Celebrating the Light of Christmas

Scripture: Romans 8:24-25

Hope Expects

Children know a thing or two about hope—especially at Christmas! For them, it’s a time filled with wonder and hope for the wonderful things the season brings. Time with family, special treats baking in the oven, and of course, presents under the Christmas tree!

That spirit of expectancy is what fuels their faith in what is to come. It is a hope that is a far cry from a wish or what one would consider a long shot.

Maybe you’re facing something this Christmas. You think you have hope for your situation—but ask yourself this: is it natural hope or Bible hope? Real Bible hope involves supernatural expectancy. The kind of hope the Word of God talks about is much stronger than natural hope because it’s not based on wishing or wanting. It is based on your covenant with God and the anointing God has provided to carry out that covenant in your life.

Just knowing God’s promises, however, isn’t enough. Hope comes when you begin to see yourself with what God has promised you, instead of seeing yourself without it. Real hope stands firm. It doesn’t move, and it isn’t distracted by natural circumstances. It is an expectancy that keeps your faith alive until those things you are believing for are pulled from the spiritual realm into the natural.

This Christmas—whatever you’re believing for—turn it into a hope that expects to see a manifestation. Before Jesus was born, so many people were hoping to see the Messiah come into the earth. Those who were expecting were those who were the first to see Him. 

Scripture: Acts 3:1-10

Restoring Your Hope

Watching a volatile political climate or seeing society change all around you in not-so-great ways can challenge your hope in the good things in life. Add to that facing an overwhelming loss, repeated failures or betrayals of trust, and hope may feel far from you this Christmas season.

Here’s what God wants you to know: He wants you to have hope—no matter what.His plans for you are exceedingly, abundantly above all you could ever ask or think (see Ephesians 3:20, KJV). But He needs you to be on the same page He is, in line with His Word, to be in position to receive.

Don’t wait until after the Christmas season—the time to restore your hope is NOW. What better time to do so? Jesus is the Light of Hope—the reason we celebrate. HOPE came to the earth in the form of a baby, and the good news is, He never left. His power and presence are with you right where you are—in you and around you.

Let your hope rise. Lay hold of God’s promises today and receive His supernatural hope. Keep feeding on and speaking the Word over your life every day. Start dreaming again, and have the courage to believe!

Scriptures: Luke 18:1-8, Galatians 6:9

Delayed Manifestation?

The blessed Christmas season also marks the end of another year. For many, it highlights the fact that another year has passed without the manifestation of something they deeply desire. 

If that’s the case with you this year, there are only three words to say: Don’t. Give. Up.

Why?

Because Jesus said so. (See today’s reading.)

And He paid a high price to give you abundant life, free from the curse, and full of the Light of HOPE.

If you’ve been facing a delayed manifestation and need to renew your hope, it’s time to dive into the Word of God fervently. That means more Word, less TV. Get together with the Lord in the morning an hour before anyone else in the house is up. Just you, a lit Christmas tree, a blanket and your God. In that quiet time with him, He will speak to you. He’ll give you the correction and instruction you need to take that next step toward seeing what you desire most.

Before long, you will be standing strong and won’t be distracted by natural circumstances. You’ll have an expectancy that keeps your faith alive until those things you are believing for are pulled from the spiritual realm into the natural. 

Put hope on your Christmas list and don’t stop until it’s an opened gift. 

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13:13, Hebrews 6:11-20

Mix Up a Batch of Victory

With all the cooking and baking going on this time of year, you may be well tuned in to ingredient lists and following recipes to a T. So, you know that if you leave baking soda out of your Christmas cakes or cookies—they’re going to fall flat!

The same is true with hope. If we don’t add the other necessary ingredients, our desired results will fall flat, too. What are these ingredients?

Faith, hope and love. Not one at a time, or one instead of another—but all three mixed together in beautiful harmony.

Why do we need all three? Well, faith is not the same thing as hope. And it isn’t the same as love. God is Love. Hope is expectancy. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. And all three are connected.

