Luke 2:9-11 And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them and the glory of the Lord shown round them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
The great joy that scripture promises is not just a one-time experience when you hear, believe, and receive the gospel. Great joy is meant to be a life changing encounter for us that remains throughout our lives. Joy is meant to be a normal feeling in our emotions. As a matter of fact, it’s our inheritance. However, in this life, we know that there will be struggles with pain, strife, disappointments, trials, and tribulations; but in the midst of the aforementioned, we must believe that we can undergo real joy. The Lord promises now joy, which is the supernatural joy that comes from His presence. You see, just like love, joy makes up His very essence. The Lord is pure joy, pure love, which brings pure pleasure. Therefore, joy is not something that He does or is going to do for us one day. Because He dwells in us, we really can experience all that He is and all that He feels. That is why His presence should be such a priority to us. No matter what you and I are going through, we can get in His company and allow His character to consume us. In this season and more than ever before, I believe He wants our present from Him to be real joy.
TC