Faith fact number four: The force of joy can bring health to your body.
Healing starts on the inside of you. While we typically focus on our bodies when they are hurt or diseased, we should focus on our spirit, because that’s where healing begins.
The joy of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10) Joy is a spiritual force, a fruit of our recreated human spirit, closely related to the love of God. It comes out of our spirit, not as a result of natural circumstances, but as a result of our being in union with God. “I will see you again and your heart will rejoice,” Jesus told His disciples before He was crucified, “and your joy no one will take from you.” (John 16:22)
Jesus was interested in His disciples having joy that remained. We have the same joy of God within us, if we will recognize it and release it. A merry heart does good like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)
There are many depressed, negative Christians who are false advertising for our joyful God. We are supposed to express His image, and He is not depressed or negative. When God’s enemies come against Him, the Bible says He sits in heaven and laughs! (Psalm 2:4)
When the Apostle Paul faced persecutions of every kind, and landed in a Roman jail because of his faithfulness to Christ, he wrote the Philippian church and told them he was rejoicing despite every circumstance he was in. He urged them to be glad and rejoice with me, rejoice in the Lord, rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice! (Philippians 2:18, 3:1, 4:4)
Whatever we are going through – if we are in union with Christ, Who has cleansed us from every sin and given us new life – we have reason to rejoice. When we do, the power of God will begin to be released from our spirit and touch our mind, emotions and physical body.
On the other hand, if we allow depression and sadness to linger, if we nurture these feelings and give them place, if we complain and are negative in difficult circumstances, we will find our physical health declining quickly. How much better to live in God’s abundant life! In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11)
Confession: I am filled with the joy of God; the joy of the Lord is my strength!
Scriptures for meditation: Nehemiah 8:10; Proverbs 17:22; Philippians 4:4-8
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Copyright © 2007 by David Hagni. All rights reserved.