It was indeed a very firm reminder. And recently I realized it's really when you are so close with God, that the enermy wants to attack you even more, pull you down even more, bombard you with the most negative thoughts than ever before that brought your mood down. And at the end of it, you just want to isolate yourself. For me, I even thought of going off to a place where nobody knows me or better still lost all my memories!! How bad is that?
Only then I remember Ps. Ian said during last Sunday prayer meet. "The joy of the Lord is my strength". Happy and Joy is two different things.
When you have money, you're happy. When you lost it all, you're sad. When you got a new car, you're happy. When you just damaged it, you're sad. Joy is even when troubles and circumstances happen in life, you still believe that there's a God that's beside you to bring you through all these tribulations and trust that He will give you a better one. That's joy of the Lord.
Who don't want to have a smooth and happy days throughout their whole year? I WANT!
From John Bevere's "Bait of Satan":
Jesus' first instruction of breaking free from deception was to "buy from Me gold refined in the fire" (Rev 3:18). Refined gold is soft, pliable, free from corrosion and pure! It becomes hard, less pliable and more corrosive when mixed with other foreign metals.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matt 5:8)
John illustrated a pure heart as pure gold - soft, tender and pliable.
Refining gold is grinding it into powder and mixing it with a substance then is melted by intense heat. Then all the impurities will surface and removed. Sin is easily hidden where there is no heat of trials and afflictions. In times of prosperity and success, even a wicked man will seem kind and generous. Under the heat of trials, the impurities surfaces. Our impurities maybe hidden from us, but it's visible to Him. (Wow, just like what I experienced during Encounter Saturday.)
Yesterday night was a bad one for me. I was not in a very good mood for no reason. Negative thoughts all over. I felt like everyone's against me. God reminds me again and again these that I'd read. These impurities surfaced again and He's so willing to remove these impurities that's inside me. The pride, the offenses just to let it go...and allow Him to renew and refresh my strength. It always turns out good when God is allowed to involve in our life :)
JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH!
