FAITH CAPSULE: Rejoicing and praising God is an inseparable avenue of gaining God’s presence.
Philippians 4
Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice always. Again I will say, rejoice!” The apostle Paul did not just ask for joy but he asked for it with emphasis because he was urging the need for peace with the Lord. The peace of God is the presence of God and to be able to carry His presence, joy or rejoicing is a must. Without joy, there cannot be peace and without peace no joy will be in place. The prophet Isaiah in his own revelation of letting us know the effect of joy said, “Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” (Isaiah 12:3) Isaiah was expressing thanks in the Kingdom of God. Psalm 16:11, “You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The Psalmist was requesting for direction in the path of life because in the path of life where there is God’s presence, the sojourner will get to their expected end. Also where God’s presence is absent, death will be present. To journey in the path of life successfully, God’s presence will have to be consistently in place. In the words of the Psalmist it is clear that joy is what will grant the presence of God that is enough for passing through the path of life. After Hannah’s breakthrough miracle, she testified in 1 Samuel 2:1, “…my heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.”Hannah distinctively spelled out the kind of joy that grants God’s presence by saying, “My heart rejoices in the Lord.” The only way that the presence of God cannot be accessible is when joy is not in the heart. This also occurs when being happy is misrepresented for joy. When joy flows from the heart, it will no doubt locate God because you cannot praise God and not be joyful. Likewise, you cannot be joyful and not praise Him. Rejoicing and praising God is an inseparable avenue of gaining God’s presence. The word of God confirms in Psalm 22:3, “But you are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.” Think of it, praising Him with understanding is praising Him with joy. Just like Hannah, when you praise Him joyfully, your horn (strength) will be exalted in the Lord. You will smile at every representative of enemies such as failure, sickness, and every other kind of challenges that Paul advised us not to be anxious about. Be anxious for nothing. Praise God with joy and His presence will carry you through in Jesus name.
Prayer for today: Ask Him to deposit in you all that it takes to be constantly joyful.