So, as you’re making your famous yule log or placing nonpareils perfectly on your fresh-baked sugar cookies, remember to mix up a batch of VICTORY in your life. Don’t leave out any ingredients! FAITH + HOPE + LOVE = Victory! 

Scripture: Joshua 1:7-9

Hope Doesn’t Shrink Back

Research shows that depression rates are high during Christmas. People seem to tune in to what they don’t have, and it’s mostly centered on a lack of hope.

What many people don’t realize is that hope is a choice. The kind of hope Jesus provides requires that we first believe in Him and that He has delivered the abundant life right to our doorstep.

Living a life of faith takes courage. It takes courage to stand up in the face of sickness and declare you’re healed by the stripes of Jesus. It takes courage to believe for provision and put your last dime in the offering plate when poverty is staring you in the face.

There are going to be some days when you’d rather pull the covers over your head and hide than take another faith stand against the devil. But you can’t. Because the battle of faith isn’t fought once and then forgotten. If you want to keep living in victory, you have to keep your hope alive and fight for it again and again.

Hope doesn’t shrink back. It always believes, and it never fades. Our hope is in Jesus—not our circumstances. He never changes, and He never fails.

This Christmas—no matter what is going on around you—amp up your hope to another level. You can put all your eggs in Jesus’ basket. He’s the One who never fails, never leaves you and never stops loving you.

Celebrate Jesus—the Light of Hope in your life! 

Scriptures: John 14:27, John 16:33, Numbers 6:24-26

Where Is Your Peace?

This Christmas is understandably one of greater reflection than usual for most people. The events of 2020 have rocked the peace of millions of people, leaving many wondering if they’ll ever feel at peace again. What they’re discovering is this—if you look for peace in the economy, the government or the state of society, you’re in for a roller coaster ride and many unsteady days ahead.

Now more than ever, people are looking for peace. In fact, the world will go to extremes to find it through money, fame, drugs or sexual sin. They even look for it in putting up Christmas decorations and celebrating, while not acknowledging the reason for the season. All the same, deep down, they’re looking for the peace found only in Christ and the peace that was delivered in a manger one night in Bethlehem.

Yet in all their efforts, they’ve found one thing—it doesn’t work. That’s because you’ll never find peace through sin or the world’s way. You won’t find peace in unpredictable world circumstances. The world has no peace to offer you. There is only one way to enjoy true peace—believing and trusting in Jesus—the Prince of Peace—the Light of Peace. 

He offers peace that passes understanding, which means while others are stressed to the max, you can live free of anxiety, depression, fear, poverty, lack and sickness. You can live in contentment, joy, security, rest and wholeness. In fact, Jesus died to give it to you. 

The question is: Where do you find your peace? 

If it’s in the state of life around you, you’ve likely discovered that is shaky ground. But God’s peace is not subject to the times—it is ever-present. 

If you’ve lost your peace and want to get it back this Christmas, you need to start where it was stolen in the first place—right at the promises of God. If you really believe—if you know—that God’s promises are “yes” and “amen” for you, there is nothing to fear, nothing to question, nothing to consider. So, if the devil wants to rob you blind of your peace, he’s going to go for the jugular—your faith in THE BLESSING over everything else that is going on.

We can’t model our expectations after the world—they’ve never experienced the peace of God—but you already have it. Psalm 29:11 says He “blesses His people with peace” (NIV). He did that through the blood of Jesus—the Prince of Peace. The Bible tells us He bore the chastisement of our peace the same way He bore our sins and sicknesses and diseases. He is our Peace.

Peace isn’t just the absence of trouble; it includes everything that makes for man’s highest good. That’s what God wants for your life. He wants your peace and prosperity to be like an abundant, flowing river.

This Christmas, go to Him and cast your cares—all your cares—over where they belong. Listen as He says to you, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NASB-1995). Receive the Light of Peace this Christmas and then share it with those around you, too. 

Scriptures: Isaiah 9:6-7, Isaiah 26:3-4, Isaiah 53:5

A Shalom Kind of Peace

How would you define peace?

