Dipping into the Arsenal ~ Armed With Joy
There had been a time where I was seeing other people "get" words for their new year. And I often wondered about that.
How did one "get" a word?
So one year, I prayed about it.
And boom.
There it was.
Like an imprint in the dirt, it was a mark on my heart.
Joy.
Such a simple yet extremely complicated word.
And it hung onto me for several years.
Such a simple yet extremely complicated word.
And it hung onto me for several years.
Still does.
It has become my warpaint.
I once read a small story a friend posted. She talked about how tribal warriors would paint their bodies before battle.
In preparation for facing the foe.
The warpaint served a powerful purpose in battle ~ to intimidate the enemy.
Intimidate means to "frighten or overawe someone".
Overawe means "to impress someone so much that they become silent or inhibited", or "to cause someone to feel a mixture of respect and fear".
Overawe means "to impress someone so much that they become silent or inhibited", or "to cause someone to feel a mixture of respect and fear".
There is an enemy.
He prowls around like a lion. (1 Peter 5:8)
Seeking to kill. Steal. Destroy.
Seeking to kill our hope.
Seeking to steal and confuse our identity.
Seeking to destroy love and all that is good.
But joy.
In an arsenal of mighty weapons, joy is a force terrifying to the enemy.
It's a deeper, more intense thing than simple happiness.
He prowls around like a lion. (1 Peter 5:8)
Seeking to kill. Steal. Destroy.
Seeking to kill our hope.
Seeking to steal and confuse our identity.
Seeking to destroy love and all that is good.
But joy.
In an arsenal of mighty weapons, joy is a force terrifying to the enemy.
It's a deeper, more intense thing than simple happiness.
And it wields a bruising punch to the enemy.
Because where God's joy is found, there is victory.
"The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)
When we arm ourselves with joy, it frightens the enemy. Because when God's people have His joy, the enemy's plans falter. When God's people have His joy, it sets an impression in their soul that can silence the one who seeks to destroy it.
The devil knows the power of God is greater than his own.
"But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people because the Spirit who lives in you, is greater than the spirit that lives in the world."
(1 John 4:4, NLT)
(1 John 4:4, NLT)
And if the enemy can keep us from knowing God in us; if he can keep us from seeing God in us; if he can keep us from living God in us ~ well, then he takes his aim and hits the spot.
But if he sees that joy is in our core, as fruit from the Holy Spirit; if he sees that the joy of the Lord is our strength; if he sees that joy is our warpaint ~ he will become overawed.
He knows the power of God. He knows it very personally.
He's afraid we will know it too, and will try his hardest to keep us from that knowledge.
He knows the power of God. He knows it very personally.
He's afraid we will know it too, and will try his hardest to keep us from that knowledge.
Joy is intimidating to the devil because it means we know.
It means that a part of us is not going to bend and bow to the enemy.
It means that a part of us is not going to bend and bow to the enemy.
And sometimes, the results of battles look like the enemy wins.
But he has a bigger agenda, a devilishly disastrous outcome that he seeks.
He wants to kill the joy. Steal the hope. Remove us from the salvation of God.
But he has a bigger agenda, a devilishly disastrous outcome that he seeks.
He wants to kill the joy. Steal the hope. Remove us from the salvation of God.
But joy.
Cling to it.
Bury it deep in your chest.
Hold your shield in front to protect it.
Cling to it.
Bury it deep in your chest.
Hold your shield in front to protect it.
Imprint it in your being.
This year, God gave me the word, "Warrior".
So I explore the weapons of war.
And the first one, is joy.
Joy is strength.
His joy, my strength.
And the first one, is joy.
Joy is strength.
His joy, my strength.
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