Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
My Son told you the way is narrow, not wide, to eternal life. Any good parent knows the most healthy atmosphere in which you can raise a child is one with the parameters of discipline in the right way to live, parameters that keep the child in peace, assurance, confidence, and knowing the boundaries to avoid confusion, fretting, and unfruitfulness of days and nights. An undisciplined person is an unfruitful and frustrated person. A person out of control of their emotions and fleshly cravings can ruin not just their own life but an entire household or workplace.
When emotions rule your life, it is not a life worth living for you are not ordering your days in wisdom of heart but in the wanderings of the fool. The wise woman builds her house but the foolish one tears it down with her own hands.
The narrow way is the way of following My Will. And that is the way of wisdom, which is the principal thing. For in the parameters of My Will there is health, fruitfulness, peace, and protection. You are secure there for I look ahead and provide as I lead you in right paths for My Name’s sake. You are My children and I want you to each reflect My goodness, kindness, and love, but also the right direction to go by your wisdom from on high. Speaking the truth in love is the leading of a good shepherd to those I have entrusted to your care.
Many say they do not know My Will and it is mysterious and unattainable. But this is not true. I am very clear what My Will is for you and I have been clear about this from the first words I spoke to man the day I created him. I blessed the first man and woman and told them what to do with that blessing. I told them to live fruitful lives of authority in command over all that I had made. And I told them how to do so, by obeying My Word. If you are willing and obey you will find that My instructions will give you a beautiful, powerful, fruitful, and worthwhile life, indeed, the best life.
In these Life Lessons I will show many wonderful things I give you the opportunity to do, commandments, statutes and expressions of My Will that, if you apply them diligently, will empower you to prosper, reign in life with Me for time and eternity, and give you insight and wisdom beyond what you could know on your own.
“See, I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do thus in the land where you are entering to possess it. So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the LORD our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?” Deuteronomy 4:5-8.
Today I want to begin to look at a very clear commandment that I tell you is definitely My Will for you who are in Christ Jesus. And this should be your way of living even without My commanding it because once you are a new creation in Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, if you really understand what I have done for you in Christ and who you are in Him, joy, prayer, and thanksgiving should be so filling your heart that they overflow in a symphony in harmony with all the believers in Heaven and on earth.
Do you know the command of which I am speaking? If you are saying you want to do My Will but you cannot seem to ever really find it, I am now going to clarify My Will for your life: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and render constant thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Most people, even believers, are ignoring this command. And it is the NARROW WAY. The Narrow Way is the way of rejoicing. The Wide Way is the way of complaining, crying, bitterness, anger, depression, turmoil, and strife. Just strike up a conversation with people you meet along the way, and you will find most are complaining and grumbling, and even if keeping quiet you can see by their scowling countenance that they are definitely NOT rejoicing.
This may surprise those who see the word “narrow” as a negative term, but the narrow way is the way of rejoicing. It is not a burdensome way but a way to freedom. It is the way of deliverance, you go out with joy and are led forth by peace, and it is how you stay on the highway of holiness.
A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks that way, and fools will not wander on it. No lion will be there, nor will any vicious beast go up on it; these will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return and come with joyful singing and shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will overtake gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:8-10.
When I delivered My people from slavery in Egypt and took them out to lead them to the land flowing with milk and honey that I promised by Covenant to their forefather Abraham and I Myself took them out with joy. Imitate Me as My dear children.
And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout and joyful songs. Psalm 105:43.
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence (title deed) to things not seen. Faith rejoices. To rejoice always is to have faith in all circumstances, no matter how contrary to My Word they appear or seem to be headed. Faith is the assurance of a good outcome for you who love Me and are called according to My purpose. And when you have the answer and the victory over every obstacle, sickness, pain, mountain, storm, or whatever else gets in the way trying to steal your joy, you will just continue rejoicing in the victory and it will come to pass.
