Finding Joy in the storm
Christians all over the world are facing increasing
persecution, lawlessness, chaos, and just plain evil. Evil men seem to be
prospering in many areas of life. The stress and trouble are causing some to
even fall away from the faith. Amid all this trouble and evil, can we find
hope, peace, and even joy?
[Mat 24:12 NKJV] "And because
lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
[2Ti 3:13 NKJV] But evil men and
impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
Our Lord Jesus once found himself in such a time as this.
One night, as his enemies were coming to arrest him, Jesus faced what he knew
would be a day of torture, agony, and eventually death. Evil was abounding.
Evil men that were in positions of leadership and power were coming for him.
Can you imagine how his disciples were feeling? Their dreams, hopes, and future
were seemingly being dashed to the ground. Their Lord was about to be arrested
and most likely killed. Sorrow is probably not a strong enough word to describe
their emotions. Despair, hopelessness, dread, and fear were probably consuming
them. There seemed to be no hope and certainly no peace or joy.
[Luk 22:41 ESV] And he withdrew
from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,
[Luk 22:42 ESV] saying,
"Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my
will, but yours, be done."
[Luk 22:43 ESV] And there appeared
to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.
[Luk 22:44 ESV] And being in agony
he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood
falling down to the ground.
[Luk 22:45 ESV] And when he rose
from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow,
[Luk 22:46 ESV] and he said to
them, "Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into
temptation."
Yet in the midst of all of this, Jesus found the strength to endure the hours that lay before him. The scriptures tell us that there was a joy set before him that enabled him to say, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." What was this “joy” that enabled Jesus to endure the cross?
In the book of Hebrews, we are admonished to run with
endurance the race that is set before us. The strength and courage to do this,
to stand in the midst of great trouble and evil just might be found in the very
thing that enabled Jesus to endure his cross. It was the joy set before him.
[Heb 12:1 NKJV] Therefore we also,
since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside
every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us], and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us,
[Heb 12:2 NKJV] looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God.
There are many people in our world today that are feeling
much the same as Jesus’ disciple did that night in the garden. Their dreams,
hopes, and future are seemingly being dashed to the ground. Good leaders are
being displaced and persecuted. Evil men seem to be prospering in many areas of
life. Sorrow is probably not a strong enough word to describe their emotions.
Despair, hopelessness, dread, and fear are probably common emotions. There
seems to be no hope and certainly no peace or joy.
What was the “joy” that was set before Jesus that night in
the garden? If we can define this “joy” and set our eyes upon it, perhaps we
also can find all that it will take to endure our present time of distress and
suffering; even finding peace and joy in the midst of the trouble and turmoil.
Scripture tells us that it is the Lord’s “joy” that is our
strength.
[Neh 8:10 ESV] Then he said to
them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to
anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved,
for the joy of the LORD is
your strength."
Let’s
define what the “joy” set before Jesus was and focus our thoughts and emotions
on these things that “our joy may be full”.
[Jhn 15:11 ESV] These things I have spoken to
you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
[Jhn 17:13 NKJV] "But now I
come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
1.
Jesus knew that on the third day He would
rise from the dead, defeating sin and death forever.
a.
[Mar 10:34 NKJV] "and they will mock Him,
and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise
again."
b.
[1Co 15:54 NKJV] So when this corruptible has
put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in
victory."
c.
[Rev 20:14 NKJV] Then Death and Hades were cast
into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
2.
He knew that He was stripping the devil
of his authority and power.
a.
[Col 2:15 NKJV] Having disarmed principalities
and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
b.
[1Jo 3:8 NKJV] He who sins is of the devil, for
the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was
manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.
3.
He knew that His death and resurrection
would pay the entire penalty for sin.
a.
[Mar 16:16 NKJV] "He who believes and is
baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
b.
[Act 13:38 NKJV] "Therefore let it be known
to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of
sins;
c.
[Eph 1:7 NKJV] In Him we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
d.