A quiet environment? No stress? A completed to-do list?

Our definition of peace is much different from the Bible’s. You see, God never intended for peace to be easy come, easy go. His peace is all-encompassing, never-ending shalom. It is the peace that Jesus came to bring the world, and it’s what we celebrate this time of year at Christmas.

Shalom is the Hebrew word for peace. It basically means “nothing missing, nothing broken,” or wholeness in every area of life—spirit, soul and body—permanently. Not sometimes in some things. Not on one special, out-of-the-ordinary day. Always—in all things, including finances, health, relationships and protection.

Peace is not the same as serenity, which is what the world thinks of when they hear the word peace. Serenity is partial and temporary. Shalom is permanent and complete. It is an agreement—a covenant agreement between you and God.

We cannot attain peace by ourselves. God gives perfect peace (complete, whole, never-ending) to those who trust in Him. What a wonderful gift! If Jesus is your Lord and Savior, but you’ve never accepted (or even known to expect) His shalom peace—today is your day.

Dig into the Word today and discover for yourself the shalom kind-of peace. Christmas will take on a whole new meaning, and your life will never be the same. 

Scriptures: Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 18:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Speak Your Peace

Peace on earth.

That’s a popular phrase this time of year. It’s scriptural. It’s short. It fits nicely on the front of Christmas cards and looks great in gold script.

But let’s get real. That phrase, as spiritual as it might sound, isn’t worth the card it’s printed on if it’s not a reality in our lives. Peace on earth doesn’t mean anything to us when our stomachs are in knots over unpaid bills. Peace on earth is just a cliché when our minds are troubled and our lives are in turmoil.

In order for the good news of peace on earth to have real meaning, somehow that peace—the wholeness that Jesus provided for every person’s spirit, soul and body—must become real in our own lives.

The question is: How does that happen?

Do we ask God to do it for us? Do we just keep begging Him to give us peace and deliver us from our troubles until He finally gives in? Do we just keep pleading with Him on and on to heal, prosper and bless us?

No. Quite frankly, that’s a waste of time. The scriptural fact is—God has already done all He is going to do about our deliverance.

As children of God, our heavenly Father has already blessed us “with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3, KJV).

What we do with those blessings now is completely up to us.

One thing we can do to bring peace into our lives…

Be quiet!

That’s right. Peace can be present or absent depending on what we choose to say about our situation.

That’s because our words have power. They are always working—either for us or against us. Most Christians don’t realize that. So, when they hear the good news that God has given them the victory, they ruin everything by talking about their defeats!

Don’t do that! Even if those thoughts are flying through your mind, don’t give voice to them. Just cast them out and agree with God. 

We have a New Testament example in Luke 1 of a man who should have done that, but didn’t. About a year before Jesus was born, Zacharias was tending the altar of incense in the Temple, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him to give him some very good news about the coming birth of Zacharias’ son.

If Zacharias had taken heed to the word that had been given him, if he had given it his undivided attention, he might have done all right. 

Instead, he focused on the problems in his life. He started thinking about all the reasons why God’s Word wouldn’t work for him. After all, Elisabeth was barren. On top of that, both she and Zacharias were too old to have children anymore.

With those things on his mind, Zacharias opened his mouth and started talking. He interrupted the whole plan of God. Those were the last words Zacharias spoke for nine months.

You and I need to learn a lesson from that story. If we can’t say something good, if we haven’t grown spiritually strong enough yet to respond with words of faith, we shouldn’t say anything at all. When we do speak, we must speak shalom peace into every area of our lives. The Hebrew word shalom means “nothing missing, nothing broken.” In other words, wholeness in our bodies, finances, relationships and every other area of our lives.

We can either choose life or death. We can choose to believe the Word or not. We can choose to heed the Word or focus on our circumstances. We can choose to be quiet about those circumstances or we can yap on and on about how awful they are.

It is totally up to us.

