Joy Will Pierce Them

Old Treasures on Tuesdays 👑

It’s audio devo day! Are you in need of some strengthening for your spirit? Some encouragement and uplifting? Then get ready for it! Holy Spirit has something special for you right here:

(Blessed by this? Know someone else that needs this encouragement boost today? You can either share today’s blog link with them, or look up my Feeding on Jesus podcast for sharing and subscribing. You’ll find it on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and most other podcast platforms, with episodes identical to these!)

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“Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory” (1 Peter 1:8, ESV, emphasis mine).

I had a dream a year and a half ago that I want to share with you today. In it, my husband and I were invited to go through a large store and pick out everything we wanted. The shopping spree was to cost us nothing. We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly, selecting a large pile of products. Then the store surprised us, adding an enormous mound of additional merchandise onto what we had already chosen. Our mouths were hanging open with amazement and glee as we departed with our new blessings.

I believe this dream was a symbolic representation of the principle we find in these Scriptures:

“For all things are yours: whether… the world or life or death, or things present or things to come — all are yours” (1 Cor. 3:21-22, NKJV).

“…You are always with me, and all that I have is yours” (Luke 15:31, NKJV).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3, NKJV).

In short, everything that God owns (which is everything), He has made ours. We are co-heirs with Christ. He invites us to freely enjoy the lavish storehouses of spiritual blessings that He has made available to us. Come and buy! His Spirit says to ours, Without money and without price! Come to the waters…

There is one detail of this dream that I still need to share with you. As I walked through the store, I came to a display of a beautiful decorative sword. I pulled it from its sheath and laughed with delight when I read its inscription: “Joy will pierce your enemies every time!” This engraved message also included an emblazoned image of a sword shining gloriously. I eagerly selected this item for my own.

Joy. Joy is one of the extravagant spiritual blessings available to us in the heavenly places. Joy that bubbles up from within. Joy that is completely unrelated to our external circumstances. Joy! Since I had that dream, I have pondered the message Holy Spirit inscribed on that sword for me. It’s clear what He was communicating. Joy is a mighty weapon of war. Joy will pierce our enemies. Not just occasionally… but every single time!

Real, unadulterated joy comes from knowing – deep in your heart – Whose you are and Who it is that loves you with an everlasting love. This was the foundation of Jesus’ ministry here on the earth. Before He even launched into His mission, He heard these words from the deepest core of the Father’s heart: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus received this message into His very depths. Everything He did in those following three and a half years flowed out of this profound heart knowledge. He ministered healing and salvation to the world out of the place of His belovedness. This is how He intends for us to function in our roles in life too: out of the deep heart knowledge of our own belovedness in Him.

When you become a child of God who Knows this Knowledge, in the inmost parts of you, your life will be marked by joy. You know what else? This joy is your victory. This joy will pierce your enemies every time.

This kind of joy is available to you. It’s included in the Father’s sweeping proclamation, “All that I have is yours.” Jesus bought this joy for you with His own blood. Come to His superstore. Enjoy a glorious shopping spree without money and without cost. Select this inheritance as your very own. As you do so, He will add onto you exceedingly, abundantly more than you could ask or imagine. Just remember to hold nothing back as you pick out your purchases in the heavenly places. The bill is on Him.

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What do you think – is joy really possible in the intense times we live in?