A Self Encouragement and Self Declaration Sermon
Psalm 30:5 – For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
King David was a man that had several challenges as he grew up, which could be likened to ‘weeping enduring till a night’, he, however, was also able to experience seasons of joy that followed.
He was the one asked to be looking after the livestock their father had, even though he was the youngest – a teenager; no older sibling or servant assisted him on the field, which left me wondering who stayed behind to look after the same animals when Samuel asked that they should send for David to come home. – which could even have been 2 people.
When fortune smiled on their family in 1 Samuel 16:11-12, Prophet Samuel was to dine with his family and the Prophet asked Jesse to consecrate all his sons and make sure they were present. On that day his father, his siblings and even his mother forgot him.
Psalm 27:10 – When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
Even after David had been anointed as a King by Prophet Samuel in front of his Father and brethren, he was still sent back to the field. – It was like he was treated as the king of sheep!
1 Samuel 16:19 – Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep.
David must have been weeping quietly in his heart, no wonder he wrote many songs to God at this time, God was about the only person he could converse with.
King Saul made matters worse for David, having assisted the King by rescuing the nation from slavery and conquest, King Saul was to pay David back by hunting for his life to slay him. For 13 years, the promise of God over David as a king lingered; but one morning, the promise happened!
David was crowned as the King of Judah and 7 years after that as king of Israel! His destiny was fulfilled. His joy was full. His morning eventually came! Your own morning has come today.
There is someone listening to me now, you have entered into your morning. It shall be a morning of unspeakable joy and unlimited joy! This joy that begins for you today shall have no end in Jesus name.
With God, there is no night, all times are days to Him, so shall it be for you. You have entered into the brighter side of your life and it shall not become dim or dark again in Jesus name.
Nehemiah 8:9-12 – 9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved. 12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.
From Chapter 1 of the Book of Nehemiah, we read that God put the burden of Jerusalem on Nehemiah’s heart.
By Divine orchestration he was able to get the permission, some materials and security from the King to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls and gates. When Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem, he was to face several ‘seasons of nights’. It was one challenge to another.
He met hostility, mockery, deception, attacks, discouragement, etc. God, however, strengthened his hands and those with him, such that despite all oppositions they faced, they were able to complete the walls and gates in 52 days!
The people in Jerusalem were returned captives from Babylon, and many of them had not been used to hearing the word of God read to them before; having been in captivity for 70 years. So, they were gathered together, and the laws of God were read to them for the first time for hours. The people were so touched when they heard God’s words that they began to weep.
That day, which was the 1st day of the 7th month, was declared as a holy day unto the Lord their God. The people were told to stop weeping and mourning. They were instead admonished to go home to rejoice, celebrate, be merry and to send gifts to one another; for the joy of the Lord has now become their strength.
There are times we weep, not because we are in pain and sorrow at the time; but because we remember or recollect what God has done for us. When you recollect the pains, hostility, mockery, deception, attacks, discouragement, gang-ups, false accusations, etc. that God had seen you through; when you remember the projects that you may not have finished or that could have taken you so long to finish, but God miraculously shortened it for you; when you read portions of the scriptures that seem God is speaking to you in person; I think tears will well up in your eyes like it normally happens for me.
If you are going through such an experience right now, it’s because God has ushered you into a morning season and brought you out of the season of night.
Today the 26th of the 7th month is a holy day unto the Lord our God; do not mourn nor weep. Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared.
Be not grieved, sad or depressed, for the joy of the Lord has now become your strength and might.
I pray for someone, from today, your rejoicing shall be great. Your understanding of the words of God shall increase. Your basket of food shall be full, your pot of drink shall be filled, and you will have overflowing portions to send to others in Jesus name.
Song: This is my day of joy, my day of joy, my day of joy. x 2
In John 20:19-22, the bible tells us that the disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
At the inception of the ministry of Jesus, He began to call unto Himself disciples to follow Him and to spread His message. At a point He had 500 followers, out of which He chose 70 disciples and out of these 12 disciples.
His twelve Apostles followed Him everywhere and lived with Him. They witnessed many miracles done by Jesus, they knew He was very powerful and that He was the Son of God. Even though Jesus kept telling them in parables about His death and resurrection, they never thought Jesus could be overpowered to the point of dying.
But as Jesus was rounding up His earthly ministry, He was arrested by the Jewish leaders, tried and condemned to death. All these were like dreams to the Apostles, even to Judas Iscariot that betrayed Him.
But the Son of man was fulfilling the scriptures, Jesus was eventually nailed to the cross and He died. At this point, the Apostles could no longer handle the situation. Judas had committed suicide and the rest have hidden themselves for the fear of being arrested and tried also.
