation of His Spirit in various forms for those who have submitted to Him. When I delight in God, He gives me the desires and secret petitions of my heart, and because He is the delight of my heart, I will always seek in line with His will. Want joy, as defined by God? Find God, and get a lifetime supply. God's time of favour is here.