By Pastor Samuel Obafaiye
Joy is something that everybody desire. It gladdens the heart, elongate life, highly infectious, etc. Joy comes from within and radiates outwards. It is higher than happiness which comes from external values. There are several things that can make one joyous. How such things occur can make one to be just joyous or overwhelm with joy.
It could be the frequency of occurrence; the circumstances around the time of occurrence; the extent of waiting before occurrence; the magnitude of occurrence; etc. , can be very instrumental to overwhelming joy.
In II Sam 9:1-13, the Bible talks about Mephibosheth special favour with King David. Saul tried to kill David for many years, but God never allowed it to happen. Saul and three of his son later died in a war with the Philistines, and David later became king. Some of the relations and accomplice of King Saul prefer Ishiboseth the son of Saul to become king. Ishibosheth later died too. Afterwards, David remembered his covenant of peace with Jonathan and as such tries to find who to show favour.
The name of Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan came up. He was asked by King David to be brought. So they went to fetch him at a remote village in Lodebar where he was hiding from David not to kill him. He was also living in a squalor as he became lame from childhood and his inheritance has been stolen by his grandfather’s slave.
When the news came from David, he would have thought death had arrived. He was however given a lot of surprised blessings which accorded him overflowing joy. He couldn’t believe his eyes and ears! He would have been joyous to be a servant of David, at least to escape Saul dynasty cleansing. But David made him an adopted son and a prince in Israel!
And David said 5 things to him that brought him overwhelming joy: – Fear not; I will surely show thee kindness for Jonathan thy father’s sake; I will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; Thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. 36 servants and their descendants shall till his land;
– Have you been asking God why me because of a particular challenge; you will soon be asking God again why me because of His special blessings.
– That thing that is causing you great concern will become greater joy to you soon.
– You make a mistake and became ‘crippled’, never mind, God will yet raise you up.
– His father (Jonathan) named him Mirab Baal meaning ‘opponent of Baal’; to disguise him from death, people changed his name to Mephibosheth ‘son of shame’. But God changed his name to later mean ‘shame destroyer’.
– Every shame that people have added to your name will be removed in Jesus name.
In John 3:1-11, the bible talks about the lame man at the Beautiful Gate. He was always brought there to beg for alms. At every hour of prayer, he would see people going inside to offer prayers to their Maker, but he could not go in because of his uncleanliness.
The gate he was sitting was beautiful, he could only imagine how the inside of the temple would be like. One day however, he got his miracle, his lameness gone and he not only walked into the temple, he was jumping and praising God to the amazement of all!
– You shall not beg again.
– You have been denied of an opportunity, God will make you to exceed that which you have been denied.
– You have been saying how I wish to obtain or do certain things that are pleasing to God, those wishes of yours shall come to pass.
– From the entrance, you are peeping into what should readily be yours, you shall enjoy those things.
In Luke 15:11-32, the bible talks about the prodigal son. He collected all his inheritance from his father, went abroad and spent it on riotous living. He suffered a great deal afterwards, he then summoned courage to go back to his father and begged to become a servant.
Unknown to him, his father had been expecting him a long while, on seeing his son coming from afar, he ran to him and command that he be dressed as a royal. He then threw a big party for everyone, because he thought his child was either dead or lost forever. The prodigal son was still granted sonship! What a resounding joy!
– God is expecting someone to come back to Him today. You have wandered for some time. He wants to return to to your rightful place in His kingdom. Do not harden you heart.
Prayer
Almighty Father, let your joy be in me and let my joy be full.
Almighty Father, let this season mark an era of overflowing joy in my life.