July 21, 2023
Topic: Benefits of God’s Presence – JOY
Text: Reading: Psalm 16:11
Memory Verse: “You make known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand. “Ps. 16:11 NIV
For the next few days, we shall be considering some Benefits of God’s Presence.
We are going to dwell on JOY experienced in God’s presence. Joy as defined by the dictionary is ‘a feeling of great pleasure and happiness that comes from success, good fortune, or a sense of well-being’ So, the joy of the Lord, which is gladness of heart comes from knowing God, abiding in Christ, and being filled with the Holy Spirit. It is a lasting emotion that comes from the choice to trust that God will fulfill His promises in our lives.
Biblical joy is not based on our possessions or circumstances. The kind of joy that relies on worldly possession is worldly joy. Warren Wiersbe defines joy as “that inward peace and sufficiency that is not affected by outward circumstances. This, however, does not mean that believers must never feel or express pain when they experience it. It is true that a believer’s life is not void of afflictions and as the psalmists wrote in their Psalms, we should express our grief and pour out our hearts to God.
However, even during our difficult times, we can still choose to have joy because of our hope in Christ. Col 1:27b… Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Are you weary or heavy laden, take it to Jesus who will turn your mourning into dancing and lift your sorrows.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, whenever I am in Your presence, let Your joy overwhelm me in Jesus Christ’s mighty name. Amen.