ARE YOU MISSING THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
(Psalm 51:12)

MEDITATION:
As we allow God to mature us spiritually, we develop a greater
understanding of the power of sin and its consequences. We
realize that God will forgive our sins, but we could still have
issues.

At the same time, we need to be careful and realize that lingering
problems are not necessarily an indication that God has not forgiven
us. Satan would like for all believers to go through life with a feeling
that they are not forgiven. If he can do that, then he knows we will lose
the joy of our salvation. When we lose that joy, our entire countenance
and demeanor will be negatively impacted.

Have you ever watched children playing and laughing? Watching
them giggle and laugh brings pleasure to the parents, doesn’t it?
Why? Because we know they are enjoying themselves. We also
know that they feel safe and secure because of our presence.

I believe that God also enjoys seeing His children laughing
and enjoying life. It doesn’t mean we are irresponsible and
don’t take seriously the things we should; it just means that
we have a happiness and feel safe and secure in His presence.

Unfortunately many people take themselves too serious and have
forgotten how joy feels. Disappointment in others can cause us to
lose our joy – if we allow it to. The truth is, we can’t expect everyone
to do everything exactly like we think they should.

What if someone has lied to you or purposefully hurt you? Should
you allow their actions to steal your joy? Sin can also cause us to
lose our joy, if we yield to it. Temptation is not a sin, but cultivating
it with intentions of yielding to it, is a sin.

What is our best line of defense to sin?
    – We need to be armed spiritually
       and realize how easily sin can find its way into our lives.
    – We need to stop it at its onset – which can
       occur through what we see, or what we think.
    – We need to look to God and not to the sin;
       when we look at one, it’s hard to look at the other.

When we are under attack, we need to call on His name and ask Him
to fight the battle for us. We would like to think we can fight it without
‘bothering’ God, but we’re not that strong. Satan has been attacking for
many more years than we have been defending, so he’s better at it. We
need to pray and develop a close fellowship with the Lord.

In everyday life, when we have a close friend, it is something special
that we don’t have with others. In you are married, hopefully that
close friend is your spouse. In the spiritual world, that close friend
HAS to be the Lord.

We need to read God’s Word – His Word helps to keep us clean.
We need to avoid worshipping alone – we need to be with other believers.
We need to allow the Holy Spirit to have full control of our lives.

David yielded to the temptation of sin with Bathsheba because:
    – He looked at her and not to God.
    – He failed to pray and ask for God’s help.
    – He was alone with what his eyes could see and his mind could think;
       he was not with other saints, nor was he on the battlefield where he
       should have been.
    – He did not depend on the Holy Spirit.

ACTION:
Have you lost the joy of your salvation? What has caused this loss?
Is it a result of what others have done, or something you have done?
In either case, only YOU can make the necessary changes to regain
the joy. If you think others have caused it, then your forgiveness is
required. If it is a result of sin in your life, then God’s forgiveness
is required.

Arm yourself spiritually – guard your eyes and your thoughts. Look
to God and not to the temptation. Call on His name and ask Him to
fight the battle for you. Pray and develop a close friendship with the
Lord. Read God’s Word and meditate on what it says. Worship with
other believers. Allow the Holy Spirit to have full control of your life.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, forgive me for allowing the evil one to
cause me to think that even though I’ve asked for Your
forgiveness, I have not been forgiven. Help me to not only
remember that You have promised to forgive me when I
confess my sins, but to also learn to forgive myself. I know
that as long as I am consumed with guilt, I will not be able
to feel a close relationship with You. Encourage me to accept
Your forgiveness and refocus so I can resist temptations (with
the help of the Holy Spirit), and enjoy once again my closeness
with You.”

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