AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Wednesday – July 22, 2020, Av 1, 5780
JOY – NATURAL AND SUPERNATURAL
Greetings dear and precious saints of God and welcome back to this engaging, enlightening, and empowering Bible Study of the Book of John. Please take a moment to share this teaching as widely as possible to extend the reach of the Truth. The beautiful building in todays featured picture is of the Pittsfield, Maine library and was provided by a good personal friend and a friend of this Ministry, Joe Getchell Jr. Are we ready to receive, believe, and act upon the light (revealed Truth) we see today? Spiritual light is not just knowing something as information but having revelation, insight, and conviction to act upon that Truth independent of circumstances. If we are not ready to receive, believe, and act upon what is contained in this and other teachings, why bother to read on? I encourage each of us to receive with eagerness of heart (Acts 17:10-11) but to prove or establish each point by two or three witnesses (2 Corinthians 13:1).
The songs of our song services and the peaching from the pulpit today is commonly full of great error. Whatever is not in error is softened so we don’t get too uncomfortable. This error is what is referred to in Scripture as the traditions of men, and doctrines of demons. These are the sacred cows of our time. The sheep come hungry and leave hungry. The feed is poor so the condition of the sheep is poor. Little to no nutritional benefit. For example, alcohol may make a person feel good temporarily but it has no lasting effect and no nutritional benefit and in the end results in stealing, killing, and destroying. Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary Bible text, reading it out loud, and picking up on our topic of “joy”.
John 16:22-24 (KJV)
22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.
24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.
When I left off yesterday, I posed the following question concerning our joy which no man can take from us. If the joy of the Lord is our strength, could it be that our joy is His strength? We have a tendency with God to look at things as one sided, that is flowing only from Him to us and not from us to Him. A myth in the Church is that God does not need anything from us. We have talked about the reality of this two-way street before. We always have a part. Consider our salvation, being born-again. Salvation is available to all persons but until each of us do our part salvation is not a reality in our lives. When we do our part, He does His part. Our part is to confess with our mouth and believe in our heart. His part is to quicken, make alive, our dead spirit man. His part is always something we cannot do. Likewise, our part is always something He cannot do. A little more precisely He will not do for it would violate spiritual law (our freewill) which He will not do for anyone. Let’s look at one more example and then we will move back to my question concerning joy.
John 14:21 (KJV)
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Again, recall that love (agape) is obedience to Scripture, a selfless attitude or lifestyle, and adherence to Blood Covenant. “My commandments” is Scripture. So, what is the two-way street here? When we express our love of God by knowing and doing His commandments He will respond. If we are off doing our own thing ignoring God with an on again off again attitude towards the Word of God will not see Him manifest in our lives. When we not only say we love God but then express love by obeying His Word we will see Him manifest in our lives. The manifestation of God to us is an increase in the reality of the Kingdom of God in our lives in the earth. God wants His will done here in the earth just as in Heaven and He wants us to have days as Heaven upon the earth. Yes, yes, yes, that is possible and is the will of God and when we are not endeavoring to make it a reality or just outright reject it, we are in sin. Sin opens the door to stealing, killing, and destroying in our lives.
Now, back to ‘joy’ briefly as we end for today. We have already talked about natural joy which is an emotional response to a present or expected good (to us). It is a biochemical cocktail which feels really good. Spirit man joy is a fruit or beneficial expression of our spirit man. This joy is not just beneficial for us but primarily others. Joy is a force of the spirit and is contagious. Joy strengthens in a very real way; it is not a facade but a very real foundation. Remember one of the three legs (foundations) of the Kingdom of God is “joy”, the other two are righteousness and peace.
Romans 14:17 (KJV)
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
2 Chronicles 20:20b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it, believe it, and speak over yourself and your family by faith in Jesus name! Quit asking God to bless you, you are already blessed, you have the Blessing, give Him something to do by the words of your mouth. Once you know the will of God, decree the thing (Job 22:28, Isaiah 45:11, Mark 11:23). (The Blessing is the Holy Spirit) We have left God way to long with nothing to do in our lives.
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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