Inner Thoughts With Abba

In a previous post, we covered getting to know God and developing a relationship with Him. I’m going to go over one advantage of knowing God today. To know God, you must spend time in His presence, and His presence is filled with many blessings. One of which is crucial in our gloomy world. Its name is “Joy.” You know the joy when, despite having no apparent cause, you wake up filled with enthusiasm for life? the joy that rises from inside. Sometimes we go about our days buried in work or activities, but regardless of what we have accomplished in life, most of us experience this void, emptiness, and unfulfillment. It’s puzzling why wealthy individuals commit suicide.

¹¹ You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalms 16:11

Most of us just go through the motions of our days to pay our expenses without any joy; we are only existing rather than living. The reason for this is that we slide out of God’s presence without even realising it, allowing anxiety and other daily demands to weigh us down. When I was struggling with constancy in my fellowship with God, I knew that whenever I started feeling too nervous, worried about life, or depressed, it was a sign to spend meaningful time in the place of worship and praise.

15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

2 Corithians 3:15 – 18

Freedom exists wherever the Spirit of God is present. Liberty is the ability to be free from the mental bondages that the enemy imposes on the world. Freedom from the lies that the enemy tells us and that burden us. The veil is removed because we are in Christ, and we can now clearly see the truth. We now view the world from God’s perspective. Imagine being able to comprehend God’s purposes for your life, living with purpose, and possessing the mind of Christ. How could you possibly be depressed? You will always be able to live in joy because you may have confidence in Jesus to keep all His promises, even when they haven’t yet materialised. One of the greatest joys He bestows upon us via His presence is the freedom we experience.

There is complete joy and freedom in His presence. Only God, who is our source, can fill that void and give us life. For us to live successful lives, it is crucial to maintain our connection to our life source. God is the natural habitat for man, just as water is the habitat for fish. A fish cannot live a full life outside of water, just as man cannot live a full life apart from God. This is because man is made up of a spirit, a soul, and a body, and while the body can live independently of God on earth, the spirit and soul cannot; they must be in connection to the source of life. That is why you will observe someone who appears to be doing well by earthly standards yet has a huge void that leaves them feeling empty and lost. Whereas you see a poor man who is genuinely happy. I mention this example because the world has traditionally believed that obtaining material possessions is the source of happiness and fulfilment, yet happiness and fulfilment come from God.

8 But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

Job 32:8

This verse explains that understanding was the form of life that Adam acquired from God’s breath. God breathe upon Adam, and he received life; he received understanding. As we spend time in God’s presence, He removes the veil, allowing us to see His truths and gradually transforming us into His likeness. As a result, we are free from lies. As we learn His truths, we acquire His mind, and as we do so, we become like Him and experience His peace and joy.

I can still recall thinking back to the end of 2022 and wondering, “Another year has past; what have I accomplished?” The father of lies tried to convince me that nothing tangible happened in 2022. When I was about to give in to that feeling, which people tend to do, the Holy Spirit intervened and said, “Mary, you know what to do.” I agreed, and He gave me the instruction to intentionally list and praise God for 30 things for which I was glad. He did, in fact, remind me of the truth to counter the enemy’s lies. I also realised that I had to be intentional about praising and dancing, regardless of how I felt at the time; I believe this is the sacrifice of praise. The garment of weariness was removed from me at the end of the praise and dancing session, and I was filled with joy. Hallelujah, my joy was rekindled.

One thing I discovered is that we must be intentional about sustaining the joy we have gained because the enemy, the thief, is attempting to steal it. My relationship with the Holy Spirit made it possible for me to hear Him and understand what I needed to do to get out from the funk and preserve my joy.

Thanksgiving is one of the keys to restoring joy. We know that God inhabits the praises of His people, so when we thank God, we are calling His presence, and His presence comes with joy. To put it another way, thankfulness = God’s presence = Joy. So, if you ever find yourself in a circumstance when you are feeling sad, put on your hat of thanksgiving and praise. Praise is a sacrifice when you don’t want to do it but do it, nevertheless. This is referred to in the Bible as the sacrifice of praise. A useful resource on finding Joy no matter what life throws at you can be found here.

I appreciate you sticking with me all the way. You may have read this and haven’t accepted Jesus into your heart or feel like you’ve lost your way in the busyness of life.  I would like you to say this short prayer: “Lord Jesus, I acknowledge you as my Lord and personal saviour. I repent of my sinful ways. I ask that you come into my heart and make it Your dwelling place.  Lord Jesus set me free from all lies, bring me into Your truths and fill me with the Joy that comes from Your truth”.

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