Philippians 4:4 AMPC
Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!
It's a bit of an old fashioned word - rejoice, isn't it? You don't often find folk using it in everyday life nowadays.
But the Bible is telling us twice to emphasise the importance of doing this... So come with me and let's look what we, as believers, are commanded to do!
The root of the word in middle English (when the translation took place) meant to experience and express joy with intense force.
This led me to picture in my mind's eye a spot on a Canadian river we visited a few years back called the Natural Bridge:
"This place of fast running, glacial silt laden, white water is a sensual experience where, in this section of the Kicking Horse River, the river flow is churning through, and gradually dissolving, limestone formations to establish new river bed."
The intense force of joy in the Lord breaks through even when our lives are compacted with sadness, illness, temptations, failures and trials of many and various kinds.
At this place in Canada, sometimes the huge power of the water is forced underneath or between massive boulders, but emerges even stronger, after it's been constricted! Even now I can "hear" the sound of the water, recalling the amazing memory - [share it with me]: https://youtu.be/dqDSvhyrBp0
Jesus' voice is likened to such a magnificent sound:
Revelation 1:15 AMPC
..." and His voice was like the sound of many waters."
As we rejoice IN JESUS, the sound of His Voice will drown out the noise of our trials - the distressing things we experience.
Paul was apparently in chains when he wrote this letter, so he knew what it was like to be "constricted" by circumstances! He overcame by rejoicing in the Lord ALWAYS.
Even in depression and sadness when your joy is being diverted and compressed and driven underground, battle through - the Holy Spirit is producing the precious fruit of joy so you can experience the intense force of the Lord in every circumstance and rejoice.
Jesus said: Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them - [I like the KJV which says out of the belly shall flow rivers of living water]
Jojn 7:38
Anyone remember the old chorus recalling this verse?
"Not by might, not by power but by My Spirit" says the Lord
Zechariah 4:6
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