When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy (Matthew 2:10)
God wants you to be joyful. Not only does He want you to be joyful, He wants your joy to be full. Beyond this, He wants you to experience exceeding great joy that is full of glory (Phil. 4:4; Jn. 16:24; I Pet. 1:8).
Most times, sorrow comes because of our sin and sinful desires, our greed and lusts and our pursuit of happiness by all means. Many people do not know that happiness and joy are not the same. Joy is much deeper than happiness. Happiness occurs in the realm of the soul, joy is a fruit of the spirit.
Happiness depends on external circumstances and situations, joy is independent of them. True joy is an outflow of intimate relationship with God, irrespective of the circumstances. David said of God: “You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart than (they know) when their wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly” (Ps. 4:7 Ampl.)
This is the reason why so many people spend their entire lifetime without an experience of true joy, even though they have happiness again and again. Because their innermost being is out of joint with God, true joy is far away. In our text today, when the wise men saw Jesus and the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
This is because Jesus is the bringer of true joy to the heart of man. True joy is not possible when there is sin within. When sin is purged and Jesus is enthroned, joy erupts and continues to spring forth. When last did you truly rejoice with exceeding great joy? That was the kind of joy Abraham had when God fulfilled His promise to him in giving him
Isaac (Genesis 21:8).
That was what Jesus experienced when His disciple returned from a successful ministry expedition (Lk. 10:21). This is the kind of joy that erupts within a man when He surrenders his or her life to Christ totally and the burden of sin is removed from him (I Pet. 1:8). That shall be your experience today in Jesus name.
To experience this joy, first make sure that your relationship with God is right, that your sins are forgiven, that you have forgiven all who offend you, that there is nothing between you and God that He is not happy with. This is the foundation of true joy.
Secondly, true joy comes when you devote your entire life to pleasing God and doing the works He has given you with all your heart. To every one of us, there is a divine assignment for which you are here on earth. Doing it with all your heart brings such joy that words can never describe. It was this joy that drove Jesus to live the way He lived and to die on the cross for our sin. There was a joy set before Him (Heb. 12:1-3). Live to pursue true joy. Pray and ask that your joy may be full. In all your joy, you must give God all the glory. And the joy of the Lord shall be your strength.
Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength (Neh. 8:10).
SCRIPTURE FOR TODAY
PHILIPPIANS 4
FOR FURTHER STUDIES
NEHEMIAH 8.
PRAYER POINTS
- Give thanks to God: He is the source of true joy.
- Ask the Lord to guide you to remove every obstacle to true joy in your life.
- Pray that the Holy Spirit will turn all your sorrow into Joy.
- Ask the Lord to fill your life with significant achievement that brings real joy
Confession for the Day:
The joy of the Lord is my strength