1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. NKJV
If you’ve been following my blogs, you know that I have been writing on the requirements that God has for us. In the following blogs, I would like to write about some of the things that we are encouraged to do as believers. For this blog, I will focus on rejoicing!
I found the Webster’s 1828 Dictionary listening to Pastor Bill Winston, of Living Word Christian Center. He said it was a favorite of his and I have been using it lately. According to this edition of the Webster’s Dictionary, rejoice means to experience joy and gladness in a high degree; to be exhilarated with lively and pleasurable sensations; to exult.”
Typically people rejoice at weddings. When we attend a wedding of a family member or a friend and we like the dynamics of the couple, we rejoice with them because we are happy for them! When a baby is born to someone we love, we rejoice with them at the birth of the baby; even at the news that a baby is about to be born. We rejoice at birthdays, and graduations, and some times at home goings, even when we are sad, because we know that person has transitioned to be with Jesus! Sometimes it is easier to rejoice then it is at other times.
I’m amazed at how many people are struggling at this time. I know it isn’t easy, but some are finding it especially difficult to find any type of joy, let alone joy to a high degree. I have even heard pastors speak of the challenge they are having to not to become discouraged. Well, God saw this day afar off and His word to us is to “rejoice always”!
Who better to write words of encouragement, then Paul? Paul wrote this letter to a group of saints in a city he was thrown out of! You’d think he would tell them to leave that place or even that he was sure they were struggling with their faith in such a sin filled city. But that’s not what he said to them. He told them “rejoice always”!
Paul learned in the course of his ministry that his joy didn’t come from the situations and circumstances that he continually found himself in. They came from the Lord! He understood that even when there was nothing outwardly to find joy in, we could find joy in Christ.
Paul was shipwrecked on several occasions, stoned, whipped, lied on, thrown out of cities, left for dead, and persecuted throughout his ministry! Yet Paul said, “rejoice always”!
We used to sing a chorus with these words in it:
This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
This joy I have, the world didn’t give it to me,
O, the world didn’t give it and the world can’t take it away!
But all too often in life, we live as though this is not a truth found in Jesus, and the world and its events really do take our joy away!
Let’s look at a few scriptures about rejoicing:
But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield. Psalm 5:11-12
That I may tell of all Your praise In the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in Your salvation. Psalm 9:14
But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:5-6
I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, For You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, Psalm 31:7
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. Psalm 33:1
Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!” Psalm 40:16
Are you getting the message? I had another post scheduled to come out today, but as I was lying in bed thinking on the Lord and quoting scriptures in my spirit, this one resonated with me and I felt that I was to get up and change my blog. It’s one o’clock in the morning, my time, and I have to get up soon for work, but I had to obey the prompting in my spirit!
The numbers for the virus is escalating. Politics are getting nerve wrecking. Jobs are being lost and loved ones are dying. If we are not careful, we will become complainers, but God is saying, Rejoice always!
Rejoice in your salvation! Rejoice because God is magnified over all of this stuff! Rejoice because He is mindful of you and all your adversities! Rejoice because He favors you! Rejoice because you can trust Him! Rejoice because from His vantage point, your praise is beautiful! Rejoice because He loves you! And rejoice because it is His will for you! Wonderful Jesus!
Wonderful Jesus! 