“For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with the joy of your presence.” (Psalm 21:6)
Here the bible is talking about King David and how God makes him blessed and glad in the JOY of His presence.
What does it really mean to be glad with the joy of His presence?
I want you to think about someone’s presence that brings you joy. For me, it’s my husband and my children. I think about times when I have been away for a long time and then that feeling when I get to come home. The joy I have before I see them and then when I get to be in their presence, it is the best thing in the world.
I also think about food. I LOVE FOOD. Especially chocolate, cheeseburgers, cheese fries, and I LOVE COKE-A-COLA. The presence of food makes me happy!
We should feel even more excitement and joy when we think about and experience the presence of God. The amazing thing is that His presence is always with us. It goes with us everywhere, but we have to be aware of it. We can fill our cars and our homes with His presence, and I encourage you to ask for more of it because with it comes more JOY!
“I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.” (Acts 2:26-28)
When we come into this place, the house of God, it should fill our hearts with Joy because there is a tangible presence here. It is powerful to be able to step into this place and know that we are a part of setting the atmosphere where lives are continually healed and changed forever. This is where God also moves in our lives personally… He comes close to us here. When you go to someone you love’s house you get to experience them on a different level. THIS IS HIS HOUSE and it is a place of intimacy.
“What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What joys await us inside your holy Temple.” (Psalm 65:4)
When we come into this place we are encouraged by His Spirit, His People, Worship, and His word. We are intentionally coming to a place to encounter Him more and join our Faith with other people because we believe this is a place of miracles. When you serve God’s house you are helping produce miracles for people and for this city. You are literally a joy producer for the Body of Christ. This is an important realization for all of us.
Paul said when talking to the church at Corinth that, “We are fellow workers for YOUR joy, for by Faith you stand.” (2 Corinthians 1:24)
Hebrews 1:9 says,“You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”
This isn’t about Judgement. This is about setting Jesus above because He came to give everyone the opportunity for righteousness and we are called to be like Jesus. Jesus created an environment of Joy everywhere He went. Everywhere He went things got better. We are called to be set above the normal way of living. As the people of God, we love, serve others and work to create an environment where people can experience His Goodness and His joy. Just like Jesus was anointed to do it, we are anointed to do it.
As a servant leader, you are a leader of joy and you create the atmosphere of joy and love that people have been longing for. When I was thinking about this and saw several scriptures about the Oil of Joy or Gladness. Isaiah 61:3, Psalm 45:7, and Hebrews 1:9 all mention this oil. So, what is the Oil of Joy? When His anointing comes… there is comfort, peace, healing, freedom, provision, restoration, and more. All of these things result in JOY and GLADNESS!
Some of us may feel like joy or people experiencing that from us is not really our personality. Have you ever known someone like that? They are just heavy, or maybe you have been in a season of heaviness. You may have seen someone that is happy and thought, “Well, everything must be going great in their life or that’s just how they are.”
Joy is more than a personality trait, a season, or a choice. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Fruit grows but it must be watered, and it must be connected to the vine to flourish just like fruit does.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
So, if you are in a heavy season or you are not experiencing this joy I have been talking about or maybe you don’t know where to start, I would ask you, “Are you attached to the Vine so your joy can grow? Are you spending time in His presence? Are you coming into His house believing what the scripture says?
“What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What joys await us inside your holy Temple.” (Psalm 65:4)
Joy is awaiting you, but you have to be connected to Him and be active in His presence. Don’t let it become normal in a negative sense. Let it continue to transform you!
“Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So, let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.If your joy tank is running low get into God’s presence and ask for the anointing of Joy and then walk in it. Get your focus off yourself and stay in a place of gratitude and service. “(James 1:2-4)
Recently my girls and I were in the car and Livy wouldn’t stop crying. I started to sing “I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart”. When I got to the “Sit on a tack OUCH” part she started to laugh. It shifted her focus from whatever problem was in her mind and she found joy. Get your focus on His Joy and get in His presence. Don’t miss church and don’t miss serving because you are not only increasing in joy and in His presence, but you are working for other people’s joy. BE FILLED WITH JOY!
– Whitney
Worship Pastor
