"Joy Stealer"

"Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

"The joy of the Lord is your strength". When you want to render your opponent, or enemy, helpless and vulnerable, you can use either one of two strategies. You can find his weakness and use that weakness against him. Or you can find his strength and try to dismantle it. When the Philistines were trying to defeat Samson, they sought out the source of his strength. They knew if they could destroy the thing that made him so strong they could defeat him.

The enemy of your soul is looking for not only your area of weakness but your area of strength also. He is after the thing that makes you strong so he can disarm you of your strength. And he knows what it is. He knows that we get our strength from the joy of the Lord.

He is out to steal your joy. He uses a variety of schemes and devices to try to steal it. He will use a health issue. He will use a relationship. He will use a situation that is not going as you hoped it would. He will use time elements-- things aren't happening when you want them to happen. He will use other people. There are an endless number of things that he will try to use to steal your joy.

It is up to you to not let him steal it. It is up to you to keep on guard and watch for the thief. It is up to you to keep your "heart house" fortified through praise, prayer and God's word, so he can't get in to steal. So this morning, keep an eye on your joy and make sure it is still intact.

Have a great day. The enemy is trying to steal your joy.

For further reading:

Judges 16:5
Psalm 5:11; 21:1; 51:12