TheSourcesofJoy

UV 1124/10,000 The Sources of Joy and Strength
We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the Lord fulfil all thy petitions.
Psalm 20 v 5

Salvation is a joyful experience. It is a multi-dimensional experience. It is an experience of great intensity as well as stability and durability. It is like having a continual feast in the company of the Lord. The dishes served in the feast of life are the varied promises of God that we claim in diverse situations of our lives. The lessons of success teach us how to win while the lessons of failure teach us how to be victorious. The Lord teaches us how to win as well as how to be victorious through a series of both successes and failures. Whether we win or whether we are victorious, our faith in the Lord is strengthened. We are willing to state openly on large banners our faith that it is the Lord who has heard our prayers and fulfilled His promises to make us both win and to be victorious. Without goals we cannot be successful. Without struggles, we cannot be victorious. We need to be thankful for the opportunities, abilities and help we received from the Lord to enable us to fulfil our goals. We need to be thankful for the strength, capacity to endure and the hope the Lord inspired in us to overcome our struggles. Our success or victory causes us to erect a spiritual banner over us that proclaims the glory of Jehovah Nissi, the God who is victorious and who brings victory. Each and every name of the Lord is a different dimension of our salvation experience, a different tower of strength, a source of unceasing power another cause for rejoicing and eternal jubilation.

People who are successful in this world set up banners only in their own names to proclaim their claims to greatness and glory. Whether we are successful or victorious, we set up our banners to proclaim the greatness and glory of God. We attribute it all to the grace of the Lord. In ourselves we know we are inadequate but it is the Lord who fills the gaps with His abundant grace. Each banner we set up has a promise or uni-verse that has been fulfilled by the Lord in our lives. We will have a colourful banner above us that proclaims, “ Jehovah Jireh”, the Lord God has provided all that I need. It cause the joy of gratitude in our lives for all the blessings we have received from the hand of the Lord. Banners were used in battles to rally the troops, as a standard of victory to motivate the troops. As long as the banner is up, the fight was going well for the respective side. The reasons why we believe in God are the banners that keep us going from strength to strength, from winning to victory. The past victories and successes we have had believing in the promises of God are the banners of our testimony. The scripture verses we based our prayers on are the banners that ban fears, discouragement and weaknesses. The different names of the Lord are the banners we hold aloft for others to see and draw their faith and strength.

A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul, a prayer answered increases our faith and joy. The Lord is a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering God. We need to be joyful and thankful for all the prayers the Lord has answered in our lives so far. Our prayers should be based on the Word. When our prayers are intermingled with the Word, it is joyful to the Lord to hear. Our joy, faith and strength will increase as we increasingly intertwine the Word with our prayers for Jesus said, “ Ask in my Name.” He also said, “ If you abide in my Word and my Words abide in you, ask whatever you will and it shall be granted unto you.” We have the confidence to ask only on account of our Saviour Jesus. We now live within the boundaries indicated by the Word. We live by imbibing the Word on a regular basis. We do not just take the Word as an imposition on us but as something to delight in and to draw inspiration, encouragement and guidance from.

Prateep V Philip