Moscow at the beginning of the New Year is stunningly beautiful even in the harshness of bone chilling winter. Moscow is a massive city and the traffic is horrific. Add to that the severity of winter, and you have a recipe for depression. But not at Word of Life!
Thousands of people come from all over the city to each of their 19 campuses every weekend. The joy on their faces is beautiful, effervescent and creatively contagious.
This weekend, I spoke for Pastor Mats-Ola at Word of Life in Moscow. It was a delight ministering to believers who obviously are walking in victory and their lives filled with joy.
The message of Jesus and His joy are inseparable!
Jesus and His joy should be obvious in every leader’s life and ministry.
I love the phrase, “Believers should laugh loud, laugh hard and laugh often.” I believe this with all my heart, but please know that joy is not only laughter but also much, much more. Joy is a clean heart, a right spirit and the daily abiding presence of Holy Spirit.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You” (Ps. 51:10-13).
God wants to begin 2018 by restoring your joy.
Here are six keys to your joy being restored:
- Repentance
Repentance gives access to God’s righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
- Forgiveness
Ask forgiveness of God, learn to constantly forgive others, receive God’s abundant forgiveness in your own life.
- Weeping
“Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Ps. 126:5).
- Keeping His commandments
“Love the Lord your God” (Matt. 22:37).
- Giving
“God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7b).
- Soul-winning
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30).
This year, start off by letting God restore your joy.
I pray you have a wonderful 2018!
I encourage you to read and meditate on this extravagant hymn of praise:
And in that day you shall say: O Lord, I will praise You; though You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away, and You comforted me. Certainly God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore with joy you shall draw water out of the wells of salvation. In that day you shall say: Praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His deeds among the peoples, make them remember that His name is exalted. Sing to the Lord, for He has done excellent things; let this be known in all the earth. Cry out and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion. For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst (Isa 12:1-6).
Hi would you mind letting me know which web host you’re using? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most. Can you recommend a good web hosting provider at a honest price? Thank you, I appreciate it!
Admiring the persistence you put into your website and detailed information you offer. It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same out of date rehashed information. Excellent read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Everyone loves what you guys are usually up too. This sort of clever work and exposure! Keep up the excellent works guys I’ve included you guys to blogroll.
It’s actually very difficult in this full of activity life to listen news on Television, therefore I simply use internet for that reason, and get the most recent information.
I have to show my thanks to the writer for rescuing me from this type of issue. After looking through the the net and getting solutions which were not helpful, I figured my entire life was over. Existing minus the solutions to the problems you have sorted out all through your good blog post is a critical case, and ones which could have negatively affected my entire career if I had not encountered the website. Your personal competence and kindness in touching the whole lot was precious. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t come upon such a solution like this. I can at this time look ahead to my future. Thanks for your time so much for the impressive and sensible guide. I will not think twice to refer the blog to anybody who needs assistance on this issue.
My spouse and I absolutely love your blog and find most of your post’s to be precisely what I’m looking for. Do you offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on a lot of the subjects you write in relation to here. Again, awesome website!
I love what you guys are usually up too. This kind of clever work and coverage! Keep up the good works guys I’ve added you guys to my personal blogroll.