This past Sunday evening I preached a message during the evening service. I knew ahead of time that I would be preaching on Sunday. So, it wasn’t like I was unprepared. Yet, somehow, I allowed the enemy to get in my head, and I started listening to old lies.
If you are like a lot of people, when you get in your own head, you can go down a path of unrest and displeasure. It can start with just one thought that is contrary to the truth of God’s word. That is all it takes to set you off on a path of negativity.
The next thing you know is you are unhappy and unthankful with an angry attitude. I started focusing on everything that is going wrong in my life and forgot about all the great things going on. Instead of rejoicing in the Lord and being thankful for all He has brought me through, I started focusing on the mess in front of me that I have yet to walk through or that I am walking through.
Through that experience God gave me a message of hope! He reminded me of His goodness, His mercy, His grace! I got happy as soon as I changed my focus from negative to positive.
You may be asking yourself how do you change your focus from negative to positive? How do you exchange a nasty unhappy unthankful attitude with a happy positive attitude? How do you change your way of thinking?
Philippians 4:4 states, we are to rejoice in the Lord always! In face the Amplified Bible says it like this, “Rejoice in the Lord always [delight gladden yourselves in Him]; again, I say, Rejoice!
Psalm 37:4 of the same version says, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.
So there it is ladies and gentlemen! The first step is to rejoice in the Lord always! Remember that is His direct instruction! Rejoice in Him. He has you and He will carry you. Whatever you are going through He will sort it out. Rejoice in who He is! Rejoice in His unfailing love! Rejoice and remember all the things He has brought you through so far! Rejoice because He is faithful to bring you through whatever you are facing now!
Do you have unanswered prayers? Then rejoice in the Lord! Delight yourself in remembering all His goodness. Thank Him for your situation! As hard as that is to do, remember that He will work it out for your good and His glory!
He is a good God; He will not leave you hanging! He will take care of you. You are His child! He loves you! Even those secret petitions that you dared not ask. He knows and he will give you the desires of your heart. Trust Him!
Before you know it the darkness will flee. The negativity will flee. You will actually feel the brightness break through the darkness, and you will be free. It might be hard to do at first. But keep focusing on the Lord and His goodness. I promise you that the words of the Lord are true!
Rejoice in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart!
That will I speak 