Stir up joy in your heart
Rejoice evermore (1 Thessalonians 5:16 KJV)
Scripture abounds with instructions and commandments to be joyful. Joy is a virtue of the human heart that directly affects the state of the heart and the individual’s body. Solomon said in Proverbs 17:22 that a joyful heart works like medication to the body. The other side of this truth is equally applicable: sorrow in the heart will work like cancer in a person’s life.
Paul commanded the Thessalonians to “rejoice evermore”. The word “rejoice” in the Greek is a command in the active voice. That implies God is commanding us to be joyful, which means when we are not joyful, we are living in disobedience. This is a tough truth to chew, but it as it is given to us from the Lord.
The word rejoice in the active voice means we are the ones to do the action of rejoicing. Let me quickly show you a mystery in this command. We all have emotions just as we have a head and body. Those emotions have the capacity to express different virtues or vices. They can express joy or depression. They can express fear or courage. So our emotions themselves can be compared to your hands, which can be used for good or bad depending on the person.
The word “rejoice” means we should stir up joy in our emotions. That joy is called the joy of the Lord, meaning it is joy specifically related to your relationship with the Lord. The power in your hands that stir up joy is your mind. Remember God and His Word for that situation and allow joy to spring up!
MEDITATE
What is the meaning of “active voice” as opposed to “passive voice” as used above?
APPLY THE WORD
The active voice in a commandment means if you do not do it, the Spirit will not. Until you trigger joy, it will remain dormant. Your turn, do not allow sorrow or depression one more minute in your life. Remember: it does not mean the problem goes away immediately. If you will obey the Word, that is, rejoice, then the door for a miracle will open!
PRAY
Ask the Lord for the strength to rejoice at all times—including the situation you are in right now.
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