You may be thinking, however, how can you rejoice in the midst of what looks like a terrible time in your life when all seems lost? First you must understand you are not rejoicing in the circumstances you see, for you will find troubles exist in this world until Adam’s leasehold interest expires and his subtenant, the devil, is exiled to the lake of fire. Jesus warned you of this, that is, that you would have tribulation come against you, but He told you to cheer up and take courage because He had overcome the world and He is in you, so greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. And think about this, I am very clear about what you are to rejoice in and it is not the problem. What do I tell you to rejoice in? Me. And you will find this in the Old and New Testaments, so it should not surprise you.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4.
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10.
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation say continually, “The LORD be magnified!” Psalm 40:16.
And my soul shall rejoice in the LORD; it shall exult in His salvation. Psalm 35:9.
Why are you rejoicing in Me when you have a problem to deal with? Because I am your way out of it. When you are sick, you have a healer and do not have to stay that way for I AM the LORD your healer. If you are facing a financial lack or any other problem, you have provision that will take care of whatever has gone wrong for I AM the LORD who looks ahead and provides the solution and the way out before you even know you have a problem. If you find yourself in an unpleasant or abusive situation, you have a deliverer for I AM the LORD your deliverer, your refuge, your fortress, your strength, your Shepherd, your strong tower, your mighty savior, your rock, your righteousness, and your redeemer. I AM also the God of your gladness and joy. I have not given you a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind (prudence and self-control). You should not be cowering in fear of what is trying to take what is yours in Christ Jesus. Or no! There is a cause for rejoicing here, My Covenant promise Names will get you through anything that comes against you with power. You have the answer for Satan and his unclean spirits when they attack. And it is My Word alone that will save you. For My promises are the evidence of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. And you can bank on them if you will just stay standing. And what is the victory stance? Rejoicing. If Satan cannot steal your joy he cannot take your goods, your life, or your victory away from you, for My joy is your strength.
Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord (Adonai) LORD (Yahavah) is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments. Habakkuk 3:17-19.
Once I have spoken a promise, it is “yes” to you in Christ Jesus.
I rejoice at Your promise, as one who finds great spoil. Psalm 119:162.
I have blessed you with every spiritual blessing in Heaven in Christ. And that is the way you withdraw mercy and grace just when you need it, you receive it in your spirit by the prayer of faith and as you rejoice and thank Me it works out to manifest in the physical realm. That is the way I create as well. It generates first in My Spirit and then as I speak it the Holy Spirit brings it into manifestation with joy.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good. Genesis 1:1-4.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:1-5.
And My Word was rejoicing, Creation of a home for you was a joy for Me and My Word for I delight, I rejoice in you.
When He set for the sea its boundary so that the water would not transgress His command, when He marked out the foundations of the earth; then I was beside Him, as a master workman; and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him, rejoicing in the world, His earth, and having My delight in the sons of men. Proverbs 8:29-30.
Are you watching in love as My Word comes to pass? Are you rejoicing in Me to see beauty at last? Are you watching in love at all that I do each day in and around you? Faith works by love and love rejoices in the Beloved. Faith rejoices and is glad. Fear complains and is sad. Faith in My Word is the narrow way, it takes discipline of your emotions and thoughts to focus on the joy in My Word alone.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2.
The wide road has many complainers on it, but complainers, like the first generation of Israelites I redeemed out of slavery, never make it to the promised land. They stay wandering around the same mountain that they never take down by faith for their entire wasted and unfruitful lives, cluttering up the ground and poisoning everyone’s minds of those around them with their bitter roots. Do not be that barren bush in the desert that never sees good when it comes.
Rejoice always, that is faith. Prayer without ceasing, that is hope, and give constant thanks, that is love. And in the end, it is these three that are forever, and the greatest of these is love. The voice of thanksgiving works wonders. 2 Chronicles 20.
Rejoicing is the key to living a life of miracles, signs and wonders, and thanksgiving is the catalyst that brings your prayer into manifestation.
Do you see now why My Son told you that so few find the narrow way that leads to life? VERY FEW are living a life of rejoicing as a constant choice. But it can be done. Jesus did it. Mary did it. Paul did it. And in Jesus I have empowered you to do it. He gave you His peace, John 14:27, and His joy, John 15:11. You just need to let it out.
I love you. Today we talked about rejoice as the narrow way. In the Life Lessons to come we will consider prayer and thanksgiving.
“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.” At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, LORD of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Luke 10:20-22.