Is. 12.3; Jo. 1.8-12
God’s ultimate intention for His children is that they should be able to influence their world very significantly. However, to able to do that, they need to be prosperous. There is not much a poor, broken and disgusted man can do. It takes a successful person to impact their world. Incidentally, prosperity is a result. It is an effect. It is caused. People often grab at prosperity as even it just happens. But knowing that prosperity is caused is very empowering and liberating. It assures you that if you find and do what brings it about, it will come about. God has provided for a successful, prosperous and significant life. What is often missing is the right action to mix with the provisions to provide the expected result. The truth is, there is something you are doing or not doing that is giving you the result you have...
Interestingly, joy is the possibility that you will take the right action that produces prosperity: “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation” Is. 12.3. The well contains water – provisions necessary for achieving greatness in life. However, without a bucket for scooping water from it, all one can do is to look with frustration at all the provisions and yet be unable to access them. Joy is the bucket for scooping it. It is important to maintain an atmosphere of joy so as to guarantee that one will do what will bring prosperity.
Joy is important for revelation; for knowing what to do. It is with it that we gain access into the presence of God where we can obtain revelation and knowledge for what needs to be done, Ps. 100.4. Joy is not only the possibility that you will know what to do, it is the possibility that you will have the strength to do it. The Bible declares that joy is strength, Neh. 8.10. That is we are commanded to rejoice all the time, Phil. 4.4; 1Thess. 5.16. Joseph was always joyful in spite of his circumstances. That is why he always found a way to move his life forward in spite of all the hatred, slavery, false accusation, imprisonment, etc. he suffered.
Incidentally, you can’t have joy if you are not grateful. It is difficult to be happy while thinking that something is missing in your life. You are going to be murmuring and complaining. Our lord was a very joyful person. Now and again, you find him telling his disciple to be of good cheer, to rejoice in the face of tribulations, to be of good courage, to not be afraid, etc. A characteristic attribute of the Lord was his gratitude. He would thank God in every condition. He once had five loaves of bread and two fishes with which he was to feed more than five thousand people. Instead of complaining and murmuring that the provision was insufficient, you saw him lift up the laughable provision and thank God for it, John 6.11. Someone else would be incensed at the expectation of using that provision to feed that many people but not the Lord. He was thankful that there was some provision at all.
How often do we complain about a husband, wife, child or sibling that is not everything we thought they should be? We complain about our business, family, education, health, life, employment/career, promotion, security, etc., whereas the Lord will lift it up to God and say thanks. The result is that he always knew what he would do about the difficult situations he finds himself in. Somehow, the meager provision was enough to feed the entire company. Is it possible that what you think is not enough can turn around to be more than enough? Yes. All it takes is to be thankful for it, then, God will reveal to you what to do about it and energize you with his joy to take the necessary steps to bring about the breakthrough.
Stay joyful. Stay thankful. Maximize your life.
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