3 Joy Thieves

One thing we all have in common is having an abundance of joy and also having had it slip out of our hands slowly, and also having our joy robbed. 3 big joy stealers are:

1. Comparison 
2. Fear/Anxiety
3. Weakness

What to do if your JOY is stolen…

A. Joy is a gift and can be accessed at all times - it's not based on what circumstances you are facing - psalm 98:4

B.Joy can be given (psalm 45:7)

Look not just for God to give you strength, for HE is your strength…look to HIM alone

C. if it’s stolen from you, it won’t walk back to you, you must SEEK it.

Have you ever had something stolen from you?  Or have you known someone who was robbed?  What do we naturally do when this happens? We equip our houses with the best security systems out there to be proactive to prevent the thief from another break in. If our smart phone is stolen we buy apps like “find my phone” to protect us from identity theft with all of our sensitive data on it from being taken from us. We buy Internet security software to protect our identity. 

We need to do the same for our hearts. Joy is needed and is the sustaining key to everything you will go through. Without Joy we lose strength…”the joy of the Lord is our strength”. If the enemy can rob our strength, he robs our joy, then we become weak. Weak physically, mentally, emotionally which results in a weak spiritual life. 

COMPARISON - If and when we compare ourselves we risk taking our eyes off God’s view of us. We become jealous and that leads to bitterness and self-centeredness will again rob us of Joy. Phil 2:3 says “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but rather in humility value others above yourself. Col. 3:12 “therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, CLOTHE yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” These things don’t come naturally, they are to be “put on” daily. 

(Example: checking smart phones, amount of time, devotion etc compared to time w/ God, people, seeking and pursuing the things of God to uplift our hearts towards him) 

FEAR & ANXIETY -"Our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strengths.” Fear is an emotion, God created emotions. We control them or we control us. 

You have the right to have a reaction of fear and anxiety when you hear about something that has happened to you, but God doesn’t expect you to stay in that state of mind, he calls us out to DO something about it. Uncertainty is what causes most of people’s anxieties. The more uncertain we become , the more anxious we become. 

WEAKNESS-If the enemy can rob us of strength physically, mentally, emotionally he will rob us spiritually. The world wants to exhaust us, depress us, and defeat us.  God says, The JOY of the Lord is your strength”  The world says to be more, do more, produce more…Christ says “my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

Today, be aware of these joy stealers and guard in a way that will not allow this to happen to you!