Emotions are so fickle, subject to change. There is a saying in kentucky, if you don’t like the weather, stick around, it will change, normally within the hour. Emotions are similar, subject to change, just like the weather. Despite the fickle nature of our emotions, so many people live their lives out as an extension of their feelings. Feelings are not what we should be making decisions upon, yet so many do just that. We open our mouths and say exactly what we feel, and thats okay. In fact, we encourage people to express their emotions, and we all get on board and justify that person for sharing their emotions.
Thing is, emotions are not abstract objective gauge of reality. Emotions are filtered through your preconceived ideas, your own physical condition, your hormones, your thoughts and your reality.
Lets be real for a minute. Your reality is totally different from my version of reality. We may share the same space, work at the same building, but we both experience life in a different manner. You may be happy when you get a paycheck, or that promotion, but after a while the effects of that paycheck wear off, and you are faced with lack. Lack, whether perceived or simply implied by the fact that somebody has a new car, and your is last years model, affects your disposition. Your emotions can very well be tied to the status of your car, your title at work, your bank balance, your son’s report card, or your wife’s new book. As a result, you are not really happy within yourself. Your happiness can be snatched away as simply as a thief comes in and steals your car, your boss sells out his company, and you get fired, your wife’s latest book tanks and your son fails spanish. What has happened to your happiness? In one week, your happiness fell apart, like your wife’s book sales, or your son’s spanish.
Joy on the other hand is a state of mind, based upon a rational decision that you made when you encountered the supernatural Christ for the first time. When you meet the Christ for the first time, really meet Him, have an intimate conversation, you realize that true JOY is an inner condition, a peace if you like. I prefer to describe it as the Promised land that was so elusive for the Israelites, and modern Christians alike. The promised land is known colloquially by a different term - JOY. Unspeakable Joy. Joy that transcends human understanding, goes beyond your bank balance, is not tied to your emotions, job title, model of car you drive or your wife’s book sales. You see, Joy can never be taken away from you. Its a real place that you go to when your emotions indicate that the winds of change are blowing, your car is now 2 years old and you still owe on it, where as your neighbor has the latest model, you still owe on a 2 year old model. Joy is that promised land, that place where I reside in.In the promised land, the cares of this world cannot touch me, sickness is far from my dwelling, and stress is not allowed to exist. Love abounds, and I live off the fruit of the Spirit.
I have plenty of space in the promised land, as so few Christians ever cross the Jordan river and take their place in Joy. So what is the Jordan river?
The Jordan river is where Joshua led the people to take on Jericho. A walled city stood between them and their promised land. A walled city, with walls so high that the people could not see over, the land looked undefeatable. Interestingly enough what brought the walls down was the praises of the believers. God said He inhabits the praises of His people.
To defeat your enemies, most of which fight on the battlefield of your mind, you need to bring in the Big Guns...loud Praise. God inhabits the Praises of His people. Its the loud praise that defeats the enemies of God. Believers that engage in Loud Praise destroy the enemy of their God. Take the Promised land today - Shout to the Lord all you people’s.
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