Joy is a spirit – One that only God can give. When a believer receives the gift of joy from the Lord, there is nothing such a Christian cannot overcome.

In today’s episode, we shall discuss how to receive and maintain the joy of the Lord. As we already know, the joy of the Lord is our strength.

This makes us believe that we grow weak when we don’t have joy. When you become weak, it gives a place to the devil whose agenda for every child of God is to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10)

This spirit called joy comes from God and can be accessed primarily when a person gives their life to Jesus. For everyone who has made this step and given their lives to Jesus, you should understand what I mean.

And if you don’t, you need to pray to God and ask for that experience of unspeakable joy and the grace to engage and preserve it.

If you are yet to give your life to Jesus, this is an opportunity to make it right with God and join the supernatural Joy League. Say this prayer and mean it with your heart.

“Lord Jesus, I come before you as a sinner and confess all my sins. I repent from them and promise never to return to them. I accept you as my Lord and saviour and I pray that you come into my life, transform me and make me a child of God. Amen.”

If you said that prayer, congratulations! You have made the first step to becoming a true child of God. The spirit of God now dwells within you and he will teach you all things.

Please go on to press for sanctification and identify with a Bible believing church around you for proper mentorship in this new journey with God.

When you have the joy of the Lord, you can pass through the tests of life with grace. Remember, with joy comes strength, and when there is strength, you will always amass victorious.

One of the ways the devil defeats unsuspecting believers is by stealing their joy. The devil will go as far as taking that job, that loved one, that opportunity, whatever it is that can cripple your soul and make you sorrowful.

Remember, when you are in sorrow, you lose the ability to see God for who he is. Sorrow has an uncanny ability to make you see things from a tinted point of view.

You see people saying things like, if God was alive, this shouldn’t have happened. If there was God, I shouldn’t be in this situation, etc.

Because of the pain from whatever they have gone through in life, they begin to see God in a poor light, and sometimes, abandon the faith entirely, giving the devil access.

The Bible says, When you break the hedge, the serpent will bite. (Ecclesiastes 10:8)

In today’s episode, God wants you to beware of the enemy’s plot and ensure you live in joy. Most of the time, we don’t know the value of what we have until we lose it.

God wants us to be vigilant and intentional about serving him with joy this year. No matter the situation, peril or chaos. He wants you to trust him enough that though he slays you, you will rejoice – knowing that he is God and his work is always perfect.

When we remain in joy despite the situation and come to God with a joyful heart, it is proof of faith that we are utterly convinced in the Lord’s ability to turn around our captivity.

The Psalmist knew this and always entered the courts of God with thanksgiving and praise. (Psalm 100:1-4) A man the Lord testified to be a man after his heart. (1 Samuel 13:14)

In this new year, the devil will try to test, tempt and fight you, but when you have joy in your armoury, and use it wisely, the Lord will make you victorious in every battle.

In conclusion, we must make sure that we live a joyful life. Put on a positive and scriptural outlook to life and win every battle that confronts us; while steadily winning souls and maintaining a healthy, balanced, relationship with God.

Here are some ways to maintain the joy of the Lord –

1. Fellowshipping with God: Personal, interpersonal and with the gathering of brethren.

2. Daily dose of the word of God: when you indoctrinate, incorporate and give yourself to the word of God at all times, meditating on it day and night, the joy of the Lord will be preserved in your life.

3. Prayers: Constant communication with God is a sure way of maintaining the joy of the Lord because he is the father of all spirits and commands them at will. Whenever you come into the presence of God, there is always fullness of joy, because he is Joy personified.

4. Praise: Never underestimate praise. When you lift your hands, hearts, and voice to the highest in praise and worship, believe me, the joy of the Lord comes like a mighty rushing wind, ridding you of every sorrow and bringing everything in obedience to Christ.

I know you have been blessed by today’s message. I pray that the Lord visits us, and grants us grace to never lose our joy and be a source of joy to others and the world around us.

Amen.