ICS Daily Devotions
Keep Your Joy!
Phil 4:4-9 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Can you imagine the apostle Paul writing to the people in Philippi from a dark and muddy prison cell, and yet he is using the words “rejoice” and exhorting believers not to be anxious but in everything by prayer and supplication.
The apostle Paul is telling us our first attitude is to make the choice to rejoice. Joy is different than happiness. Happiness is situational, often superficial and it often affects the soul by dictating how we feel based on the circumstances.
Hebrews 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice (my emotion, feelings decides) of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
We can use our voice as a trumpet sounding forth the blessings of the Lord and it is a form of declaring our trust in the Lord.
We may come up with many excuses for not praising God. Friends, when your flesh does not feel like praising God, you should praise Him even more. As you praise Him the weight of the world that is causing you to feel oppressed will be lifted as the anointed flows into your innermost being. The soulish part of us is crying out for attention. All the more we need the spirit within us who longs for God to come forth and praise Him. Even a shout of hallelujah from within is good!
Psalm 121:1-3 I will lift up my eyes to the hills– from whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not allow your foot to be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Praise helps us to shift our focus away from the problem and turn it towards God. Faith will begin to rise up within us to take hold of God’s promises despite of the circumstances. Faith pleases God.
Praise lifts us up above the cares, problems and needs and helps us to focus on God.
Joy is sustained and secured and it arises from our spirit. You might not have anything to be happy about today but if you are redeemed there are always reasons to rejoice. Our joy is centered in the Lord, not in circumstances. People change, situations change, bad news comes and goes, but the Lord remains the same.
Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the LORD…”
Make yourself joyful in the Lord. It is a choice to rejoice even though your flesh may react to it by saying: “I would rather have a pity party instead.” You can’t always change your circumstances but you can know that underneath everything lies the everlasting arms of God.
Rejoicing in the Lord is an action, not a feeling. Your praise changes the atmosphere! It permeates the room with the fragrance of God. Turn the criticizing, murmuring and complaining to praise!
No matter what you are encountering, declare your faith and confidence in Him by praising Him because praise is a voice of victory and faith in God! We need to practice praising God even when we don’t feel like it. When things are falling apart run to the Rock and rejoice in the Lord. God chooses what we go through; we choose how we go through it. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit that resides in us and it will continue to grow when we practice it.
You can learn to do it EVERY SUNDAY! We normally start with vibrant praise during the start of the praise and worship session. Lifting up holy hands to honor Him and praise Him.
Psalm 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
Psalm 34:1-3 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.2 My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad.3 Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; with my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
The Praise segment is when we are:
- Declaring the goodness of the Lord.
- Declaring the victory of the Lord
- Declaring the faithfulness of the Lord.
- Declaring the greatness of the Lord.
Lifting up of Hands
1 Timothy 2:8 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;
Shout unto the Lord
Psalm 98:4-6 Sing for joy to the LORD, all the earth; praise him with songs and shouts of joy! 5 Sing praises to the LORD! Play music on the harps! 6 Blow trumpets and horns, and shout for joy to the LORD, our king.
Joyful Dance
Psalm 30:11 You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance; you have taken away my sorrow and surrounded me with joy.
Sermon Series: Prayer and Praise
