4.21.18 Praise & Prayer Prompt: Everlasting Joy

PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Let’s talk about joy.
Joy is deep and internal where happiness is on the surface, even superficial.
Joy is eternal, where happiness is temporary.
Happiness is based out circumstances, but joy is there even when there’s no logical reason for it be present.
Joy is based on Someone bigger than ourselves.
Because when we seek joy, all we really need to do is look up.
We find it in our Heavenly Father.
He is the source of pure, unfiltered, undiluted, extraordinary, and everlasting joy.
The joy we feel as Christians on earth is going to be magnified countless times when we are eventually in His presence.
Hebrews 12:2b says, “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”
Everyone agrees that death on the cross was a horrific and barbaric method of execution, but Jesus did it anyway “because of the joy awaiting Him.”
Joy was on the other side.
We all face trials and hardships, and yet, we can be at peace and have joy because we know what is waiting for us too.
Because Jesus conquered death when He rose from the grave, we know He is waiting for us with arms wide open and ready to welcome any who asks for forgiveness!
The Lord said in Jeremiah 31:3b, “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.”
An everlasting love has no strings, no conditions, and defies anything we can lay claim to ourselves!
We aren’t strong enough to love that way, but through Him, we can.
And we can be joyful now with the confidence of knowing to Whom we belong and how much He loves us…
And know that an even better, everlasting joy is ours as well.
Today, as you pray, praise our Heavenly Father for the joy He richly gives His children.
Thank Him for the love He lavishes on each of us and thank Jesus for all He did to pave the way for eternal joy with Him in heaven.
Ask the Holy Spirit to keep you filled with the joyful fruit (Galatians 5:22) so you can radiate with the confidence that comes from a relationship with Jesus Christ.