[Col 1:14 NKJV] in whom we have redemption
through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
4.
He knew that He was paying the bride
price for His Bride who would rule and reign with Him forever.
a.
[Isa 62:5 NKJV] For [as] a young man marries a
virgin, [So] shall your sons marry you; And [as] the bridegroom rejoices over
the bride, [So] shall your God rejoice over you.
b.
[Rev 21:9 NKJV] Then one of the seven angels who
had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked
with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
5.
He knew that He would send the Holy
Spirit to bring new birth to all who would receive His gift of new life and
give them new bodies and eternal life.
a.
[1Pe 1:23 NIV] For you have been born again, not
of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word
of God.
b.
[1Co 15:51 NKJV] Behold, I tell you a mystery:
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--
c.
[1Co 15:52 NKJV] in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will
be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
d.
[1Co 15:53 NKJV] For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality.
e.
[1Co 15:54 NKJV] So when this corruptible has
put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in
victory."
f.
[Jhn 3:15 NKJV] "that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have eternal life.
g.
[Jhn 10:28 NKJV] "And I give them eternal
life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My
hand.
h.
[Jhn 17:3 NKJV] "And this is eternal life,
that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
i.
[Rom 6:23 NKJV] For the wages of sin [is] death,
but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
6.
He knew that He would send the Holy
Spirit to give His people spiritual power from heaven.
a.
[Act 1:5 NKJV] "for John truly baptized
with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from
now."
b.
[Act 1:8 NKJV] "But you shall receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
7.
He knew that He would establish God’s
Kingdom on the earth and rule with a rod of iron for 1000 years.
a.
[Rev 2:27 NKJV] 'He shall rule them with a rod
of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'--as I also
have received from My Father;
b.
[Rev 12:5 NKJV] She bore a male Child who was to
rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His
throne.
c.
[Rev 19:15 NKJV] Now out of His mouth goes a
sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will
rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God.
d.
[Rev 20:4 NKJV] And I saw thrones, and they sat
on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then [I saw] the souls of those
who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who
had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received [his] mark on
their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a
thousand years.
e.
[Rev 20:6 NKJV] Blessed and holy [is] he who has
part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but
they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand
years.
8.
He knew that He would judge the earth
with righteousness and bring vengeance upon God’s enemies.
a.
[Nah 1:2 NKJV] God [is] jealous, and the LORD
avenges; The LORD avenges and [is] furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His
adversaries, And He reserves [wrath] for His enemies;
b.
[Luk 21:22 NKJV] "For these are the days of
vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
c.
[Rom 12:19 NKJV] Beloved, do not avenge
yourselves, but [rather] give place to wrath; for it is written,
"Vengeance [is] Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
d.
[2Th 1:8 NKJV] in flaming fire taking vengeance
on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
e.
[Heb 10:30 NKJV] For we know Him who said,
"Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again,
"The LORD will judge His people."
f.
[Psa 98:9 NKJV] For He is coming to judge the
earth. With righteousness He shall judge the world, And the peoples with
equity.
g.
[Isa 11:4 NKJV] But with righteousness He shall
judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall
strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He
shall slay the wicked.
h.
[Rev 6:10 NKJV] And they cried with a loud
voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and
avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
9.
He knew that He would defend the
defenseless and His servants.
a.
[Psa 30:1 ESV] A Psalm of David. A song at the
dedication of the temple. I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
b.
[Psa 30:2 ESV] O LORD my God, I cried to you for
help, and you have healed me.
c.
[Psa 30:3 ESV] O LORD, you have brought up my
soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the
pit.
d.
[Psa 5:11 NKJV] But let all those rejoice who put
their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let
those also who love Your name Be joyful in You.
e.
[Psa 20:1 NKJV] To the Chief Musician. A Psalm
of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God
of Jacob defend you;
f.
[Isa 31:5 NKJV] Like birds flying about, So will
the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem. Defending, He will also deliver [it];
Passing over, He will preserve [it]."
g.
