Rejoice in the Lord, Always
Joy is a positive attitude or pleasant emotion, delight (Philippians 4:4-9); the Bible
reveals the answer to any sadness in verse 6 “in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God”. Many levels
of joy are described, including gladness, contentment and cheerfulness. Joy rises
above circumstances and focuses on the very character of God. For example, Paul
and Silas offered praise and thanksgiving to God, even in the midst of their problems,
and the circumstances were changed (Acts 16:25-26) “and at midnight Paul and
Silas prayed, and sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly
there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken,
and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s bands were loosed. The
psalmist rejoices over God’s righteousness Psalms 71:14-16, salvation 21:1; 71:23,
faithfulness 33:1-6. God’s characteristics as well as His acts are the cause of
rejoicing. The joy required of the righteous person is produced by the Spirit of God
(Galatians 5:22). This kind of joy is distinct from mere happiness. The Spirit in you
produces the joy, that why the Bible said to cast your cares on Jesus for He cares for
you. Jesus said “ if you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love, even
as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things have
I spoken to you that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. Joy
like this is possible, even in the midst of sorrow ( II Corinthians 6:10, 7:4). Now the
God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Spirit
(Romans 15:13).
Proverbs 17:22 says “a merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit
dries the bones”, so it benefits us to be joyful. We don’t rejoice because of the
problem, but we rejoice in the One who can change our circumstances.
We rejoice because we are brought into the covenant of God. Galatians 3:7 says
“know you therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of
Abraham”, then in Galatians 3:29 it says “if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s
seed and heirs according to the promise”. Jesus implied in Luke 13:10-16 that the
woman being a daughter of Abraham had the right to be loosed from her bondage
even on the Sabbath day, He said “ought not this woman, being a daughter of
Abraham, whom satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond
on the Sabbath day?” We also being a child of Abraham has the right to stand and
demand satan to loose us from whatever bondage he tries to put on us. We have a
covenant with God, that was ratified by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We must
remember the Bible says the new testament is made up of new and better promises.
We rejoice because we have been redeemed from the curse of the law. We have
been made the righteousness of God in Christ. We have been justified (made right,
just as if we had never sinned). We have been sanctified, set apart for God. For I
Corinthians 1:30 says “but of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption”.
We rejoice because we have been adopted by God, the Bible tells us that “as many
as received Him (Jesus) to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on His name”.
The main reason we rejoice is because as we rejoice in the above things, it drives
satan crazy, he can’t understand why we don’t get upset at the circumstances, and
give up on God. But as you rejoice, your faith grows stronger. Remember in
Nehemiah 8:10 it says “the joy of the Lord is your strength”.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: January 27, 2006