If we’ll make the right choices, speak peace and follow God’s instructions, “peace on earth” will become more than a pretty phrase on a Christmas card. It will become a powerful, personal reality in every area of our lives. 

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-9

The Enemy of Peace

Work pressures. Family commitments. Church outreaches. Your children’s extra-curricular activities. Christmas shopping. Holiday events and dinners. You may think your circumstances this time of year are the greatest enemies of your peace, but you’d be wrong.

It isn’t circumstances that will rob you of your peace—it is the worry and anxiety that can creep in as a result. In other words, it is how you respond.

Did you know stress is a choice?

It is.

We are so blessed that God gave us the ability to CHOOSE how we respond to this life. And if we choose not to have any anxiety, that’s when the peace that passes understanding will come into our lives like a flood. It isn’t easy, of course. But there are some ways to make choosing peace much easier.

1. Make time for the Word of God. It will keep your eyes fixed on Him, your mind renewed to the truth, and your heart filled to the brim with encouragement. Then, cast every care over to Him! And do it for real. It really does work! 

2. Watch your media intake. It’s not going to do much good to fill up on the Word if you’re planning to drain out everything good by exposing yourself to the contrary. The media professing doom and gloom, movies and television shows proclaiming ungodly values, even family members who have embraced secular psychology. With all that unbelief swirling around you, you must make the quality decision to protect your mind and heart (Proverbs 4:20-23). That means turning off the television; connecting with strong, godly friends; and protecting your Bible study time.

3. Plan ahead for your first response. If you decide in advance that you’re not going to stress, no matter what comes your way, you’ve got a head start on doing it! When you’re tempted to get upset or frustrated, you’ll remember your decision, stop and take a deep breath. Then, you can respond by speaking scripture, saying a prayer and declaring, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”

It’s time to cut the head off the giant between you and your peace. Douse every fear, worry and anxiety with the Word of God, and determine this Christmas will be stress-free and filled with the peace that passes understanding.

Scriptures: Psalms 29:11, John 16:31-33, Colossians 3:15

Peace in the Storm

As soon as Christmas Day comes, then I can have a little peace. Have you thought that at all during this busy time?

Here’s the truth:

True peace doesn’t come from the absence of trouble; it comes from the presence of God. Otherwise, imagine how rare peace would be!

But God’s peace comes from the inside out, rather than the outside in. It is the strength that comes from knowing God is in you and working all the time—that greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. It is the comfort of knowing: If God is for you, who can be against you? It is the certainty that Almighty God is there for you 24/7 and always on your side. It is knowing that He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

There is a story of an art gallery that asked for paintings illustrating the idea of peace. The one that stood out most was that of a scene with a small tree branch bending over a rushing waterfall. On the branch sat a small nest with a bird sleeping inside. That is a great picture of the God kind of peace—peace that doesn’t consider its natural surroundings.

You have a right to have peace like that, even when serious trouble comes (Isaiah 26:3). How? Enter into peace by spending time praising God and resting in the truth of His Word. As you put your complete trust in Him, you will experience peace in the midst of even the most challenging circumstances.

As you celebrate the Prince of Peace this Christmas, honor Him by receiving His gift of peace to you. It is so pleasing to the Lord when we endeavor to obey Him and trust Him with all our hearts—to live with His peace no matter what is going on around us. Make that your aim this Christmas, and always!

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13

Master Your Love Walk This Christmas

Christmas was created out of God’s intense love for us. This time of year, we celebrate the greatest gift of love toward mankind of all time—the Light of Love—Jesus. 

We honor God and the sacrifice of Jesus by obeying His commands. In John 15:12 (KJV), Jesus summed up the commandments with one statement: “Love one another, as I have loved you.” 

Yet many people may find this challenging during holiday preparations or in a politically charged atmosphere, as we have experienced this year. One thing we must remember at Christmas, and every day, is that showing love to others is not optional if we are to obey God. There is no free pass when we feel “justified” in treating someone with disrespect, anger, unforgiveness or criticism. 

