FAITH CAPSULE: Having joy is in His spoken word.
Daniel 3
If you have believed and received the word of God into your life, there is a need for you to consciously live life rejoicing in the face of any confronting challenge. Jesus, the living word of God repeatedly points it out that having joy is in His spoken word for any that makes the choice to receive His word in them. Jesus stated in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” He emphasized again in John 17:13, “But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” All of His words in the world are the source of Joy. One with His joy is bound with unshakeable strength…that is a strength which is not of this world; a kind of strength that never fail. Ones who possess His word in them operate like the three friends of Daniel in the face of life threatening challenges.
Daniel’s friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego) refused to obey, bow or worship a golden image; they were sentenced to death by a fiery burning furnace. They responded to the verdict to die by a fiery burning furnace by not leading for the king’s mercy. They pride themselves in the Almighty God of deliverance. They stated, “God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18) Their response was, “joy of the Lord provoking statement.” It was a strength acquiring statement that delivers undeniable safety direct from the throne of grace. It was a powered statement that brought the Lord down to join them in the fiery furnace when the Lord could have send angels or speak to their deliverance. God’s way of delivering the three friends made King Nebuchadnezzar astonished and vacated his seat of throne when he called his men to attention stating, “Look! he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” (Daniel 3:25)
The three friends glorified God when they demonstrated understand and knowledge of God as the Lord God that exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. The joy of the Lord which delivers salvation answered for the three friends of Daniel. It is true and very glaring by virtue of the testimonies of Daniel’s tree friends that when God delights in us, strength to be delivered is undeniable. In action or behavior, constantly seek for the joy of the Lord that delivers in the face of grave challenges.
Prayer for today: Ask for the word of God to have a rightful place in you.