Be Glad Continually

1:52 It's a joy to come into your homes. We love you and we know God rewards the people that seek after him. That's you or you wouldn't have tuned in or you wouldn't have come out today. So thank you so much. If you're ever in our area, stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise you, it will make you feel right at home. But again, thank you all for coming out today. And I like to start with something funny each week. And I heard about this cat and mouse that died on the same day and went to heaven. After a couple of weeks saint peter saw the mouse and said hey, how do you like it so far? The mouse said it's great, but it's so big. I'd love to have a pair of roller skates Peter said no problem got him the skates few weeks later Peter saw the cat and asked him how he liked it. The cat said peter. It's fantastic And just when I thought it couldn't get any better. I discovered the meals on wheels All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the Word of God.

2:58 I boldly confess my mind is alert. My heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about being glad continually. We all have opportunities to lose our joy, go around discouraged, but God never intended for us to endure life. He created us to enjoy life. And we prepare for victory or defeat at the very start of the day. When you get up in the morning, you have to set your mind in the right direction. You may feel discouraged. You may feel the blahs, thinking, I don't want to go to work today. I don't want to deal with these children. I've got so many problems. If you make the mistake of dwelling on those thoughts, then you are preparing for a lousy day. You're using your faith in the wrong direction.

3:51 You need to turn it around and say, this is going to be a great day. Something good is going to happen to me. God has favor in my future. And I'm expecting new opportunities, divine connections, supernatural breakthroughs. You know what you just did? You prepared for victory, prepared for increase, prepared for restoration. God says to the angels, did you hear that? They're expecting my goodness. They're expecting to prosper in spite of the economy. They're expecting to get well in spite of the medical report. They're expecting to accomplish their dreams even though they don't have the resources right now. When you start the day off like that in faith, God tells the angels, go to work, arrange things in their favor, give them breaks, line up the right people, open up the right doors. That's what allows God to show up and show out in unusual ways. And some of you today would see a major improvement in your life. If you'd make this minor adjustment, you'd not only have more energy, a better attitude, be more productive, but you would see new doors open.

5:03 You'd meet new friends. You'd get some of those breakthroughs you've been praying for if you just get up in the morning and instead of preparing for defeat, prepare for victory, prepare for increase, prepare for God's favor. You have to set the tone at the very start of the day. If you leave your mind in neutral, then just by default, the negative thoughts will start to come. Have you ever been laying in bed in the morning and out of nowhere, you're reminded of all the mistakes you made yesterday and all the problems you have in your future. That's the enemy trying to set your mind for a negative, defeated, lousy day. Don't fall into that trap. The scripture says, set your mind and keep it set on the higher things. You've got to be proactive. Be on the offensive.

5:55 When you get up in the morning, say it with David. This is another day the Lord has made. No matter how I feel, no matter what the economy looks like, no matter what the medical report says, I am choosing to rejoice. I'm going to choose to live this day happy. You know what you're really saying? I'm not going to let other people steal my joy today. I'm not going to let disappointments and setbacks discourage me. I'm not going to focus on my problems and my mistakes. I'm making up my mind to enjoy this day. Something I've learned to do every morning is I say, Father, thank you that today is going to be a blessing day and a receiving day. A day where I'll be a blessing to someone and a day where I'll receive your goodness in a greater way. What am I doing?

6:47 I'm setting the tone for the new day. I go out each morning looking for somebody I can bless. I'm on the lookout for somebody I can be good to, somebody I can encourage, somebody I can uplift. I'm expecting it, number one, to be a blessing day. And number two, I'm expecting it to be a receiving day. That means a day where I'm going to receive God's goodness in a greater way. I'm expecting God to show up and show out in my life today. I'm expecting to get supernatural breakthroughs. It's not going to just be a blessing day where I reach out to others, but I know when I help somebody else, God will always help me. When I make someone else's day, God will make my own day. So I'm getting in position. I'm getting my mind prepared to receive God's goodness in a greater way. I heard a story about this 92 year old man. He was just as sharp as could be. Every morning by eight o'clock, he was up and fully dressed. He always looked impeccable, his hair perfectly combed, his face neatly shaven. And although he could see images somewhat, he was legally blind. His wife of nearly 70 years had just gone to be with the Lord. Now he was moving into a senior's home. And after waiting in the lobby patiently for several hours. A young lady came to show him to his new room. And as he maneuvered his walker through the hallways, she began to describe this new room in great detail.

