Joy in His Presence

Bishop Keith A. Butler

Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

The Hebrew word translated "strength" means defense and force. Joy works like a force field that surrounds you north, south, east and west. It covers you over the top and under the bottom. The force of joy will push back stress, uncertainty, sickness and disease. When you are filled with joy, you won't get tumors or stomach ailments.

Don't respond to this truth as you do when your doctor tells you to take a certain prescription to get well. Don't get the prescription and then place it in the drawer without taking it. If you do, you won't get the benefits of the doctor's advice. Likewise, if you don't put into practice the truth of God's word concerning joy, you won't get the benefit.

God made you; no one knows more about your system than God. No one knows more about your body, about your psyche, or about your spirit. No one knows more about what you need than God Almighty, and God said you ought to self-medicate by being joyful.
You may say, "But you don't know what's going on in my life! You don't know what's happening!" That's why you need to respond to this truth! When you do, the devil can't get hold of you. You're going to get high on the Holy Ghost!

Prayer for Today
Father,
I praise you for being all that I need, every moment of every day! I glorify you for giving me the power of your Spirit which turns back every anxiety, every sickness, and every stress. I thank you for your joy! In Jesus' name, Amen.

Selah: Think on These Things
Ecclesiastes 2:24
Psalm 28:7