The Joy Of The LORD was taught by Rev. Dunamis Okunowo on the 7th of November 2021 at Shouts of Grace Center, Joke Plaza, Beside Trans Amusement Park, Bodija-UI Road, Ibadan.
In his teaching, Rev. Dunamis made mention of the following important points:
The devil doesn’t want you joyful at any time.
Joy is a decision, not a feeling. Decide to be joyful regardless of the circumstances.
Depression is not something you should allow in your life.
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
Proverbs 12:25 (NLT)
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
James 1:1-2 (KJV)
As long as you are a human, several troubles will surely come your way. However, know that in the midst of all the troubles you are going to have the victory.
Your victory will come by joy, not depression. It may not look joyful, but rejoice!
In the midst of that adversity, something is being worked out.
Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith WORKETH patience.
James 1:3 (KJV)
Rev. Dunamis then taught from Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Romans 14:17 (KJV)
Joy is one of the things you can use to illustrate the kingdom of God.
If you want to get the best out of the Kingdom of God, you must live right, live in peace, and stay in joy.
Righteousness
You cannot live by your feeling! It is not everything that the body screams for that you must provide!
It wasn’t easy for Jesus to go to the Cross for you, but He went. It may not be easy to live right, but you must live right.
Peace
Peace comes when we are in the center of God’s will. Peace is an indicator that you’re doing what God wants you to do.
God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit are all joy-beings
Sometimes joy is a decision you must make, irrespective of the situation.
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither [shall] fruit [be] in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and [there shall be] no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17-18 (KJV)
Joy affects prosperity.
The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, [even] all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
Joel 1:12 (KJV)
You say, “The reason I don’t have joy is because I don’t have money.” Wrong! “The reason you don’t have money is because you don’t have joy.”
Nobody takes possession of anything through sadness/depression.
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1 Peter 1:8 (KJV)
The joy may be unspeakable, but there are several other ways it can be expressed.
Ways to express Joy unspeakable
It is jumpable
Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward [is] great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
Luke 6:23 (KJV)
It is singable
Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.
Isaiah 52:9 (KJV)
It is danceable
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
Psalm 149:3 (KJV)
It is laughable
At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
Job 5:22 (KJV)
It is shoutable
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 5:11 (KJV)
Worry adds nothing to your bank account; joy releases the forces of heaven to work for you.
To listen to messages of Rev Dunamis, go HERE or HERE
Today is Oil For Today – Day 122. Let’s lift up our voice one more time as we pray to God! Watch Video on Youtube HERE. Check other days HERE.
Scriptures For Today
Oil For Today – Day 122
[3] To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Isa 61:3 (KJV)
Prayer Points For Today
Oil For Today – Day 122
Begin to thank God for today.
Pray that the LORD will beautify your life.
Pray that the LORD will turn those ugly situations in your life around.
Begin to pray for joy in your life.
Pray for your local assembly; that the members will live a holy life.
Pray that you will be rooted in God, unshaken even in adverse conditions.
Pray that your life will manifest the glory of God.
Bind the spirit of heaviness, depression, and despondency in your life.
Go ahead and make your personal requests for the day known to the Lord.
Begin to thank the Lord for answered prayers.
Confession For Today
Oil For Today – Day 122
In the name of Jesus, I receive beauty for ashes. In the places that have been messy in my life, God is making it beautiful. Today, I will not mourn. I will be joyful all through. I reject the spirit of heaviness. I bind every depressive spirit in my relationship/marriage. I receive the garment of praise. This day, I praise my way to breakthrough. I praise my way out of lack and insufficiency. My life will bring glory to God in Jesus mighty name, amen.
How will you know if your lover truly loves you or not?
He will love God first
This is the first acid test to know whether a man would really love you appropriately or understands what love is.
Listen to me, guys, you will never be able to love a lady the right way until you love God first.
You don’t love a woman with money alone or with fame, otherwise, the love tangos of celebrities should have been successful, but that is not always the case. The fundamental cause of marriage failure among them is that they don’t know God.
God is love and love without God is no love, it becomes lust
Is he a God-lover? If he has issues with loving God, he will have issues with loving you. True love can only be shed abroad in your heart by the Spirit of God.
It is only the God factor in a man that won’t allow him to lift up his hands against his wife in the days on anger.
Will those days come? Yes, they will come, but what will restrain a man from the tendency of beating and battering his wife is that fear of God.
So then, Pastor, how do you know a man that loves God?
a. He would want to obey God always. If you love God, you will keep His commandments. That is what Jesus said. He wouldn’t be insisting on pre-marital sex.
b. He will serve God with his time. He wouldn’t be too busy to serve God in any capacity.
c. He will serve God with his finances. He will not struggle with tithe. That is how you know a man that really loves God.
d. He will listen to his pastor or mentor. If a man loves God, he wouldn’t have problems with the servants of God.