8:21 She told how it had a beautiful window and a nice couch and a desk area. And right in the middle, he interrupted her and said, I love it. I love it. I love it. She kind of laughed and said, sir, we're not there yet. You haven't seen it. Hold on just a minute and I'll show it to you. He said, no, that doesn't have anything to do with it. Happiness is something you decide ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged. It depends on how my mind is arranged. I like that attitude. That's the way we need to be. We've already made up our mind to enjoy this day. We've already made up our mind to have a blessed, prosperous, supernatural year. We may have some setbacks. That may change our circumstances, but it's not going to change our mind.

9:14 The economy may affect my business, but it's not going to affect my mind. I know God is still going to prosper me. This illness may change how I feel, but it's not going to change my mind. I've already decided I'm going to live this day happy. Friends, it's not what happens to us or what we do or don't have. It's how our mind is arranged. And I'm asking you today to make up your mind that you're going to stay full of joy, that you're going to get up every day and prepare for victory. I walked out of the house early the other morning and I heard all these birds singing and singing so loud and so cheerful, little birds chirping and chirping, big birds making all this melody. It's like they were having a big party. And I wanted to say to them, Hey birds, have you read the newspapers lately? Did you see the stock market last year?

10:08 You're not supposed to be singing, happy, enjoying life. What's wrong with you? You're acting like everything is going to be all right. What was it with those birds? They know a secret. They know their heavenly father is in control. They know God has promised to take care of them. So they go through the day singing, enjoying life, regardless of the circumstances. That's how we need to start off each day. Get up in the morning and have a song of praise in your heart. Put a smile on your face. Go out during the day. Be determined to enjoy.

13:22 That's what it says in 1 Thessalonians 5.16. Be happy in your faith, glad-hearted, continually, and always. Notice how long we're supposed to be glad-hearted. How long are we supposed to have a smile on our face? As long as people treat us right? As long as we feel okay? As long as the economy is up? No, it says, be glad-hearted continually and always. That means in the good times and in the tough times. When it's sunny and when it's rainy. When those dark clouds are over your head, you feel like life is kind of depressing, kind of gloomy, always remember right above those dark clouds, the sun is shining. You may not be able to see the sun in your life right now, but that doesn't mean it's not up there. It's just being blocked by the dark clouds. The good news is the clouds are temporary. The clouds are not going to last forever. The sun is going to shine in your life once again. In the meantime, keep your joy. Be glad-hearted continually.

14:38 Don't let a few clouds sour your life. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. That means we all face disappointments, unfair situations, tests, trials, temptation. But know this, right past the test is promotion. On the other side of every difficulty is increase. And if you'll go through the adversity with a smile on your face, a song in your heart, then on the other side, there'll be a reward. But so often in the tough times, we get kind of discouraged. Well, Joel, I'm down today because business is slow. I'm upset because I got a bad medical report or I'm worried about this legal situation. Human nature tends to get negative in the difficult times. But the scripture tells us to do just the opposite. It says in James 1 verse 2, count it all joy when you fall into trials. That doesn't seem to make sense. You mean we're supposed to be joyful and glad hearted in the middle of tough times? Yes, that's right. It's because when you lose your joy, you lose your strength. And in the difficult times, more than ever, that's when you need your strength. When you have a child that's hard to raise, that takes a lot of energy. You need your strength and your strength is connected to your joy. When you're facing a financial crisis, dealing with an illness, going through a breakup in a relationship, these things are very draining. If you go through it negative, bitter, discouraged, you're not going to have the strength you need to stand strong and fight the good fight of faith.

