#disobedience – Boldly For Him

1st Thessalonians 5:16 (TPT);

“Let joy be your continual feast.”

What does it mean to “Feast on Joy?”

“Feasting On Joy” is “Partaking of God’s Strength and Power.” “Divine Joy” is nutrient-dense “Spiritual Soul Food” for the weary Child of God!

DIVINE JOY

“Divine Joy,” consumed by a child of God as a “Continual Feast of Joy,” builds a Stronghold of God’s Protective Presence over our lives.

Nehemiah 8:10 (AMPC);

“Then [Ezra] told them, Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet drink, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is Holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the Joy of The Lord is your Strength and Stronghold.”

My friend, there is a profound spiritual revelation from The Holy Spirit Housed within this scripture. An insight that supernaturally dispels grief and depression. The revelation? “THE JOY OF THE LORD is our Strength and Stronghold!” Not a carnal human joy that our emotions must work up! Ezra, the Priest, knows that the children of Israel need more than natural sustenance to overcome the obstacles before them. They need the “JOY OF THE LORD” to be their “Strength and Stronghold!” THE DIVINE GIFT OF JOY THAT GOD GIVES HIS SON JESUS CHRIST AT CALVARY!

GOD’S GIFT OF JOY

“God’s Gift of Joy” will “birth faith within us!”

Hebrews 12:2 (TPT);

“We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus Who Birthed faith within us and Who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because His Heart was focused on THE JOY of knowing that you would be His, He endured the agony of The Cross and Conquered its humiliation and now sits exalted at the Right Hand of The Throne of God!”

“God’s Gift of Joy” is the Divine Strength and Power that takes Jesus Christ’s Faith through “the agony of The Cross of Calvary.” As “The Sacrificial Lamb of God” (Ref. John 1:29), Jesus Christ “Focuses On Divine Joy.” THE JOY OF HIS FATHER! The result? This “Feast of Joy” “conquers humiliation! Now “grief and depression” cannot steal the Victory of Calvary! My friend, this Supernatural “Grace Gift of Joy” from Father God is now ours through salvation! THANK YOU, JESUS! “God’s Gift of Joy” can bring us through the roughest of waters, as we like Jesus Christ, “Feast on Divine Joy!” This is the picture of “A Heart of Joy,” fully surrendered to The Will of God.

A HEART OF JOY

A “Feast of Divine Joy” produces “A Heart of Joy!” Igniting an appetite to do “The Will of God!”

John 4:34 (TPT);

“Then Jesus spoke up and said, “My Food is to be doing The Will of Him Who sent Me and bring it to completion.”

“A Heart of Joy” Focuses on The Pleasure of “Doing The Will of Him Who Sent Me, and “bringing it to completion.”

“Divine Obedience” is Jesus Christ’s “True Food.” Is it yours?

THE NUTRITION OF DIVINE OBEDIENCE

“The Nutrition of Divine Obedience,” from “Feasting on Joy,” fuels Jesus Christ through the most challenging moment of Calvary. This is where “The Joy of The Lord” becomes “His Strength and Stronghold!” (Ref. Nehemiah 8:10 (b)).

Matthew 27: 45-46 (AMPC);

“Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (three o’clock).” “And about the ninth hour (three o’clock) Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?—that is, My God, My God, why have you abandoned Me [leaving Me helpless, forsaking and failing Me in My need]!.”

My friend, there are many opportunities in life to feel abandoned, helpless, and forsaken; the enemy and our flesh will make sure of it. However, focusing on “Divine Joy” brings The Glory of God onto the scene and dispels grief and depression. I’m describing “Divine Resurrection Joy!” The Focused Joy of our Savior’s Heart as He Pays The Price For Our Salvation! A JOY, SO INTIMATE WITH THE FATHER IT COVERS THE DARKEST OF HOURS!

As we follow Jesus’ example and choose to “Feast On Divine Joy,” we are insulated from grief and depression. How? by focusing on “THE JOY OF THE LORD WHO IS OUR STRENGTH AND STRONGHOLD!” (Ref. Nehemiah 8:10 (b)). This truth makes “Obedience” to “be doing the Will of Him Who sent us” (Ref. John 4:34), a “Divine Joyful Priority” in our lives! Not a burden of performance.

THE BURDEN OF PERFORMANCE

One of the quickest ways to lose our “Divine Joy” is to come under “the burden of performance.”

Galatians 3:3 (TPT);

“Your new life in the Anointed One began with The Holy Spirit giving you a new birth. Why then would you so foolishly turn from living in The Spirit by trying to finish by your own works?”

Even Jesus Christ does not complete His Assignment at Calvary in His Strength, under “The Burden of His Performance.” He Chooses To “Focus On Joy,” “The joy that you would be His” (Ref. Hebrews 12:2 (b)). What makes us think that we are capable of accomplishing God’s Will for our lives” by our works” without “The JOY OF THE LORD BEING OUR STRENGTH AND STRONGHOLD?” (Ref. Nehemiah 8:10 (b).

