Plan B: Deploy the Joy, baby!

Sneaky old devil (lame too, but I'll get to that in a minute). He likes to hide behind every bush, tree, and light pole within a saint-tripping radius. For such a sneaky guy, you'd think he could at least steal a car to keep from having to walk “to and fro” on the earth. But no, he's too lazy for that; he has to send out the little imps and demons to keep up with the flow of humans. So you see, the devil can't be behind every tree...he's not omnipotent like God. So while we are serving an awesome, all powerful, merciful, loving, and an every where all the time God we are also being (slowly) pursued by some imp, demon, or the devil who does not have that ability.

While God can read your mind, the devil can't (and neither can his imps). Sure, he can whisper in your ear; hey I am whispering in your ear right now with this. Yet he doesn't know what you are going to do until you do it.

Let's take a look at what the Bible says about the devil. He is called (in so many words) the prince of the air.

^KJV Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Before God entered your life, sin was easy. You walked in the way of the world and it wasn't exactly rocket science for the devil to get you to do what you wasn't supposed to do. I bet you can think of five things off the top of your head right now, can't you? Who works in the children of disobedience? It isn't God (although He does work to soften their heart). Ever notice how before you got Jesus if you just thought about some rank sin that you was just itching to get yourself mucked up into? How easy was it to just think about it and then all of a sudden...there's your chance. You dive into it head first. Did you notice one thing though? No matter how delectable that sin seemed to be at the time, you never felt satisfied.

You always made things worse in some way, shape, or form. Oh sure, you might not have paid for the sin right then and there. Yet, it always still came around and bit you on the ankle. You always thought that you could go it alone and do better for yourself than what anyone else could do for you. To some extent, that was right. We do seem to know ourselves better than anyone.

Yet, God knows us better than we know ourselves. Our hairs our numbered and He knew us when we were in the womb. Once we repented, got baptized in the name of Jesus to rid us of our sins, got the Holy Ghost, and started living for Him we started to feel victorious. It was almost like a never ending high. Oh but what does the devil tell you? He says, “What goes up must come down. I'm going to get you. Do you remember that time you did such and such?” Once reminded of how awful we behaved, we start acting down. We start feeling like we aren't worthy of God's love and forgiveness. The devil sees it (or hears it in some cases) and he rubs his hands together and says, “I got you now, sucker!!”

The devil sees your depression and anxiety and he is laughing at you. He's holding you down with his thumb. The funny thing is that it probably isn't even the actual devil irritating you. He can't hide behind every bush – he isn't God. He can't be every where. It's probably just one of his low life little imps. Do you know what the little demons did when Jesus even walked by? They begged Him to cast them into a bunch of pigs. They are scared of His presence. Don't believe me? You can read it for yourself in Luke 8. They begged Jesus not to “torment” them. The imps were called Legion because more than one was giving this guy a hard time. Imagine that...the devil and his imps are such chickens that it takes a whole gang of them to even try and torment one person – just one person! They would rather toss themselves off a cliff than deal with the Lord of Lords.

So what does this mean to you, my Holy Ghost filled child of God? It means that the devil and his buddies can't bother you if you don't let them. Now that doesn't mean that you won't go through trials and that you won't be tempted. It doesn't mean that he won't try and whisper in your ear. What it does mean is that if you call on the name of Jesus, the devil has to leave you alone.

You don't have to come down from your Holy Ghost high! God wants you to be victorious! Instead of going back to your old ways, you have to learn to dig into Plan B. What is Plan B? Plan B is easier than it sounds: deploy the joy, baby! That's right! Find the joy in the every day things.

1. Stuck in traffic? Great! The next person that cuts you off, pray for them (because apparently they need God's hand of protection to get them home. Besides, maybe they are rushing home to a sick child).

^KJV Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you

Okay, so traffic isn't exactly persecution and the person that cut you off probably doesn't know you from Joe...but it is a good way to get into the habit of bringing prayer into every aspect of your life. Use that time in traffic to talk to your God and praise His name. He may have stuck you behind Pokey Joe to keep you from being in an accident. Deploy the joy, baby!

2. Fighting with your past? Not anymore you aren't. Tell the devil to shut up. While our righteousness is as filthy rags to God, when we repent and we are washed in the blood of Jesus something spectacular happens: He doesn't remember that sin. Besides, anxiety is forbidden in the Bible. So next time it starts up, remember these verses:

^KJV Mark 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

^KJV Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Find joy in the fact that you are saved from your past! So you were a cheat or a liar. You are God's child now! Sure, it might take some time to convince other people that you have changed. The important part is that God knows you have changed and people will begin to see it, too. Look at your testimony and see the joy in it! Be refreshed and relieved. Deploy the joy, baby!

3. Got whiny kids? Minister to them! Love on them and learn to change your attitude. Kids are very perceptive of how an adult feels. While we can't be happy all the time (and they won't be perfect all the time – there's an old saying that says if God can't get His children to behave, what makes you think your children will?), you can use that time to minister to their needs. This isn't to say that you should give in to your child every day and every second. God chastises us and sets limits. We also have consequences. Our children need limits and consequences too. This is your opportunity to show God to them. It's been said that a child sees God as they see their parents. If you are a kind and loving parent (and there is nothing wrong with being firm), they will see God as kind and loving; someone they can go to in their time of need. If you ignore them or constantly yell at them, they will begin to see God as a condemner and we know that's just not true.

^KJV Matthew 19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

^KJV Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

^KJV Matthew 19:15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

So instead of losing your cool and getting all worked up, give them a hug and pray for them. If they are going to be punished for doing something unacceptable, get down on their level or have them sit in your lap (if they are small enough – but my mother in law will testify that we are never too big to sit on mama's lap) and explain it to them. Make sure they understand why they are in trouble. Does God punish you unjustly? Most certainly not. He is a merciful, loving God that will chastise us and we always know why. Deploy the joy, baby!

3. Life isn't always going to be perfect. It isn't always going to be fun. We will be persecuted and go through fiery trials. We won't always be happy; but God never promised that life would be easy. He only said He would never leave us.

There are lots of time in life where we feel sad. Perhaps we are going through the loss of a loved one or we lost a job. Tears are inevitable in life; yet they are also temporary. Put your tears to good use and cry out to God. He hears us and He will answer!

^KJV Luke 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

^KJV Psalm 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

So where are you putting your confidence? Businesses are outsourcing left and right, you can't turn on the news without hearing something horrific, people die, and sometimes things just don't seem to go our way. Those are worldly things that will eventually cease. We aren't to put our trust in those things; we are to put our trust in God.

^KJV Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Good news! God brings us through our trials and tribulations with gladness. This is an opportunity for God to minister to us! So what should we do? Say it loud and proud: Deploy the joy, baby!

^KJV Psalm 105:43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness

4. The Bible explains it better than I ever could:

^KJV 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.

Trust God? Then DEPLOY THE JOY, BABY and send the devil running!

Labels: faith files