[Zec 12:8 NKJV] "In that day the LORD will
defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; the one who is feeble among them in that
day shall be like David, and the house of David [shall be] like God, like the
Angel of the LORD before them.
10. He
knew that He would heal the sick and deliver those oppressed by the devil.
a.
[Mar 16:17 NKJV] "And these signs will
follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak
with new tongues;
b.
[Mar 16:18 NKJV] "they will take up
serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them;
they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
11. He
knew that He would keep His people from the time of testing and judgment that
was to come upon the whole earth.
a.
[Rev 3:10 NKJV] "Because you have kept My
command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall
come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
b.
[Psa 27:5 NKJV] For in the time of trouble He
shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall
hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
c.
[Psa 37:39 NKJV] But the salvation of the
righteous [is] from the LORD; [He is] their strength in the time of trouble.
d.
[Psa 41:1 NKJV] To the Chief Musician. A Psalm
of David. Blessed [is] he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in
time of trouble.
e.
[Dan 12:1 NKJV] "At that time Michael shall
stand up, The great prince who stands [watch] over the sons of your people; And
there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation,
[Even] to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one
who is found written in the book.
12. He
knew that one day He would come to the earth in the clouds to take His Bride to
her heavenly home.
a.
[1Th 4:16 NKJV] For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the
trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
b.
[1Th 4:17 NKJV] Then we who are alive [and]
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
c.
[1Th 4:18 NKJV] Therefore comfort one another
with these words.
13. He
knew that one day He would fulfill His covenant promises to Israel.
a.
[Rom 11:25 ESV] Lest you be wise in your own
sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial
hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
b.
[Rom 11:26 ESV] And in this way all Israel will
be saved, as it is written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will
banish ungodliness from Jacob";
c.
[Rom 11:27 ESV] "and this will be my
covenant with them when I take away their sins."
d.
He will give them a National
Land forever (Gen 12:1; 13:14-15, 17; 15:18-21).
e. He will give them a
dynasty (Kingdom of no end), a nation (the house of Jacob), and a throne (the
throne of David, 2 Sam 7:11, 13, 16; Jeremiah 33:3-26; 31:35-40; 1 Chron. 7:12;
22:10; Isa. 55:3; Ezek. 37:25; Hosea 3:4-5; Ezek. 37:21-28; Amos 9:11-12; Jer.
30:7,11,18).
f. He
will keep His promise that Israel would be His special possession or treasure,
a kingdom whose citizens were all priests with access to God, and a holy
nation, separated from all other nations and devoted only to God (Exodus
19:5-6).
g. He will complete the “new covenant” promises of spiritual blessings and redemption (Isa.
61:8; Jer. 31:31-40; 32:40; 50:5; Heb 8:6-13; 13:20). This new covenant is unconditional (Jer. 31:31:34, i.e. "I will") and everlasting (Isa. 61:2). It promise’s a renewed mind and heart (Jer. 31:33), favor and blessing of God (Hosea 2:19-20), forgiveness of sin (Jer. 31:34), indwelling of the Holy Spirit (Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:27), the
teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit and that the will of God to be known by obedient hearts (Jer. 31:34). It promise that Israel will be blessed
materially (Jer. 32:41; Isa. 61:8; Ezek. 34:25-27), that God’s sanctuary will be in the midst of them
for evermore (Ezek. 37:26-27) and that wars shall cease and that peace shall reign (Hosea 2:18).
14. He
knew the Heavenly City, the New Jerusalem.
a.
[Rev 21:2 NKJV] Then I, John, saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband.
b.
[Rev 21:3 NKJV] And I heard a loud voice from
heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will
dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them
[and be] their God.
c.
[Rev 21:10 NKJV] And he carried me away in the
Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
d.
[Rev 21:11 NKJV] having the glory of God. Her
light [was] like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
e.