16:18 The way you can keep your joy is to know that on the other side of that test is promotion. On the other side of every setback is new opportunity. The other side of every offense is new growth. If you'll just keep reminding yourself, even though this is hard, even though I don't understand it, even though it's not fair, I'm going to keep a good attitude and stay full of joy knowing that this is not setting me back. It is setting me up for God to bring me out better. The whole key is how you handle the adversity. If you complain, you will remain. You'll stay right there. If you get negative and soured on life, you won't pass the test. There was promotion available. There was opportunity for new growth, but because you didn't count it all joy, you missed out.

17:13 The good news is God will give you another opportunity. He can still get you to where you need to be. For instance, when somebody offends us, our attitude should be, I'm not going to get upset. I'm going to count it all joy. I know this is simply a test. And on the other side of this offense, I'm going to be promoted. When business is slow, instead of complaining, you count it all joy. This too shall pass. I know God is supplying all of my needs. Or when you face a disappointment, your emotions will tell you to get down and discouraged. You'll feel self-pity trying to set in. But instead of getting on board with your emotions, you start talking to yourself. Self, get up. Self, be strong. There are good days up ahead. That's how you pass the test. That's how you count it all joy.

18:06 And in the tough times, don't be surprised if you feel that spirit of heaviness try to overtake you. Don't be surprised if you hear those thoughts telling you, it's never going to work out. you're never going to get well. It's over. It's done. Don't believe those lies. You don't have to get on board with your emotions. They're not in charge. You're in charge. And instead of letting yourself talk to you, you need to start talking to yourself. In other words, when you wake up in the morning and that thought comes to your mind saying, it's going to be a lousy day. Don't just agree and say, yeah, it's going to be a lousy day. Well, you got so many problems. You'll probably never get well. Yeah, I don't think I'll ever get well. No, turn it around and talk to yourself. Make a declaration of faith. I will get well. God is restoring health unto me. Early in the morning when that thought comes saying, you're depressed, it's bad, you don't have anything to look forward to. No, talk to yourself. This is going to be a great day. God has favor in my future. I can't wait to see what he's going to do. What are you doing? Counting it all joy. This is what David did. That spirit of heaviness tried to steal his destiny. He got depressed, very discouraged during dark times. You know what he did? He started talking to himself. He said, why are you cast down? Oh, my soul, put your hope in the Lord. He was saying, David, what's wrong with you?

19:36 Why are you discouraged? Why have you lost your joy? God is still on the throne. God still has good things in store. Put your hope back in the Lord. When that heaviness tries to come on us, we need to do the same thing. You got to look in the mirror and say, listen here, self, cheer up. Put on a new attitude. We're not staying down. We're not staying defeated. We're putting our hope in the Lord. Today, especially, there's so much doom and gloom in our society. so many negative news reports. If we're not careful, we'll let it sink in and we'll let that spirit of heaviness kind of come on us. And, you know, no enthusiasm, no joy. Oh, it's just so bad. The scripture tells us what to do. Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. When you feel that heaviness trying to overtake you and tell you that there's nothing good in your future, you've seen your best days, you feel the blahs, first thing you need to do is take off the old coat of heaviness.

20:40 Throw away the coat of self-pity. Get rid of the coat of discouragement and put on a new coat of praise. That means begin to thank God for what he's already done in your life. Thank him for the victories in your past. Thank him for how far he's already brought you. And then take it one step further. Thank him in advance for the victories he has ahead of you. Thank him for the new doors he's opening. Thank him for the situations he's turning around. Thank him for the favor that he has in your future. You do that and you will feel a new joy rising up on the inside. You will feel your faith begin to be increased. You won't have that victim mentality. You will have a victor mentality. One thing I've learned is you cannot praise and stay defeated at the same time. You cannot give God thanks and stay down and discouraged. When you put on the garment of praise, that spirit of heaviness has to go. Sometimes you're not going to feel like doing it.