The Friday that Jesus died must have been very horrible for the disciples. The Saturday was a Sabbath and the Jews generally stay indoors on this day. Their hearts must be going through turmoil as they stayed inside the house they were.
Then Sunday came, which was their 1st day of the week, it was the women that first went out and discovered that Jesus had risen. They went to inform the Apostles where they were hiding. Peter and John went to verify, they saw that the tomb was empty, Jesus later appeared to them in that evening.
They were afraid, the doors were shut tightly, and Jesus came in and stood in their midst. He calmed them down, showed them proofs of His authenticity. He reassured them, boosted their faith, empowered them and re-commissioned them. The disciples became overjoyed!
There is someone listening to me now; you have been shattered by a recent event. God will bring something surprising out of that event that will bring you overwhelming joy in Jesus name.
There is another person, I am asked to tell you that your present fear will end in lasting joy.
To another, I am told to say to you that there are many reasons why you should not be fearful and timid. God says He will show you some of reasons and signs why you should not be.
On this first day of the week, may the peace of God overshadow you.
There is someone listening to me, you have been afraid of something or someone lately. I command the fear to leave you now in Jesus name.
May your days from now be filled with joy. Your months and years from now shall be filled with joy.
Can I announce to someone? God says your assignment is not yet over. You have His authority and backing to continue to perform still. Even though other challenges may crop up later, the Holy Ghost will be with you and great shall be your peace in the midst of any storm in Jesus name.
The Apostles faced other pressing challenges and tribulations, but the evidential proof that Jesus resurrected and His promise to be with them always gave them the courage to face anything.
The same power and promise are available to us today. We must go in that might and be full of the joy of the Lord regardless of our circumstances.
Note that Psalm 30:5 says ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.’
It means it should end, it means it could be stopped, it means it ought to expire. If anyone is going through a season of weeping now, I command its termination in Jesus name.
If you are experiencing a difficult time, make sure you are not sorrowful, that season shall come to an end in Jesus name. Consider the words of Apostle Paul:
2 Corinthians 7: 2-7 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man. I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you. Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears. Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more’.
Philippians 1: 12-21 (Paul was in jail in Rome) But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel; So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? Notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
In trial, that he did not know how it will end. Standing before King Aggripa, he said: “I think myself happy” (Acts 26:1-2).
People always look for joy in many things and in many places. Joy, however, is an inward experience, manifesting in an outward appearance.
Isaiah 12: 3 – with joy draw water from the wells of salvation.
Good examples
Suzanna Wesley had 19 children, only 8 were alive at her death, yet she never lost her joy (John & Charles Wesley).
Fanny Crosby: was blinded by a careless doctor. She said God substituted her physical eyes she lost with the eyes of her heart. She wrote over 400 hymns.
Bad examples
Voltaire: (21 November 1694 – 30 May 1778) – French Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher, died 83yrs – wished he was not born.
Alexander The Great: (20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC) ruled from North Africa to Asia, was weeping in his tent before his death.
Joy started in the heart of David even before he was anointed as a King. He just made sure the joy did not die out.
The joy started in the heart of the Israelites that returned from exile as the Book of Law was read to them. They only continued in that joy when they got home.
Do you have the joy of the Lord in your heart? Let it continue and let it overflow into an outward manifestation.
Joy, the bible makes us know that it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Do you want great joy? Endeavour to be filled with the Holy Ghost, that way, you will be full of the joy of the Lord.
Prayers
Father, reveal to me things that pertain to my joy and fulfilment of my destiny.
Father, open my eyes to the best options you have for me in life.
Father, deliver me from all causes of sadness in the name of Jesus.
Father, be my constant Counsellor and make me to keep experiencing joy in my inner man in Jesus name.
Father, please bring back any joyous opportunity I have missed by your mercy in the name of Jesus
Father, grant me the grace to enjoy every door you have opened for me in the name of Jesus
Father, let the door of elevation; the door of joy, the door of expansion, the door of advancement will continually be opened to me in the name of Jesus
Father, keep me abiding in You so that my joy will be full (John 15: 11).
Father, turn every pain aiming for my life into joy (John 16: 22).
Father, let no thing and no one take my joy away from me (John 16: 22).
Father, help me to count it all joy when I am faced with various trials (James 1: 2).
Father, help me to still rejoice and exceedingly be glad when people revile and persecute me; and when they say all kinds of evil against me falsely (Mt. 5: 12).
Anointing
For Oil of gladness (Psalms 45: 7).
For Oil of joy for mourning;
For garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61: 1-3).
The sermon was delivered on July 26th, 2020.