Rejoice in That Day and Leap for Joy

Week 3 - Day 18

Luke 6:22-23 would probably make The Top Ten List of extraordinary things Jesus said. He says, "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets."

This passage not only tells us what to do when we are persecuted for our connection to Jesus, but it reveals three powerful life principles which will dramatically impact our lives.

First, we are to intentionally stir up joy when things are tough. This is a choosing to go against negative emotions by learning how to "encourage ourselves in the L*rd" (see what David did in 1 Samuel 30:6). "Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the L*rd his G*d." (Look up Strong's #2388)

Secondly, we are to rejoice "in that day." Just as Ephesians 4:26 exhorts us to deal with anger and bitterness on a daily basis ("do not let the sun go down on your wrath"); we are called to not allow a day to end without rejoicing in the face of opposing feelings and circumstances.

Thirdly, Jesus said we are to "leap for joy." Wow! It is obvious that the situation Jesus describes in Luke 6 is not a time where most of us will feel like leaping, but He is giving us an important secret life. It's this: the key to breaking off spirits of heaviness is to increase our physical demonstrativeness in proportion to the emotional attack that is coming against us. This can be done through leaping, talking loudly to our own soul (as David did in the Psalms), dancing, running, shouting, or aggressively declaring G*d's promises.

"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy" is a compass for those who want to travel up to the headwaters of G*d's joy. Let's encourage each other to find the hidden truths of Luke 6:23.

Declaration: (OUTLOUD) I am receiving great revelation about rejoicing in the L*rd. I am choosing to rejoice sooner (than I used to) when tough things happen. I am learning to rejoice and leap for joy on the same day the challenge comes. I am on a glorious journey toward full joy.