IDENTIFY THE THIEVES OF JOY
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) Several part lesson.
A STEALER IS A PERSON OR THING THAT TAKES WHAT DOES NOT BELONG TO THEM. Joy is personal strength and power. Joy is a foundational element to continue and endure to the end.
Ask yourself: What is stealing your joy? JOY IS A DECISION WE MAKE DAILY! JOY AND HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE WE MAKE. Do we allow problems in our family to snuff out our joy? Every family is occasionally dysfunctional? Have we been sick and the pain causes fear? Will we allow stress and difficulty to walk away with our joy? What do we do when our finances are not in order? We cannot afford to allow our circumstances define our joy! Have we forgiven those that hurt us? We must make a conscious decision to guard God joy in our daily life.
Do we believe and receive God’s promises that no person can take away our joy. Be honest in seasons of trials do we really trust the unseen hands of a mighty God? Say anything you want to say but if we refuse to trust God’s plan JOY WILL ELUDE US. Joy does not come by man’s hands. Joy comes from GOD’S WORD.
OUR ETERNAL ENEMY AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE A GREAT DESIRE TO SPOIL YOUR JOY. LET CALL A SPADE A SPADE: JOY THIEVES CAN BE WET BLANKETS.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
JOY IS A GIFT FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT. WE MUST GUARD OUR HEARTS THAT NO ONE OR NO SITUATION CAN STEAL OUR JOY. WE WILL MAKE THE CHOICE TO WALK IN JOY AND PEACE.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
TRAIN YOUR BRAIN
HUMANITY LOVES TO HIDE FROM THE TRUTH. SORRY CAN BE TEMPORARY. REFUSE TO BE OVERWHELMED BY TODAYS FACTS.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
JESUS WANTS TO GIVE US HOPE WHILE WE ARE FACING PAIN AND SORROWS.
NO PERSON CAN STEAL ANOTHER’S JOY… YOU SELL YOUR JOY.
Judas sold for 30 pieces of silver. Esau for a bowl of soup. Lot’s wife for a look back.
John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.
SEEMS WE LOVE TO COUNT WHAT WE DON’T HAVE INSTEAD OF COUNTING WHAT WE DO HAVE. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
WE ALLOW THW CIRCUMSTANCES TO DICTATATE OUR EMOTIONS THEN WE NEGLECT PRIORITIES, WE HAVE A FIX-IT-MENTALITY. WHEN WE TWIST OUR PPRIORITIES WE WILL ALWAYS LOOSE OUR JOY.
Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
DISCOURAGEMENT DO NOT GROW WEARY. JOY STEALERS ARE FOUND IN OUR MODERN WORLD AND CHURCH. JOHN TELLS US NO MAN CAN TAKE OUR JOY. We must maintain our focus. FOCUS: As Stephen is being martyred --- Stephen finds joy as the stones fell on him beating out his life.
Acts 6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel.
Acts 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
YOU WILL EAT THE FRUIT OF YOUR TONGUE. NO ONE CAN KEEP JOY WITH A LONG TONGUE. GOSSIP WILL ALWAYS BACK FIRE. YOU CAN SPEAK ENCOURAGEMENT OR DESTRUCTION… YOUR TONGUE.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
WHAT DO I DO WHEN SOMEONE DOESN’T LIKE ME? WHEN I AM HATED DO I HATE BACK AND KILL MY JOY? I AM HATED?
Luke 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
THE BIBLE CLEARLY WARNS
LIFE HAS MUCH CONFLICT AND DISAGREEMENT. DO I SOW STRIFE? THE BIBLE CLEARLY WARNS US TO AVOID STRIFE.
2 Timothy 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
Philippians 4:2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
STUDY, PONDER, THINK ABOUT THESE JOY KILLERS:
• COMPLAINING ---- STRESS --- FAULT-FINDING --- WORRY --- FEAR ---
• BITTERNESS --- PESSIMISTISM --- DOOM AND GLOOM ---
• BUSYINESS --- PRIDE --- ENVY --- FAILURE ---
• LOSE OF FOCUS --- I AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH ---
• REVENGE --- GET EVEN ---
• COMPARISON SELF TO OTHERS… DON’T DO IT.
2 Corinthians 10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
2 Corinthians 10:12 (NLT2) Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
Galatians 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Galatians 6:4 (NLT2) Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.
CONCLUSION: WE NEED TO DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF I CAN WE MUST LEARN TO OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES AND HINDERANCES TO OUR JOY, OUR HOPE AND OUR HAPPINESS. God’s desire is that we find joy in Him. If God gives joy we must not allow anyone to take it away from us. WHAT MAY FEEL LIKE THE END IT MAY BE THE BEGINNING?
Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. 17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) Several part lesson.
