Nehemiah 8:10: “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

“Trauma is the absence of Joy…”[i]

This is why the enemy tries to traumatize children! To rob us of “Joy” early in life!

The enemy HATES that we can have an intimate relationship with God because nothing can take that joy, that strength from us! All the enemy’s temptation washes away in our Father’s presence because of the strength in that joy.

But…

I think “Joy” has been hijacked like God’s rainbow, so we have a tendency to think that joy is exclusive to children. The innocence, naivety, emotionality, the purity! It’s not “Manly!” “It doesn’t matter if I’m happy, as long as THEY are happy.” “Nobody is coming to save you.” “Happiness is irrelevant.” “I got this!” “I ain’t got time to bleed!”

Men have been trained and conditioned to believe that “soul care” is for the weak, and we judge other men of weakness till we have to talk them off a ledge, or we get a horrible call that a brother lost the fight. We don’t share what’s killing us inside because “feelings are for Pussy’s.” (Yeah, I said it!)

We are not talking about happiness, the “state of Well Being” or “contentment”. We are not talking about a simple emotion of elation; We Are talking about the Joy found in His rest, from abiding in Him, the true vine. This is only found in worship and prayer, in that Secret place! “The joy of the Lord is our strength!” If the Word of God tells me there is Strength from that Joy, brother, I definitely want to seek that out!

The more we STAND as MEN in our own strength, the more we stand as our own individual, not needing Jesus! “Blessed are the Meek”…be gentle in the presence of God, bear yourself, humble and naked, so let us bear ourselves naked as Children before God! Let us fall to pieces before the throne of grace. Let us seek him with childlike faith to experience that childlike joy! 

Matthew 18:3-4 (ESV): “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Let Him triumph over you, and let Him set you free…He will free you as your savior, but he will love you as a Father, because you are a CHILD of the Most High!

Be Blessed!

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I Gentempo, Joey. n.d. Journey into His Father’s heart.