21:48 You don't feel like having a good attitude. You don't feel like being grateful. That's why God said to offer up the sacrifice of praise. God knew it wasn't always going to be easy. Sometimes you're going to have to dig your heels in and say, God, I don't feel like doing this. It doesn't look like it's ever going to work out. I'm tired, lonely, discouraged, but God, I know you're still on the throne. I know you are good and you're good all the time. So I choose to give you praise. I choose to give you thanks anyway. When you offer up that sacrifice of praise, that's when supernatural things begin to happen. This is what Paul and Silas did. They were in jail at midnight. They had been unjustly beaten earlier in the day. What were they doing? Complaining? Having a pity party? God, it's not fair. Where were you today? No, they were singing praises and giving thanks to God. They were saying, in effect, God, we know you're bigger than our problems. We know you're still in control. You're well able to get us out of here. Sure enough, at midnight, there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung open. The chains fell off their feet. They walked out of there as free men. What started it? When they offered up the sacrifice of praise. Really, any of us can have a good attitude when everything's going our way.

23:21 We can all celebrate and be grateful when we're on the mountaintop, but where are the people that will give God praise even when the bottom falls out? Where are the people that will get up each morning and prepare for victory and increase in spite of all the news reports predicting doom and gloom. Where are the people that will say, God, I still praise you even though the medical report wasn't good. God, I still thank you even though it didn't turn out my way. I believe I'm looking at those people right now. You are men and women of great faith. Your roots go down deep. Many of you could be complaining. You could be discouraged. You could have a chip on your shoulder, but instead you just keep giving God praise. You got that smile on your face.

24:15 You're doing the right thing even though the wrong thing's happening. That's why I can tell you with confidence that you are coming in to greater victories. You need to enlarge your vision. You need to take the limits off of God. You have not seen your best days. God has victories in your future that are gonna amaze you. He is going to show up and show out in unusual ways. You may be in a tough time right now, but remember this. The enemy always fights you the hardest when he knows God has something great in store for you. You are closest to your victory when it is the darkest. That is the enemy's final stand. Don't get discouraged. Don't start complaining. Just keep offering up that sacrifice of praise. It says in Jeremiah 33 verse 11, when you have the voice of gladness, the voice of joy, and you offer up the sacrifice of praise, God will cause the captivity of the land to be reversed and the fortunes to be restored. Two words I love there, reversed and restored. God is saying when you stay full of joy, when you learn to offer up the sacrifice of praise, God is going to turn things in your favor. He is going to reverse negative situations. He's going to restore what's been stolen. But notice it doesn't happen by complaining, by being negative, by being sour.

25:48 It happens when you have the voice of gladness, the voice of joy. That means you get up in the morning with a song in your heart. You go out each day with a smile on your face. Things may not always go your way, but you don't get discouraged. You shake it off and count it all joy. Listen, when you live that way, you might as well get ready. God is going to reverse and restore. He is going to reverse finances that are going down. He's going to reverse a business that's struggling. He's going to reverse a legal situation. He's going to reverse a health issue. Not only that, God is going to restore what should have been yours. He's going to restore the years you lost because somebody did you wrong. He's going to restore a relationship that's on the rocks. It's going to happen because you've got the voice of joy, the voice of gladness, and you keep offering up that sacrifice of praise.

