The Oil of Joy

If we aren't careful we can stop enjoying this amazing journey of life with the Lord and things become routine, mundane and worst of all a drudgery. However, God did not intend for us to walk alone and to do things in our own strength. He didn't intend for us to function without his oil--the oil of Joy (Is. 61:3).

The oil of joy is makes life so much easier! Joy is surely our energy and life that keeps us moving forward toward the purposes of God. If you enjoy doing something you can do it for hours and never know where the time went. Just recently we were on a ministry trip to Arkansas and had just spent ourselves in hours of intense intercession and everyone was physically exhausted, a little whiney, and ready for bed. When we got back to our host home I thought surely our interns would immediately crash until they saw something across the room that completely changed their countenance. When they saw the x-box game system their eyes twinkled, they started laughing, they got animated and their energy level went through the roof! I knew from then on that it would be a truly long and enjoyable night. They stayed up til 6 a.m. playing games and said in the end they only thought they'd been playing for an hour!

This is what joy does! It lubricates everything! It makes life easy and enjoyable. It makes ministry a pleasure! It makes relationships fun and exciting! Of course life can't only be spent playing video games or doing only the things that bring us pleasure. Is it possible to enter into this kind of joy, enjoyment and pleasure in everyday life? If it is then why do we not seem to enter that joy very often? If it is possible then how do we get it?

To enter this joy then we must understand that joy is supernatural, it comes from the Lord and is not dependent on outward circumstances. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5) and is cultivated as we spend time in his presence. David understood this when he said, "you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16:11). Joy is found in being with a God who is always victorious, is never depressed, is never overwhelmed and is always joyful! As we learn to live life in the presence of God then everything will change!

To enter this joy we must let go of our agenda and choose to be led by His Spirit. Jesus said that "his yoke is easy and his burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30) There is joy in co-laboring with the Lord. Most of the time we are carrying the weight of life, ministry, family, and finances with our own strength, wisdom, gifts and insight. When we step out of the pride of living life in our own power then we will enter the supernatural realm and this realm is where true joy is! Life is never boring if you are led by the Spirit. There is so much joy in letting the Holy Spirit lead your day and your choices. The Spirit-led life is one of adventure! David said, "I have set the Lord always before me...therefore my heart is glad...(Psalm 16:8-9).

Even in simple decisions I am learning to trust the Holy Spirit's leading. A few days ago I ask the Lord to order my day and I felt that I needed to go pick up our posters for a conference we are doing. As I picked up the posters I ran into two young adults who the Lord told me to give money for an event they were trying to raise money for (a divine appointment for them). As we were talking a lady who I rarely see came up and poured out her heart to us and shared how she was far from the Lord and needed deliverance! We prayed for her as she wept and returned to the Lord.

Then on my way to drop off some posters to a local pastor I dropped by Walgreens to get some supplies for our upcoming road-trip and ran into someone who was at a very important cross-roads in their relationship with the Lord. We prayed together for almost an hour and I watched God do an amazing work of healing and restoration!

Not all days are filled with this many divine appointments but being led by the Spirit has postured my heart to expect God to lead and move everyday that I live.

As we let go of our own way then we are prepared to receive His supernatural joy that will sustain us in every circumstance of life. Joy is supernatural, it comes from his presence and it can be asked for and entered into by the grace of God. David said, "you fill me with joy" (Ps. 16:11). We can ask the Lord to fill us with His joy to us and he will. I think most of the time we run empty on Joy and need a fresh touch from the Lord!

God is desiring to release an explosion of joy that brings ease to life, softens our hearts, smoothes the rough edges and brings pleasure back to everything we are doing. I believe this next season will be one of joy and delight and we will see God break-through in everything we do! With joy we are moving away from being driven to being led!