JOY is an expression of love.

When we know how loved we are by the Lord Jesus Christ, joy fills and floods our hearts and is expressed inevitably.

“You will show me the path of life and In His presence is fullness of JOY, at the right hand are pleasures forever more.” (Psalm 16:11)

Indeed …

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her KING
Let every heart prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing 🎼🎸🎹🏵

JOY can never be found apart from receiving the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ. When our hearts are totally influenced by the Lordship of His presence, FULLNESS of joy is found and attained. It is not based on what we see happening around us. It is not dependent on the manifestation of answered prayers. It is way beyond that, way beyond the obvious.

JOY is a FORCE that is founded on the truth of our revelatory knowledge of Who HE is, what HE came for, what HE has done and who we are before HIM. It is the strength that sustains and empowers us to endure whatever we are facing knowing that HE is with us always, fighting the battles with and for us.

“My brethren, COUNT IT ALL JOY when you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be ^[b]perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”  (jAMES 1:2-4)

HAPPINESS is a feeling! It contours to our cares that we allow its influence over us. Thus, it is not sturdy nor reliable. It is based on feelings. We are happy when things go according to how we want things to be, but pulls us down when we they don’t.

But God’s math is not of this world. To COUNT IT ALL JOY when we go through trials is a contradiction to the world’s ways which is enmity to the ways of God. This is where FAITH kicks in. God sees FAITH when we PRAISE HIM in the midst our challenges and brings CONFUSION to the enemy. To rejoice and celebrate in spite of what we see is what pleases Him. When our trust IN HIM becomes weightier that overrides and overcomes what the enemy is trying to trap is in is a pleasing aroma into His nostrils.

The enemy’s job is for us to have a pity party with him who is an eternally defeated foe. He is the author of confusion, depression and is out there to kill, steal and destroy. BUT God Who is RICH in mercy and abounding in love is the author of LIFE that is meant for us to enjoy and have it MORE abundantly.

To praise God is a by product of the JOY that is inside of us. It comes from knowing that because of the finished work of Jesus Christ, the promise of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is at hand and such PROMISE lifts us up so that we can become aware of God’s heart towards us helping us to recognize that HE IS WITH US ALWAYS, EMMANUEL, God with us,

JOY comes from knowing that HE who promised is faithful. It comes from knowing that HE will never leave us nor forsake us. It comes from knowing that ALL our needs are met according to His riches in glory in Christ. It comes from knowing that we have provision when we see lack.  It comes from knowing that healing and wholeness has been paid for when we see sickness and disease. It comes from knowing that we are protected by the Blood of Jesus Christ. It comes from knowing that we are His beloveds who are the apple of His eye and His most precious possessions. It comes from knowing that whatever we need, HE IS. HE is the GREAT I AM, not the great I was or the great I will be. HIS presence at present is the most vital divine provision. WE ARE HIS and HE IS OURS. What can be better than that?

JOY is not just meant to be contained within us.  It is to overflow through us that others may come and taste that the Lord is good.

As I was meditating His Word one day, I came across these verses that opened my eyes to see one of the vital identities attached to our being the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

“Who, then, ascends into the presence of the Lord?
And who has the privilege of entering into God’s Holy Place?
Those who are clean—whose works and ways are pure,
whose hearts are true and sealed by the truth,
those who never deceive, whose words are sure.
They will receive the Lord’s blessing
and RIGHTEOUSNESS GIVEN by the Savior-God.
They will stand before God,
for they seek the pleasure of God’s face, the God of Jacob.” (Psalm 24:3-6)

To be clean, to be pure, to be true, to be sealed by the truth and to be sure, is impossible to achieve apart from the finished work of Jesus Christ.  Thus, we have been saved BY GRACE through FAITH.  It is not of works lest anyone should boast.  “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)  And because this is who we are in the eyes of God, we will receive the Lord’s blessing GIVEN by the Savior-God.  These promises spoken and written for us surely would cause our hearts to rejoice and be full of joy knowing that even our blessings are UNMERITED and are NOT earned.

“So wake up, you LIVING GATEWAYS!
Lift up your heads, you AGELESS DOORS of destiny!
Welcome the King of Glory,
for He is about to come through you.”  (Psalm 24:7)

You and I are called to be LIVING GATEWAYS and AGELESS DOORS for the JOY of the Lord to flow through!  Such JOY is uncontainable!  It is like yeast that can influence a whole batch of dough.  When we welcome the King of Glory, fullness of joy comes till it overflows.

We are the temples of the Holy Spirit where the Kingdom of God is.  “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17)  Being temples does not mean that we are just hosting His presence for ourselves. No!  We are meant to diffuse the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

“You ask, “Who is this Glory-King?”
The Lord, armed and ready for battle,
the Mighty One, invincible in every way!
So WAKE UP, you living gateways, and rejoice!
FLING WIDE, you ageless doors of destiny!
Here he comes; the King of Glory is ready to come in.” 

You ask, “Who is this King of Glory?”
He is the Lord of Victory, armed and ready for battle,
the Mighty One, the invincible commander of heaven’s hosts!
Yes, He is the King of Glory!  (Psalm 24:8-10)

Yes, the King of Glory is the Lord of Hosts.  He is the Lord of armies, the commander of legions of powerful angels from heaven and warrior on heart.  He protects and defends us.  AND HE LIVES INSIDE OF US.

This is what causes our JOY to be FULL, to be steady and steadfast, to be rooted and grounded, to be unshakeable, to be unquenchable and to be uncontainable.  Truly, IN HIS PRESENCE IS FULL OF JOY and the JOY OF THE LORD is our strength.

How exceedingly blessed we are to live in such a time as this.  Our Savior King Jesus Who has been prophesied in the Old Covenant is now living not just in our midst, but in us.  He is strong and mighty in battle, mighty to save.  Indeed, we have a better covenant with better promises and He desires for the whole earth to be filled with the knowledge of the King’s Glory as the waters cover the sea through you and me.

So, let us ARISE and SHINE, living gateways and ageless doors!