We are living in strange times as the world continues to force its idea of morality on each of us. Marriage is no longer an honorable covenant between one man, one woman, and God. Children are encouraged to be any gender they desire no matter what their God-given gender may be. As we approach Christmas, many will have a hard time focusing on the joy that Christmas brings, because their focus is not on the one who brings true joy. So how do we proceed to find the joy God intended for those who place their faith in Him? We stay the course and follow His word. The Bible is clear that we are to be joyful and we are to rejoice always. We have much to rejoice about no matter what the circumstances of our lives.
We all have times when we are overflowing with joy. The word rejoice means to have joy again. Over and over we are to let our joy flow. We rejoice at the birth of a baby, and nothing can make us act sillier than a sweet bundle of joy. We rejoice when a child graduates, another birthday is achieved, someone is healed, or a prayer is answered, but most of all I rejoice when someone gives their heart to the Lord. The word rejoice is used 192 times in the Bible.
The first time it is used is in Leviticus 23:40 God is instructing the Jewish nation to rejoice because of the provision he had made for them. This was to be done at the Feast of Tabernacles.
Leviticus 23:40 “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.”
In Deuteronomy 12:7, they were to bring all their offerings and sacrifices to the Lord, the burnt offering, the tithe and heave offering, the firstling of the flock offering, and the freewill offering. Then they were to rejoice in all they put their hand to do. Whatever they earned, and all the Lord gave them, was to be celebrated and rejoiced.
Deuteronomy 12:7 “And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.”
Over and over in the Old Testament God tells His people to rejoice. They were commanded to set aside time often to praise and worship God, and then to have a time of rejoicing. They were thanking God that He had loved them enough to take care of them in every manner of life.
In the Psalms, there is even more rejoicing. We are to rejoice with trembling. Sound strange? This is rejoicing in the presence of an almighty God. Being grateful, while having an overwhelming acknowledgment that you are in His presence. Rejoicing will result in some sort of praise. The feeling that is inside will manifest itself in many ways, but it will always be expressed in a way that others will see it.
Psalm 2:11 “Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.”
Psalm 5:11 “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”
Psalm 9:2 “I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.”
Psalm 9:14 “That I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.”
How are we to rejoice? Psalm 69:3 tells us we are to do it exceedingly! Other passages tell us to do it abundantly. If you have an abundance of something, you have more than enough. You usually want to give away or share out of your abundance. The writer of Psalms is teaching us our joy should be so much that we must share it.
Psalm 68:3 “But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.”
In Luke 15:6, 7, and 10, we are to rejoice when a sinner comes to Christ. We are to rejoice when a Christian who has sinned repents. Either of these two situations should bring us to great rejoicing. After all, when a person turns to God, their destiny is changed forever.
Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
We are to rejoice when others are blessed. We are family, and it should excite us and bless us when another member is blessed by God.
I Corinthians 12:26 And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
We are to rejoice in the hope we have in Christ. By faith, we have entrance into His grace, and we have an eternal hope of the glory of God. Barnes Notes commentary explains the hope of the glory like this:
“The word “glory” usually means splendor, magnificence, honor; and the apostle here refers to that honor and dignity which will be conferred on the redeemed when they are raised to the full honors of redemption; when they shall triumph in the completion of the work: and be freed from sin, and pain, and tears, and permitted to participate in the full splendors that shall encompass the throne of God in the heavens.”
Romans 5:2 “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
We have a great reward coming. Our home will be with Jesus forever!
Matthew 5:12a “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven”
We understand from these passages that we are to rejoice, why we are to rejoice, and when we are to rejoice. How often are we to rejoice? We are to rejoice always, every day, and forever.
Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again, I say, Rejoice.”
I Thessalonians 5:16 “Rejoice evermore.”
If you are having a hard time rejoicing all the time, put your eyes on Jesus. Our circumstances can easily pull us down, but if our perspective is to keep our focus on Him, it can’t ruin our day. There are things we must deal with that are heavy burdens, but deep in our souls, we can still rejoice. We have hope. We have a future in Heaven and a God that will sustain us until we get there. Therefore, I can always rejoice.
This Christmas season let us rejoice so that others see the joy that can only be rooted in our Savior Jesus Christ!
