What Do You Do When The Devil Steals Your Joy?

Psalm 51 WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE DEVIL STEALS YOUR JOY?

- Read Psalm 51

In verse 12 of this passage, David writes, “Restore the joy of your salvation to me.” Restore the joy of Your salvation to me.

Can the Devil steal your joy? You better believe he can steal your joy. He has many tools at his disposal to steal a Christian’s joy.

In this case, the Devil has used the regrets and consequences of past sins to steal David’s joy. This Psalm was written by David after he sinned with Bathsheba and had Uriah killed. I’m not looking for a show of hands, but haven’t you ever looked back on a past sin or been in the midst of the consequences of former sins and allowed that to steal your joy? The Devil will tempt you to sin and ten when you do, the one the Lord called the Accuser will live up to his name and begin to accuse you for the very sins he tempted you to commit and use that guilt to steal your joy.

Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

You remember Job? The Devil killed his family, robbed his riches, stole his health, and then sent 4 friends to accuse him of wrongdoing in order to steal his joy. Oh, there’s no telling how often the Devil has used financial setbacks, sickness and friends to steal people’s joy.

My word, the Bible tells us that even Jesus, knowing what He was about to do, cried at the tomb of His friend Lazarus.

Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

The Devil can use Fatigue to steal your joy. Remember Elijah? He met the prophets of Bail on top of Mt. Carmel. God sent fire from heaven, devoured the sacrifice and dried up the water. The false prophets were destroyed. Just days later, after hearing the queen wants him killed, Elijah sat on the banks of a creek, worn out and hungry and said, “Lord, just kill me.”

There was no joy there. The Devil used fatigue and weariness to steal his joy.

Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

The Devil can use disappointment in yourself to steal your joy.

Do you remember Peter? The night before Jesus was crucified he boasted that even if it cost him his life he’d never abandon Jesus. Jesus told him, “before the rooster crows, you’ll deny Me 3 times.” Peter swore it would never happen. After Jesus was arrested, Peter followed Him to the garden, where he denied Jesus 3 times. When the rooster crowed, Jesus looked at Peter and Peter looked at Jesus. The Bible tells us in Luke 22:62, that Peter went out and wept bitterly.

I don’t know about you, but I have been so disappointed in myself and in my actions, and things that I have done that it stole my joy. “I can’t believe I did that. That’s not who I am. I know better than that.”

Through actions or words you hurt somebody who means the world to you, or you do something you said or thought you would never do.

The Devil can use disappointment in yourself to steal your joy.

Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

Disappointment in others can steal your joy.

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. Can you imagine? A prophet of God who is known for his tears? It’s true. He cried and cried and cried, not because of the way the king and people treated him, but because of the sin of the nation of Israel, that he knew would, and eventually did, bring down the wrath of God.

Which of us have not lost our joy, seeing people we love and care about, doing stupid and disobedient things, knowing how those things are going to bring pain and judgment into their lives?

The Devil can use disappointment in others to steal our joy.

Restore to me the joy of my salvation.

Let’s be honest, the Devil can use your disappointment with God to steal your joy.

Do you remember when the Arc of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines? It was carried off as a spoil of war by the Philistines. Well, God wasn’t going to allow that to stand, so He sent plagues among the Philistines. They eventually got tired of the plagues and sent the arc back on an ox-drawn cart. When it got back to Israel, the folks offered sacrifices and set it on a dry place. The Lord blessed the town it was in. After a while David decided to have it brought to Jerusalem. He had the Arc placed on a cart and it was being carried to Jerusalem. Along the way, one of the oxen stumbled, Uzzah stuck out his hand to steady the Ark, and God struck him down. No one but the priest were allowed to touch the Ark.