Joyous Living
Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1 Peter 1:8-9
We live with joy because we have eternal life in Heaven with the Father and the Son and we have victory in Christ in this earthly life. Satan and his many followers may think they are victorious because the power they have on the earth thinking they are destroying God’s people. No one on the face of the earth can destroy a Christian because God protects us from the evil one and no one can snatch us out of his hand. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:28)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18) We live with joy because the more of God’s perfect love we have in our hearts the less fear we have from Satan. Satan’s fear and God’s love cannot coexist in our hearts, because God’s love drives our Satan’s fear.
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) We live forever and we never die, only our flesh dies and we get a new spiritual body that is young and perfect forever. Our spiritual body will grave things of the Spirit just as the physical body graves things of the world. The difference is the new world is filled with the love from the Father and the Son where the current world is filled with hate from Satan and his demons.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17) No matter what happens here on earth with many people believing Satan’s lies, God is sovereign over all creation. We walk with God, we are in his family, and the world cannot destroy our eternal life. We are spiritual beings where our spiritual soul is our thoughts, our will, our emotions, and our personality; and Heaven is our home.
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11) Every person that ever lived will recognize Christ as Lord and Savior at end times. All the people in the world that are persecuting Christians will know the truth, but for most it will be too late. They are proud and living victoriously with worldly wisdom, then judgment day comes and they will realize how wrong they were in believing Satan’s lies.
As Christians we pray for lost souls and we seek every opportunity to bring them God’s truth. Pray every day for lost souls even if they are your enemy. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12) It’s a spiritual war and we fight with prayer and Truth. The ultimate joy we experience is when Christ in us brings a lost soul to Christ.
Today live in joy and minister to everyone, especially lost souls. Pray for guidance and for opportunities to minister to others.
Prayer: Lord, fill my heart with your joy, and open the door for me to bring your love and compassion to a lost soul with an open heart. And Lord open the door for me to minister to friends that I know that are lost. In Jesus name, Amen