In biblical times, to show anything but joy in the presence of a king could cost you your life. This is why Nehemiah was terrified when the king noticed the grief he had for the condition of Jerusalem while he was serving the king. With our King this is not dangerous because in His presence it can’t happen. In His presence you simply can’t be depressed or distraught about anything, as Psalm 16:11 declares, “In His presence is fullness of joy.”
It’s not possible to be depressed or discouraged while experiencing the fullness of joy. So, if we are feeling depressed or discouraged, it’s a revelation that we have drifted from Him. The remedy is to seek His face and stay in His presence.
Joy is a barometer of how close to the Lord we are. Depression can be a barometer of how far from Him we’ve drifted. In these times, if we look at what is going on in the world it is hard not to be frightened, depressed, and discouraged. However, that is an indication that we are focused more on the troubles of this world than we are on the Lord and what He is doing. Now is the time that we must resolve that discouragement and depression will have no place in us because we are going to get even closer to the Lord. We must resolve to give thanks in everything as it is written, because we enter His gates with thanksgiving.
This is also a time to resolve that we are not going to complain about anything. We are told that the generation of Israel that left Egypt were not able to enter the Promised Land because of their grumbling and complaining. Many Christians likewise spend their lives wandering in circles, and are not able to receive the promises because of their grumbling and complaining. These are the opposite of faith which we receive from God.
The language of faith is thanksgiving because we believe His promise that He will cause all things to work out for our good, and that all trials work to transform us into the nature of Christ Jesus. Continuing with the exhortations of Peter about how we grow in the grace of God and the stability of faith in Him, we read I Peter 4:7-10:
“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.
“Be hospitable to one another without complaint.
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
One of the fastest ways to get through a trial is to let it work in us the grace and nature of God that it is meant to. One of the best ways to do this is to focus on others and serve them with a thankful, cheerful heart. Is that not the basis of the nature of Christ—He came to serve, not to be served?
Next to the “fullness of joy” that is found in the presence of the Lord, there may be no greater joy than what we receive by helping others in need. Not only does this get our attention off of ourselves and our trials, but it is the basic nature of the Lord to give and the nature of the Holy Spirit to help. So, we can have a special fellowship with them in serving and helping others.
The Holy Spirit is the Helper, and all of the gifts of the Spirit are for helping others. The ministry of “helps” is actually the foundation of all ministry. We tend to think of this as doing the menial tasks, but that is far from all that this ministry is. First, for those who do all that they do as unto the Lord, there are no menial tasks. When a person is drowning, what do they yell? “Help!” Those who respond and help those in desperation are also walking in the ministry of helps.
Both Stephen and Philip were ordained as deacons to serve tables. Yet, they became two of the most powerful ministries in the Book of Acts. Getting to know the nature of the Holy Spirit as the Helper is the path to being trusted with His power.
© 2021 Rick Joyner. All Rights Reserved.
