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:
There are signs and there are times, but when the signs and the times join together the end is fast approaching. These are not days of waiting but days for action before that great and terrible day when the door closes and if you have not entered it will be too late and you will have missed your visitation, or, better said, your invitation.
Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. Matthew 22:1-6.
It is time to not only accept the invitation but make your life a verification that you have entered in and come to serve the Lamb in your land, in your place of assignment.
It is time to walk the Way. Jesus, whose name in Hebrew means “Salvation,” is the only way to enter. Do not ignore so great a salvation. It is within your reach, why would you not accept the gift?
Where do you start? In your heart. The journey begins within, but it does not stay there. You must work out what I work within. And when that well-spring in you begins to bubble and then leap up to eternal life, rivers of living water will overflow from you out to all around you until the knowledge of My glory covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.
Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14.
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39.
For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Revelation 7:17.
But how did Jesus start His assignment? Something happened at His baptism at the Jordan that brought Him out of the quiet years of His childhood to the forefront of His time and is still working signs, wonders and miracles that follow My Word to this day.
You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38.
It all starts with the anointing as it did with Jesus, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, He has anointed Me . . .” Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1. And all His preaching, teaching, miracles, and signs followed from there. The anointing lifts the burden and destroys the yoke.
Remember the ten bridesmaids? The ones entered the wedding feast had their lamps burning and plenty of oil. The prudent ones were full of the anointing, but the foolish ones were not. They tried to get in on another’s anointing but every member of the body receives the anointing of the head.
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. Psalm 133:1-2.
If the anointing flows from the head, who is Christ, down to every member of the Body, how come some have more than others? The answer is simple, but it speaks about a lifestyle of relationship, it depends on how close you are to the head.
But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:6-8.
As Jesus is, so are you in this world. He was one with Me. And with what did I anoint Him to be strong and run His race to the finish? The oil of JOY. Psalm 45:7; Hebrews 1:9. My joy is your strength.
“This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:9-10.
Do not let yourself succumb to grief. Jesus took your sorrow and bore your grief to lift it from you so that you might share My joy. Do not let your hearts be troubled, do not let them be afraid. Be filled with joy in My presence. And that is the narrow way, but hold that thought for a moment.
Where does the joy come from? My Word, and particularly My Word to you that opens the Way to the answer you are seeking. My Word revives you and is a joy to your spirit. So the joy is from faith in My Word as it opens up a way where there was no way.
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. John 15:11.
This is my comfort in my affliction, that Your word has revived me. Psalm 119:50.
The Lord LORD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. Isaiah 50:4
Answered prayer is a joy and gives you new life.
Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full. John 16:23-24.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a joy and makes you strong.
And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:52.
At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. Luke 10:21.
Jesus despised the shame and bore the cross for the joy that lay before Him. The joy of reconciling mankind to Me. This was My desire and He is one with Me.
But what is that joy? It is eternal and filled with glory. It is resurrection joy. It is ascension joy. It is salvation joy. It is the joy of a well-done assignment, bearing fruit that will last and bless every person on earth.
Jesus is the only way to Me because you must go through the birth canal of regeneration in My Word, the planting of the imperishable seed to replace the perishable seed of the devil’s lie. In Jesus you are made righteous with My own righteousness in the divine exchange via the divine substitutionary sacrifice and blessing. When Jesus died to sin, you died, and when I raised Him to new life with your judgment paid and sentence satisfied I raised you up with Him and seated you with Him on the throne of the Son of Man at God’s right hand. You sins and offenses I remember no more because they are no longer yours. He took them all. There is cause for rejoicing here. You have been released from your sins by the Blood of Jesus and made a kingdom, priests unto Me—My royal priesthood ever interceding before Me with Jesus your great High Priest. Jesus paid the ransom for everyone. You have only to receive the gift to make your complete.
Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom! Let his flesh become fresher than in youth, let him return to the days of his youthful vigor. Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him, that he may see His face with joy, and He may restore His righteousness to man. He (the saved one) will sing to men and say, ‘I have sinned and perverted what is right, and it is not proper for me. He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit, and my life shall see the light.’ Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men, to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life. Job 33:24-30.
Jesus is the Way and He told you it is a narrow way.
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14.
I never tell you that there is something you need or must find and do without telling you what it is and how to do it.
So what is the narrow way that leads to life that few find? It is not hard to find the answer. Just look around and talk with people. And just look at what kept the Israelites I redeemed out of Egypt out of the promised land though it was there for them? They never let themselves be happy. They never rejoiced in what I had done for them in setting them free from slavery and they never believed My promises of good to them. They vented, complained, rebelled against the authority of Moses, never were grateful that food descended from Heaven for them every day and water gushed out of rocks in a dry desert, they never rejoiced in Me or delighted in My direction and company. And out of two million people, only two continually rejoiced, prayed and were thankful. And they went into the promised land and enjoyed all My promises fulfilled for them. They went the narrow way, which is My Will for you in Christ Jesus.
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.
Rejoice always! How? Faith in My Word, in all My magnificent promises, gives you joy to go forward to see the good things I promised come to pass. And when you stand on them, like Joshua and Caleb, and do not turn to fear, doubt, and complaining they will come to pass. So rejoicing exemplifies faith.
Pray without ceasing. That is casting your care on Me and delighting to spend time with Me. That is continual communication with Me where you are seated in Christ at My right hand to receive mercy (healing mercy, provision mercy, forgiveness mercy) and to find grace (My divine life in you giving you answers, skill, clever solutions, and the advantage in all by heavenly wisdom) just when you need it. And prayer exemplifies hope, for hope does not disappoint.
In everything give thanks. Thanksgiving is the catalyst that empowers miracles to come quickly. The more you thank, the more I can give you. Why? Thanksgiving exemplifies love. Love is grateful for the beloved and enjoys My goodness.
This is the narrow road that is filled with life and self-control. Your emotions do not rule. Your flesh does not rule. Your spirit rules on this road and that is the joy of dominion authority. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. Faith in My Word but ultimately knowing and believing in the love I have for you which makes you bold to take what is yours in Christ and enforce it against all the wiles of the enemy.
This is the path to life, fullness of joy in My presence, and the delights at My right hand forever. When you really know Me and have seen Me at work in, with, and through you joy, communication, and appreciation are the way both of us flow together forever.
What you rejoice in and thank Me for I can multiply and increase in your life. But the opposite is true. When you complain and detest your life, the destroyer can steal all your goods. Why? Things you do not value, you do not protect. You leave them out to be stolen.
“Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and the enemy will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. Deuteronomy 28:47-48.
No joy for the abundance of all things. No gratitude invites in the destroyer.
If Satan can steal your joy, he steals your strength. And what gives you joy? My Word. My promises. My direction. And that is why he goes first to steal the Word from you before it plants in your heart and yields a harvest. The Words I speak to you give you My joy so your joy can be full. For when He steals the Word from you, he steals your joy, and when he steals your joy, he steals your strength, and when your strength is gone you no longer resist him and he can destroy you.
A cheerful heart does good like a medicine, but a depressed spirit dries up your bones. Proverbs 17:22. Good news makes your bones fat. Proverbs 15:30. Joy or depression goes down into your bones. So does cursing and swearing.
But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, And it entered into his body like water And like oil into his bones. Psalm 109:18
Jealousy and envy rot your bones. Proverbs 14:30.
When you sin, your body fights against you and makes you pay for it. The wicked cut their lives short. Proverbs 10:27. The wages of sin is death. If you want a long life filled with good days you will have to guard your mouth.
Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:12-14.
I love you. What is the safest place to be? In Christ and My Will for you IN CHRIST JESUS is that you rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give constant thanks. Let this become your lifestyle and then you know for certain you are doing My Will because you have found the narrow way that leads to Heaven.