[Rev 21:18 NKJV] The construction of its wall
was [of] jasper; and the city [was] pure gold, like clear glass.
f.
[Rev 21:22 NKJV] But I saw no temple in it, for
the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
g.
[Rev 21:23 NKJV] The city had no need of the sun
or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb
[is] its light.
h.
[Rev 21:24 NKJV] And the nations of those who
are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory
and honor into it.
15. He
knew that in the end, He would create a new heaven and a new earth.
a.
[Rev 21:1 NKJV] Now I saw a new heaven and a new
earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was
no more sea.
b.
[Rev 21:3 NKJV] And I heard a loud voice from
heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will
dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them
[and be] their God.
c.
[Rev 21:4 NKJV] "And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor
crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed
away."
d.
[Rev 21:5 NKJV] Then He who sat on the throne
said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me,
"Write, for these words are true and faithful."
16. He
knew that one day He would rule on the earth with His Throne in Jerusalem as
King of kings and Lord of Lords.
a.
[Dan 2:37 ESV] You, O king, the king of kings,
to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and
the glory,
b.
[Rev 5:12 ESV] saying with a loud voice,
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom
and might and honor and glory and blessing!"
c.
[Rev 5:13 ESV] And I heard every creature in
heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in
them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing
and honor and glory and might forever and ever!"
d.
[Rev 7:12 ESV] saying, "Amen! Blessing and
glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God
forever and ever! Amen."
e.
[Rev 19:16 ESV] On his robe and on his thigh he
has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
17. He knew the whole plan of God
and it was joy to Him. From creating mankind in Their image to be
His companions, to having His Bride ruling and reigning with Him for all
eternity, His plan is magnificent and full of glory. It is truly, the greatest
story ever told.
a.
[Eph 3:6 NLT] And this is God's plan: Both
Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches
inherited by God's children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the
promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.
b.
[1Co 1:25 NLT] This foolish plan of God is wiser
than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the
greatest of human strength.
c.
[1Co 2:1 NLT] When I first came to you, dear
brothers and sisters, I didn't use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell
you God's secret plan.
d.
[Eph 6:19 NLT] And pray for me, too. Ask God to
give me the right words so I can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the
Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.
e.
[Col 2:2 NLT] I want them to be encouraged and
knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence
that they understand God's mysterious plan, which is Christ himself.
f.
[Rev 10:7 NLT] When the seventh angel blows his
trumpet, God's mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he
announced it to his servants the prophets."
These things are His joy that is set before us. In them, we
find hope, peace, and joy. In them, we are more than conquerors.
[Col 3:1 NLT] Since you have been
raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in
the place of honor at God's right hand.
[Col 3:2 NLT] Think about the things of
heaven, not the things of earth.
[Rom 8:31 NKJV] What then shall we
say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [can be] against us?
[Rom 8:32 NKJV] He who did not
spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him
also freely give us all things?
[Rom 8:33 NKJV] Who shall bring a
charge against God's elect? [It is] God who justifies.
[Rom 8:34 NKJV] Who [is] he who
condemns? [It is] Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
[Rom 8:35 NKJV] Who shall separate
us from the love of Christ? [Shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
[Rom 8:36 NKJV] As it is written:
"For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for
the slaughter."
[Rom 8:37 NKJV] Yet in all these
things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
[Rom 8:38 NKJV] For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor
things present nor things to come,
[Rom 8:39 NKJV] nor height nor
depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[Act 2:28 NKJV] You have made known
to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.'
[1Th 2:20 NKJV] For you are our
glory and joy.
Although
we are currently walking through a storm, we must remember to think on the
things above, the joy set before us, for:
[Jhn 16:20 NKJV] "Most assuredly, I say to
you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be
sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.
[Psa 30:5 NKJV] For His anger [is but for] a moment, His favor [is for] life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy [comes] in the morning.
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful
face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory
and grace.”
No comments:
Post a Comment