26:46 And all through the scripture, it tells us to rejoice in the Lord always. It's interesting, the word rejoice doesn't just mean to be vocal, to give God praise with our words, but rejoice also means to brighten up, to spin around, and to leap for joy. Do you realize you can rejoice by simply putting a smile on your face? When times are tough, things aren't going our way. Many people have a long, sour face. They're down, discouraged, worried, upset. but when you count it all joy, you smile and have a pleasant demeanor, not because you necessarily feel like it, not because all your circumstances are perfect. You smile by faith. You smile knowing that your countenance, your expression is saying to God, I trust you. God, I don't feel like doing this, but I choose to rejoice. In other words, when you smile in the difficult times, you are offering up that sacrifice of praise. And sometimes the best thing we can do when we're having a tough day is to just put a smile on our face. A lot of people, when it gets difficult, they've got that long gloomy face. They look like they've lost their last friend. They'll come up to me, Joel, I'm just rejoicing in the Lord. No, you need to notify your face. You need to get your face lined up with what you know in your heart. Like that little bird I heard singing. Deep down, you know everything's going to be all right. You know God is fighting your battles for you. You know nothing can snatch you out of his hand. You know God holds victory in store for you. You know no weapon formed against she was going to prosper. You know what was meant for your harm, God's going to use to your advantage.

28:42 It's on the inside. Now you need to let it get to the outside. You need to rejoice not only with your words, but rejoice with your expression. Rejoice with your countenance. Rejoice by smiling. Friends, our joy was never meant to be hidden. It was meant to be displayed. You are the light of the world. Don't hide your light. Wherever you go, let your joy be seen. You say, Joel, I don't have any reason to smile today. I've got a lot of problems. I've got a lot of things coming against me. But really, you need to smile more than anybody else. You need to release your faith. When somebody offends you, somebody is rude, and you feel like giving them a piece of your mind, but instead you just smile, you know what you just did? You counted it all joy. On the freeway, somebody cuts you off. You're just about to blow and tell them what you think, but instead you look over and smile. You know what you did? You offered up the sacrifice of praise. Sometimes it takes everything we've got. Your child comes and says, mom, I just spilled red Kool-Aid on the white carpet. Smile. The sacrifice of praise. How about this? That co-worker that normally won't give you the time of days, always talking behind your back, trying to make you look bad, he comes over and says, would you help me with this project?

30:11 Instead of saying, have you totally lost your mind? You just smile and say, I'll be glad to. Under your breath, you can say, God, this is the biggest sacrifice of praise I've ever given you. Victoria and I were at the airport the other day and we came to the security checkpoint and we put our two bags through the x-ray machines and the security officer sent them back and said there were liquids that we could not take. And Victoria said, oh yeah, Joel, I forgot to get my water out. I didn't realize it. He wasn't talking to her, he was talking to me. And so I just stood there and I didn't open my bag. You would have thought I had just committed a major crime. That like totally insulted him. He said, sir, what is wrong with you? Can you not hear what I'm saying? I said, open your bag, and I mean, open it now. And I have to admit, I didn't feel like brightening up. I didn't feel like rejoicing. I didn't want to hear anything about counting it all joy.

31:13 I just kept reminding myself, Joy, you are a pastor. Be calm. Stay polite. Remember your messages. I dug down deep, and I mustered up a smile. I got to tell you, it was the most fake smile I've ever smile. I was so proud of myself. I walked off and said, God, I'm expecting a huge reward.

31:37 Friends, learn to count it all joy. Don't be determined to never have problems. Be determined to stay full of joy in the midst of your problems. Get up each morning and prepare for victory. Arrange your mind in the right direction. Make that declaration. This is going to be a blessing day and a receiving day. And no matter what comes your way, don't lose your joy. Learn to offer up that sacrifice of praise. If you will keep the voice of gladness, the voice of joy, you cannot stay down and defeated. God has promised He's going to reverse and restore. Not only that, because you have joy, you're going to have the strength you need to outlast every attack, to overcome every obstacle, to defeat every enemy. You're going to become everything God created you to be, and you're going to have everything God intended for you to have. Amen. Do you receive it today?

32:31 I know you do.

35:42 It's amazing what happens when you take a few moments throughout the day to connect with God. A moment to thank Him for His goodness, a moment to declare His promises, a moment to remember that He's working.

37:34 If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Until next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you.