In Philipians 4 vs 4 Paul encourages us to … Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Yes he does, and he writes this from prison. In the Passion translation those verses read ‘Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let joy overflow.’
This might not seem to be the best time in our world to encourage joy and rejoicing but I believe that is exactly what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches at this time.
Looking at the prophet Habbakuk we see him speaking at a time of dire circumstances for the nation of Israel, Habbakuk 3 vs 17 Though the fig tree doesn’t blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, though the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food. Though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, ( bearing in mind this is an agricultural economy with no welfare state back up) and we see what he chooses to do.vs 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord in the victorious God of my salvation. (Amplified Bible)
Two things I believe the Lord is saying to us ,
firstly that, although joy is a fruit of the spirit, rejoicing is our choice, (often beginning with thankfulness) and
secondly that this joy is not in our circumstances but ‘in HIM’ our ever present savior, helper and friend.
As we read on in we see why Habbakuk makes this choice in vs 19 The Lord is my strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds’ feet and will make me to walk (not stand still in terror) and make (spiritual) progress on my high places (of trouble suffering or responsibility.) (AMP)
All this of course resonates with James 1 vs 2,3 the ‘count it all joy’ verses. In the Passion Translation they read:-
My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being.
So may be some Habbakuk verses for our day may sound something like:-
“Though I’m confined to a small space and lonely, and there are no tinned tomatoes on the shelves, when reports of sickness grow by the day, and I’m afraid for my life, when the people I’m with get irritating and when my finances are taking a hit, when my job is no longer secure and my house may be repossessed, when I hear of people dying and I can’t see those I love, etc etc etc Yet I WILL rejoice in you Lord, because you are with Me and will draw me close and change me to be more like you through this time.”
I believe that where the enemy has tried to intimidate God’s people into silence the Holy Spirit is orchestrating a great wave of praise to Jesus throughout the world and as God’s people refuse to stop rejoicing in Him, and in fact increase their praise, we the church will be more and more filled with His presence and astound the world.
God is indeed wanting to use these current challenges big and small to change us from one degree of glory to another by His Spirit as He promises in Romans 8, working everything together for our good and changing us to look more like Jesus.
