Protect Your Joy!

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

Jesus came to bring us joy! As the verse says, He came so we could have life and live it to the full! This includes having joy! Joy is defined as great happiness. When we have joy, or great happiness, it bleeds out of us and onto the others around us. We share joy when we have it.

But, the thief, whom I believe is Satan, comes to do three things: steal, kill, and destroy. One thing he desperately wants to steal from you is your joy! He doesn’t want to see you happy. He wants you to be down in the dumps. He wants you to be depressed. He wants you to mope around. He wants you to bring others around you down too.

Has someone or something stolen your joy? Take it back! God gave us the power to do that! I remember a song we used to sing at church. It says, “I went to the enemy’s camp and I took back what he stole from me!” This seems so simple, but so often we forget about it. We just let the enemy keep what is rightfully ours!

If your joy is stolen, take it back! Stand on God’s promises and be joyful! Sing praises! Read scripture! Be in fellowship with others! Whatever it takes, get your joy back!

Fellowship IS Needed!

As I was driving to school today, I saw a church sign that didn’t sit well with me. Here is what it said:

“Why go to church, 10:45 and Online”

I took this to mean, if you don’t want to come to church, just watch online. Now, I am in no way against broadcasting your church service online, in fact, I love it! But I believe that online church services should be watched if you cannot make it to church for some reason.

We are called to be in fellowship with other believers. There are many reasons why, but I have three in mind:

1. Encouragement

Hebrews 10:24-25 says this, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” We gather together to encourage other believers to love and to do good deeds. Sometimes we are having a bad day and we need someone to remind us that God still loves us or that there are people who love us and care about us. I know personally, without the encouragement I get from being in fellowship with other believers, I would probably go crazy!

2. Accountability

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says this, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. 
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”  When you are in fellowship with other believers, you become accountable to one another. If one is going through a trial the other can be there to make sure you don’t fall, but if you do, they will be there to help you up. If one is struggling with sin, the other can be there to make sure you stay on track. If one has trouble staying on top of your bible reading, the other can be there to remind you to read. There are countless ways that fellowship can help you be accountable.

33. You ARE Needed!

 1 Corinthians 12:12 says this, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” Every believer in the church has a different function, just like every part of the body has a different function. Maybe you can sing, or maybe you are good with kids, maybe you love to clean, maybe you are good at organizing, maybe you are good with technology, etc. Whatever your talent is, you are needed! Everyone has a place and a need in the fellowship, whether you know it or not. The only way to know where you are needed or where you can be used is by being in fellowship.

All three of these things require you to be in fellowship, not just watching service online!

Let It Go!

Do you ever feel as though there is something holding you back from getting closer to God? Like you want to press closer, but you are being held back?

This is where I was this morning. I want to grow closer to God, but for the past few weeks I have just felt like I can't. God revealed to me today what is holding me back from getting closer to him. There's some hurt, and some anger, and probably a little bit of bitterness, and a whole lot of my own opinions of how things should be. This realization was hard to swallow. Sometimes God has to be harsh to get our attention. Today was one of those days. Before I can grow closer to God, I have to let these things go! I have talked about this a couple of times now. It's not easy to let things go. The things I mentioned are so familiar in my life, that I don't want to let them go. Many times I let things like this go and then turn around and pick it back up again. But picking it back up, doesn't help. It brings you right back to where you started. This time is different, I can feel it. I have let it go once and for all! I refuse to pick it back up again!

So I ask you, what is holding you back? What do you need to let go of in order to get closer to God? If you aren't sure, ask God to reveal it to you! Then you can work on letting it go an becoming free! Freedom in Christ is one of the greatest feelings in the world!