Love- Part III
Pastor Ryan Binkley
5 minute read
I’ve had the privilege of working around some incredibly smart, driven people. When the worst was coming our way and forecasts weren’t promising, they had the ability to change the atmosphere of a room just by walking into it. They reflected joy no matter what circumstances surrounded them.
It was their secret power.
People who have an abundance of joy have discovered that joy is entirely in their control. Happiness is conditional, but joy comes from a choice in your spirit. Joy breaks through the barrier of depression and anxiety. Joy gives freedom in bondage. Paul writes of how praying for others brought him much joy:
“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”
I’ve also worked alongside those who lacked joy in all they did. Most of them did not finish what they set out to do, especially in their work. A lack of joy can kill ambition, particularly kingdom ambition. Paul compared his life to “running the race set before him,” and the key to finishing that race is joy.
Joy gives you power.
It’s also why the enemy tries so hard to steal our joy. It’s because it’s contagious! It spreads faster than a wildfire! Recently while I was in South Carolina, I passed by a valet returning from parking a car, and I immediately knew that the joy of the Lord was all over him! It was a fascinating spiritual encounter (which I don’t have time for here, but you can watch me explain it HERE), but I knew I wanted to respond to the joy he was carrying. It turns out he was saving money to return to build a house in his home country of Jamacia. I knew right then he was a person worth investing in! Why? Because he had the secret power of joy.
You might say, “Pastor Ryan, I want joy, but I’m running on empty. You have no idea how hard my life is right now. How could I possibly have joy?”
Read this:
“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’”
Matthew 11:28-29 NLT
Jesus is the bringer of joy for those who welcome Him. If you’re looking for Jesus in your life, look no further than the door of your heart. “Behold! I stand at the door and knock.” He is close to the afflicted and downtrodden. When the Pharisees were in the temple praying on the Sabbath, Jesus was at the pools of Bethesda with the lame, crippled, blind, and unclean. I want you to know that the secret power of joy is for three things:
- Joy Gives Me Power to Live.
- Joy Gives Me Power to Share
- Joy Gives Me Power to Serve
I’m praying that you are a magnet to others because of the secret power of joy. Let the power of living, sharing the gospel, and serving those in need be your truth north to finding joy.
This Christmas season, let us celebrate the Joy that came into the world for all to find.