Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3 (NKJV) My grandparents used to have an old well on their property. As a kid, there was nothing better than running over for a drink of cold well-water on a hot summer day. But that well wouldn’t exist unless someone had done the work to dig it. Our verse today paints a similar picture. As a believer, you already have access to God’s joy within you—but you need to practice it. You need to dig a well. This reminds me of a friend of mine. He once told me how he went home from work each day weighed down by others’ problems, and would take it out on his wife and kids. …

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Psalm 100:1-2 (NKJV) As a paramedic, some of the terrible accident scenes I visited were hard to forget. I saw many of my coworkers give in to despair, lose their marriages or fall into addictions. And I don’t blame them—without Christ, I wouldn’t have been able to keep my mind together either. It was during that time that I learned the power of joy. Some days I came home exhausted from work, but I’d force myself to get up and dance with my young kids to their favourite song. Or I would find a quiet place alone and shout out, “God, You’re awesome! I …

Every day is hard for those who suffer…but a happy heart is like a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15 (EXB) Building your life on a foundation of joy comes down to the state of your heart and the set of beliefs you hold. Today’s verse gives us a stark contrast between two kinds of hearts: a broken heart and a happy heart. Over my years of pastoring, I’ve met many people whose hearts have been broken. Something devastating has happened in their lives, and they’ve lost hope. As time goes on, they begin to expect the negative everywhere they go, so that’s what they continue to experience day after day. As it says in Proverbs 15:15, “Every day is hard for those who suffer.” But I’ve also …

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. Hebrews 10:35 (NKJV) As a citizen of God’s Kingdom, you have access to a life of righteousness, peace and joy (Romans 14:17). Today I want to unpack this word joy, because it’s one of the most powerful weapons at your disposal for beating fear. But first, let’s talk about what joy isn’t. Joy is not the same thing as happiness, which comes from happenings. Now, I treasure all the great happenings in my life, but when bad news comes or things don’t go the way we want, happiness leaves. We need something deeper to depend on. We need to build our lives on a foundation of joy. According to God’s Word, joy is a powerful force that pushes …

The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV) There are two kingdoms in this world—the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. Whether or not you’re aware of it, both of them have an agenda for your life. In the kingdom of light, God’s plan is for you to experience “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17, NKJV). On the other hand, in the kingdom of darkness, Satan’s primary weapon is fear. Today’s verse paints a picture of fear as a snare. If you’ve ever seen a hunter’s snare in action, you know when that trap closes around an animal’s leg, it won’t let go—regardless of how hard the …