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
e. He doesn’t joke with his devotional life. He knows that is the source of his strength in God.
f. He will not manipulate your emotions or try to use you. The fear of God in him would not allow all that.
g. He will not be “okay” with habitual sins. He will be uncomfortable with offending God in anyway.
h. He will not be able to accommodate strife for too long. He will be forgiving and will not be comfortable quarreling for extended number of days without feeling bad about that attitude.
I can go on and on but those are just a few.
At the background of all these, however is the fact that nobody is perfect, and nobody will have it all. You will never be able to see a man that has it all. We are all “works of project” in the making.
So there may be mistakes here and there, but you will see signs of genuine repentance and willingness to make adjustments.
At the height of all these, do you have peace? If you have peace, then go ahead, irrespective of some imperfections. When I say, imperfections, I don’t mean consistent habitual sins!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am led by the Spirit of God
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, teach me in the way to go and guide my feet into your plans
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “No one who abides in Him [ who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually ] commits (practices) sin. No one who [ habitually ] sins has either seen or known Him [ recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him ].” (1Jn 3:6, AMP)
That is the name he usually calls her. As he held her hands and looked into her eyes, Angie tried to look back into his eyes and beyond the words, to really find out if Buddy meant his words, but she couldn’t decipher anything.
“Well, I am not sure” replied Angie.
“Why would you say that,” Buddy said, still holding her hands.
“You are going for NYSC next week, I am not sure what you will come back with.”
“Oh, common, Angie, we have been together for four years now and by the grace of God, we will get married soonest. You have no reasons to doubt me.”
“I don’t doubt you, but I get scared sometimes.”
“Angie now, why would you be scared?”
“You know what happened….”
Did you miss out on yesterday’s devotional, we’ve got you covered. Kindly go HERE. For KHC video Devotionals, kindly go HERE
“Don’t go there!” Buddy cuts in, raising his voice a bit. “I have already asked for forgiveness and that it wouldn’t happen again. I thought you have forgiven me?”
And they went on and on.
Angie has her fears because of the mistake that Buddy made of recent with another girl that he slept with whom he initially claimed he was mentoring. How did a protégée end up in bed? What type of mentoring is that? There is a difference between a mentor and a tormentor!
Angie wasn’t sure whether it was a genuine mistake or a state of his heart. If it is a state of his heart, then he would still do it again.
But the dilemma is that you cannot enter a man’s heart.
Only someone knows the heart of a man, and that is God. Angie knows she would need God to really make up her mind, as she wouldn’t want to be hurt and disappointed again.
How do you know a man’s heart? How do you know a guy who loves you and will eventually marry you? That will be our subject of discourse tomorrow morning.
Don’t miss it!
CONFESSION FOR THE DAY I am led by the Spirit of God
PRAYER FOR THE DAY Lord, teach me in the way to go and guide my feet into your plans
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “No one who abides in Him [ who lives and remains in communion with and in obedience to Him—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually ] commits (practices) sin. No one who [ habitually ] sins has either seen or known Him [ recognized, perceived, or understood Him, or has had an experiential acquaintance with Him ].” (1Jn 3:6, AMP)
Today is Oil For Today – Day 121. Let’s lift up our voice one more time as we pray to God! Watch Video on Youtube HERE. Check other days HERE.
Scriptures For Today
Oil For Today – Day 121
[8] But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
Job 32:8 (KJV)
Prayer Points For Today
Oil For Today – Day 121
Begin to thank God for today.
Pray that the breath of God will blow upon your garden that it may yield its fruits.
Pray that the breath of God will bring life to every dead thing in your life.
Declare that you receive divine understanding by the Spirit.
Pray for your local assembly; that the move of the Spirit will be strong today.
Begin to tear every veil that the devil has blinded you with.
Pray that your ears and eyes be opened to hear and see by the Spirit.
Cry out for a breakthrough miracle, by the working of the Spirit.
Go ahead and make your personal requests for the day known to the Lord.
Begin to thank the Lord for answered prayers.
Confession For Today
Oil For Today – Day 121
I have God’s spirit in me. The spirit of life dwells in me. I have the Zoe of God. I have an understanding of times and seasons. I cannot be confused. I bear rule over my colleagues. I know what to do per time. I know where to go. I am not caught off guard. In my relationship/marriage, I am not confounded or dumbfounded. The Lord breathes over my finances. I receive divine inspiration for my financial lifting. My health receives the breath of God. I move from glory to glory in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
