If the enemy wants to pull you down, he'll go after your joy. When David and his men returned to Ziklag and discovered their wives, children, and goods had been carried away, they grieved. Scripture tells us that David's grief was caused by the people wanting to stone him. Others were grieving for their children. It doesn't matter what causes you grief - right or wrong. It steals your joy.
How do you regain your joy? Joy is something produced. It is the result of a process:
P - Process - When producing something, there are steps you must take to get the desired end result.
I - Ingredients - When baking, you want the freshest, highest-quality ingredients.
E - Effort - It takes action on your part.
S - Skills - You get better at producing results as you practice and hone your skills.
What is needed to produce joy?
1. Hope instead of despair
2. Faith instead of fear
3. Promises instead of so-called realism
What did David and his men do? I Samuel 30:7-16 They sought God and asked Him if they should pursue the enemy and overtake them. God gave them direction to pursue and promised they would recover all. This gave them hope. They followed through with action. On the way, they encountered an Egyptian. The man was sick, starving, and thirsty. He told them the Amalekites left him behind when he got sick. They spent some time feeding and helping him. In return, he told them where the Amalekites were headed.
How do I get back to producing joy?
1. Renew yourself on God's promises to build up your hope.
2. Persevere - Don't waver from what God said. (Faith)
3. Discover - God's plan
4. Work! - Put some effort into it.
David and his men received the promise of God and acted on His instructions. They pursued their enemies, and recovered all the people and goods that had been stolen.
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If you're visiting in the area or looking for a church home that provides solid Bible teaching and a loving family atmosphere, we invite you to our Sunday Morning Service, at 10:00 AM. Zoe Christian Fellowship is located at 1111 Easton Rd. (Route 611), in Warrington, PA. We look forward to meeting you.