Are you “Feasting on Joy,” or are you under “The Burden of Performance?”

Asking ourselves this question on an ongoing basis is crucial, my friend because it determines where we have set our gaze and joined our life.

RADIANT JOY

“Radiant Joy” is ours as we stay in union with The Living God.

Psalm 34:5 (TPT);

“Gaze upon Him, join your life with His, and JOY WILL COME. Your face will glisten with Glory. You’ll never wear that shame face again.”

Continually gazing upon Jesus Christ produces a life of “Radiant Joy!” A heart consumed with “The Glory of God!” ” We will “never wear that shame face again!” (Ref. Psalm 34:5 (b). Because “Joy is our continual feast!” (Ref. 1st Thessalonians 5:16).

My friend, may the “Fullness of Joy” reflect in our countenance as we choose to:

“BE STRONG AND LIVE “JOYFULLY” FREE……..BOLDLY FOR HIM!”

Psalm 16:11 (AMPC),

“You will show me the path of life; in Your Presence is FULLNESS of JOY, at Your Right Hand there are pleasures forevermore!”

Photo: Brooke Lark

One last look that’s all she wanted, after all, she had some fond memories of this place. Secretly deep down inside she really didn’t believe that this city or any of the other cities in the region deserved to be destroyed. “After all didn’t her husband Lot choose to settle their family in the city of Sodom because of all the vast resources before them? Yes, there were some bad things that happened here, but didn’t bad things happen everywhere?” With these thoughts racing through her mind, her steps slowed down to a resistant pace. “Lot was Abraham’s nephew, surely God would take all of this into consideration and change His Mind…Wouldn’t He?” Now weighed down with these heavy thoughts, …..she glanced up squinting, barely able to see Lot and her daughters, they were so far ahead of her.

The Angel had strictly warned them all not to stop or look back, however, the reasoning that started in her mind had now become an act of the heart. With one assumptive act of fatal rebellion, Lot’s wife turned, looked back and became a “Pillar of Salt!” A standing memorial of unbelief, rebellion, and death to this day. One that our Lord Jesus Christ asked us to remember with these direct words in Luke 17:32 (TPT);

“Don’t forget the example of Lot’s wife and what happened to her when she turned back.”

Genesis 19:26 (AMP) records this sad lesson for us,

“But [Lot’s] wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Why did Jesus ask us to “remember what happened to Lot’s wife?”….because “She died in the day of her deliverance!” You see my friend the enemy will try to get you and me to turn back to the things that God is trying to deliver us from, so that we like Lot’s wife, “Die in the day of our deliverance, and become like a “Pillar of Salt.”

Now is a good time to take a few moments of reflection and ask ourselves these questions:

1. What is God trying to deliver me from?
2. Is there something tempting me to turn back to my past?

The truth is, God never intended for anyone to become a “Pillar of Salt.” You and I have been created to be “Free Flowing Agents of The Holy Spirit.” Agents of Freedom and Deliverance for others, as we ourselves walk in freedom and deliverance.

Matthew 5:13-16 (AMP) gives us some encouraging insight from the Heart of God regarding this truth;

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste (its strength, it’s quality), how can its saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men.” “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” “Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.” “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven.”

There is an interesting footnote in the Passion Translation regarding this scripture, it states that,

“Rabbinical literature equates salt with wisdom. After speaking of salt, Jesus speaks of lighting a lamp. It was a common practice in the time of Jesus to put salt on the wick of a lamp to increase its brightness. The “salt” of wisdom will make our lights shine even brighter.”

The Passion Translation pg. 17 footnotes for Matthew 5:13 a.

So how do we not lose our “saltiness”? That’s a great question! Here’s a couple of steps that will help us,

1. We do exactly what The Lord Jesus asked us to do in Luke 17:32 (AMP) we,
“Remember Lot’s wife!”
2. We do exactly the opposite of what Lot’s wife did when it came time for her to participate with her deliverance. We obey without delay!

In essence, because Lot’s wife had a heart fixed on the darkness that was behind her, she could not recognize the “wisdom” or see the “light’ of deliverance that was before her. My friends, we have the mandate to be the “salt and light” of this world, “A city set on a hill that cannot be hidden.”

No matter how tight or dark our situation may seem right now my friend, we must resist the temptation to turn back and become galvanized like, “Pillars of Salt.” We must remember that our obedience to God’s Wisdom for our deliverance, illuminates the path of deliverance for someone else as well. This is how our, “Moral excellence and our praiseworthy, noble and good deeds are recognized while, “ALL of the Honor, Praise and Glory are given to our Father God Who is in Heaven!”

Dear Friends, this is our day to “Be Strong and Live Free”……..Boldly For Him!