REJOICING RE-DEFINED
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Text: Zeph 3:14-20, 1 Thess 5:16-22, Phil 4:1-7
In whatever situation or circumstance that you might have experienced shame in 2018 will be replaced with fame and praise in Jesus Name. The Lord will turn your captivity around and cause a change where there was sorrow and pain.
Introduction:
2018 is our year of total recovery from shame for the lame, appointment with fame and praise and Good Success. Zeph 3:19-20. Success has various levels and types. We have Good success and bad success. Many waters have passed under the bridge of 2018 for us as a church, family and individuals yet in the midst of it, God says He’s going to cause us to REJOICE!! So we have every cause and reason to thank God at this moment. Every second, minute, hour, day of December 2018 will be dedicated to Rejoicing.
Meanings:
The word Rejoicing is referred to as “Chairo” in Greek (the language of the old testament) and it means to be “glad”. “Alay” in Hebrew (the language of the new testament) is the word for rejoicing which means to “triumph”. Rejoicing means to be victorious and triumphant and it is always accompanied with shouting and singing. Rejoicing is expressed with shouts of joy. The devil is usually mad and feels like a loser that he is whenever you shout for joy or rejoice in the salvation of the Lord. From Col 2:13-15, we see what it means to be triumphant: Col 2:13-15
- And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
- having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
- Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross for the sake of his beloved brethren, He took every hindrance to breakthrough, near success syndrome, shame, constant ailment, sickness and all plans of evil away with his death on the cross. He has defeated and terminated every power that is working against your progress, your business growth, your marital fulfillment and against your fulfillment of God’s purpose.
“Whatever” factors that may be working against your Progress such as: 1) Ignorance, 2) Lack of knowledge, 3) Wrong mindset or 4) Lack of adequate skills or expertise; Christ took out of the way and nailed to the cross of Calvary.
“Whoever” is working against your progress (Satanic agents of the kingdom of darkness) such as: 1) Principalities, 2) Powers, Rulers of darkness of this age or 3) their agents – Witches, Wizards, Ogbanjes etc; Christ has disarmed and made a public spectacle of.
Christ has already triumphed over them when He resurrected on the third day from the dead. He has triumphed over them all and defeated them including death itself. You are only to believe and activate the finished work on the cross of Calvary through prayers and rejoicing.
Definitions:
- As a phenomenon, rejoicing is defined as a direct feeling or better self-perception and as selfbeing in self-transport.
- a) Rejoicing is a state of better self-perception
Perception means:
- Identity – This involves identifying who you really are and your unique selling point. What differentiates you from every other person on the road? 1 Cor 7:7
- Recognition – Recognizing the grace, gifting and talents of God upon your life.
- Distinguish – What are the qualities, strengths, opportunities that you are bringing to the table? What is the purpose, vision and assignment of that God has earmarked for you to fulfill?
- Understanding – Understanding of your make up and true identity in Christ and what God wants you to do. You should come to a point of realization of your purpose.
From the scriptures, we gain an understanding of the meaning of the word perception:
1 Chr 14:2 KJV And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel.
David perceived that God made him king because of his people Israel. He understood the purpose of his creation and he became established and his throne was exalted and elevated. If you don’t perceive yourself well, nothing good will flow forth from you. Lack of discovery of purpose will lead to wasted efforts and frustrations of endeavours, to be established will be difficult and burdensome too. It is when you come to that state of realization of God’s purpose for your life, and you walk in alignment with it you will be exalted & lifted up, established and confirmed.
It is that knowledge of your identity in Christ and self-perception that will enable you to rejoice accordingly. In Heb 12:2-3 Christ identified his purpose and understood his journey and so he was able to endure the cross and despise the shame. There is no progress without a process. Understand your vision and purpose in life and stick with the plan of God, if it does not look like it today, as you persist, it will look like it someday at the fulness of time.
b) Rejoicing is a state of self-being in self transport
- Rejoicing is what determines the mobility of ideas from you.
- Whatever ideas God may deposit in you, you need the vehicle of rejoicing and joy to convey it out to your marketplace, family, congregation and your environment. Some people have dreams but the dreams are locked up in their inner man (subconscious) They cannot download it because of the lack of joy and rejoicing on their inside. Rejoicing is the vehicle of conveyance of those ideas to be a blessing to the world.
- In other words, rejoicing is the state of your inner temperature that determines your outward flow – If you are frozen or sad on the inside, the grace, ideas and blessings God has deposited in you will not find expression on the outside. Whereas if you are warm inside there will be a flow to the outside. Rejoicing becomes the mode of transportation of those ideas to the outside if you are warm on the inside.
- Joy is not just a state or feeling, but a way of making the world manifest. Rom 8:19 The best of God in you will come forth and you will be a blessing to your generation if your heart is full of joy and rejoicing.
In the old testament the experience of deliverance and the anticipation of salvation is what provided the most significant occasions for rejoicing among the people of God. Whenever the people of God experienced deliverance it created the anticipation for the future.
Past deliverances gave Israel hope for the future. To be grateful, imagine all the victories God had wrought on your behalf in the past 11 months and use them to create joy and gladness in your heart. All the mishaps God had averted, the deliverances of this past 11 months alone is enough for an overloaded heart of gratitude.
Whereas in the new testament the coming of the messiah, who delivers his people and brings salvation becomes the basis for rejoicing.
Today in our own generation, Jesus had come and gone and we await his final return. The thought of this alone should make a believer’s heart full of gratitude. That you are in Christ alone is enough reason to rejoice.
The response of joy, gladness, or happiness is not only a deep inward feeling, but is expressed in celebrations when God’s people gather together.
We must express joy in this last month of the year, thanking God for what he has done since January till date – the good, the bad and the seemingly ugly: because all good and perfect gift come from above, from the father of light.
We must not join the jones’ to complain & murmur in this new month.Heb 4:1-3
1 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
‘They shall not enter My rest,” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.“So I swore in My wrath,
Ps 78:18
18 And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy.
Instead of aligning with the will of God they chose to ask for a food that was convenient for them. We must not be like Israel of old who complained and murmured in the wilderness. They observed all what God did in Egypt with them and Pharaoh and instead of rejoicing and trusting God for the process he was taking them through they complained and wanted more. Num 14:22-23.
The works of redemption have been finished from the foundation of the world. May we not because of ungratefulness abort our glorious destiny whose works were finished from the foundation of the earth in Jesus Name.