Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16‭-‬18 (KJV).‬‬

REFLECT:
Joy! A much-needed ingredient in our lives. This is an area, aspect, or topic that can never be over-emphasized in the life of any believer. Therefore, we must constantly revisit, return, reiterate and re-examine the state or condition of our lives concerning the level of Joy we have in us.

Our Bible verse for today allows us to work this whole aspect of Joy in our lives using the 5Rs approach, and the 5Rs are the following, revisit, return, reminisce, reiterate, and re-examine.

Employing the 5Rs in our daily pursuit of this vital necessity called Joy, will not only help maintain Joy in our lives, but it will give us a deeper perspective of the term Joy as it relates to ‘Rejoicing, which takes us into a higher realm of spiritual revelation and actualization.

The words Joy and Rejoicing seem quite similar in meaning, being that they can both be seen as producing a feeling or a show of great pleasure, however, rejoice or rejoicing on its own characterizes the continuous state of an overflow of joy, more or less like a wellspring gushing out from a deep reservoir in the ground bubbling up to the surface and overflowing without ceasing.

So, what does this mean to us as believers in Christ Jesus? It means that our Joy and ultimate rejoicing can only come from our deep relationship and communion with God who is the source as well as our never-ending reservoir of joy, peace, happiness, love, and all that He promises to be to us as stated in His word in the Bible.

Important questions would be, how can we achieve this continuous state of joy and rejoicing? Secondly, how can we maintain our position in this state?

Of course, with the unpredictable situations of life, of which we are well aware, and therefore, it is a daunting task to keep our level of joy running at a maximum capacity, not to mention getting it to overflow through to bring us into a place of rejoicing. So, what do we do? This is where our 5Rs come in handy – revisit, return, reminisce, reiterate and re-examine.

First and foremost, we must revisit our place or position of commitment to God. This would be the place of our first encounter with our Heavenly Father in His Son Jesus Christ, precisely our salvation experience.

Secondly, return to God’s promises in His word, as well as to our place of fellowship with Him in prayer, worship and thanksgiving. Spend time reading God’s word in the Bible prayerfully and thoughtfully. This will renew lost strength or dwindling confidence, and give us comfort and assurance.

Thirdly, reminisce, by bringing ourselves to remember how God had resolved past problems, battles and how we rejoiced in the victories He brought our way. Just as Joshua reminded the children of Israel “There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45), also read Psalms 37: 25.

Fourthly, reiterate, meaning continue to speak out over and over these promises, and testimonies of God. Remember, we overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the words of our testimonies. Revelations 12: 11 – 12.

Finally, the fifth point, re-examine. Areas to re-examine here would be our walk with God, our faith in Him, our heart. Do we have unresolved issues locked in our hearts e.g. bitterness, resentment, hate, unforgiveness, sin, etc? These are major factors that would prevent or hinder us from achieving the Joy or rejoicing we need. Hence, we must let go of these viruses. They are satanic free radicals that are always looking to latch on to our lives. However, with the help and reliance on the Holy Spirit, we will be able to overcome.

When we cultivate a deep relationship with God our Heavenly Father, He causes an overflow of His wellsprings of living waters gushing from the deep reservoir of His Holy Spirit in and through us bubbling with never-ending rejoicing.

Ebimobo W. Obasi

PLEASE PRAY ALONG:

My Source of Overwhelming Joy.

FATHER GOD, you are good and Your mercy endures forever! Today, I want to celebrate all that You have accomplished. Even when I’m at my lowest, you remain my hope and strength—and You invite me to come as I am into Your presence. Thank You! No matter what I go through, I will rejoice because You are my Savior and my source of joy. In JESUS MIGHTY NAME AMEN.