You can master your love walk by applying 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 to your life during your day-to-day activities this Christmas season in the following ways:

· Love endures long lines at the grocery store. 

· It is patient with children, even under pressure. 

· It is kind to spouses no matter what the situation. 

· It is not envious of another’s decorations or baking skills. 

· It is not boastful about gifts, vacations, accomplishments or anything else. 

· It isn’t rude in parking lots or toward difficult in-laws.

Love does not insist on its own way when deciding what to buy or which events to attend. It takes no account of those who cut others off in traffic, take the last piece of fruitcake or speak unkind words.

Love bears all things during holidays, and every other time. It is ready to believe the best of every person at the Christmas party, and every relative at the family gathering. It endures everything that may come with a pure heart and a godly attitude. Love never fails.

There is nothing—absolutely nothing—that is more important than learning to love. In fact, how accurately you perfect the love walk will determine how much of the perfect will of God you accomplish in your life.

Sounds like a tall order, doesn’t it? But don’t despair. You are a love creature. God has re-created your spirit in the image of Love. And He has sent His love Spirit to live in you and teach you how to love as He loves. 

Scriptures: Psalms 27:10, Psalms 27:13, Romans 8:32

When Others Let You Down

As you’re making plans this Christmas, you’re likely filling out Christmas cards, inviting people to dinner, and purchasing gifts. It’s a time when you may think about or see family members you haven’t seen in some time and reflect on those relationships—good or bad. Perhaps it has even raised memories of times when others let you down.

Sometimes, we’re hindered in our ability to love others because we don’t feel loved ourselves. We may have felt betrayed or rejected at a young age by those who should have loved us most. So, instead of loving people as we know we ought to, we push them away to protect ourselves from being hurt again.

The only way to overcome this hurdle is by daring to believe God’s love for you enough to sweep away the pain of the past. He accepts and cherishes you when others reject you. If you’ll dare to trust His love, you’ll find empty places filled up to overflowing in your life. You’ll feel so loved and cherished, you won’t be able to help but love others fully.

That’s what Christmas is all about—receiving the unmatched love of God through the sending of His only Son, Jesus, to take away our sin and pain, and bring us into eternal fellowship with Him.

If you have a history of being rejected and disappointed by others, don’t let history repeat itself. Don’t let your past become your future. This Christmas, find out what the Bible says about God’s love. If you’ll dare to believe it, your world will begin to change in a wonderful way. Before long, you’ll not only see His love on the pages of your Bible, you’ll see it around you every day of your life. 

Scripture: Matthew 5:13-16

Take Love to Work This Christmas

While Christmas is a time of joyous celebration, many people—especially unbelievers—become stressed or depressed, and struggle to find hope in their lives. Christmas is a time that is ripe for harvesting souls and a marvelous opportunity to share the reason for your hope, joy and all-around victorious life.

That’s why it is so important for Christians to take the love of God with them into the workplace. People are turned off to the gospel by Christians who carry their Bibles to the office while they’re cheating their employers or mistreating co-workers. It’s a sad thing when a believer professes his faith to his fellow employees, and then comes in late morning after morning, spends business hours chatting with co-workers, and then tops it all off by talking ugly about his boss!

A Christian who behaves like that would give more glory to The LORD by leaving his Bible at home and keeping his mouth shut until he learns to demonstrate the love and integrity of God with his life, and not just his lips. It’s a strong statement, but it’s true.

There was one Jewish man, in particular, who wouldn’t give the gospel the time of day for years because of the shabby work habits of those he knew who called themselves Christians. He finally did get saved, but he did in spite of them, not because of them.

On the other hand, believers who do walk in love on the job shine like stars in a dark night. They preach without saying a word! It gets people’s attention when someone works diligently and keeps a good attitude. It’s an outstanding thing when an employee gives 110% on the job—not only when the boss is looking, but when he isn’t. 

When we walk in love in the workplace, we’ll forget about pushing for our own success and search out ways to contribute to the success of others, while trusting the Lord to bring us our reward. It will come, too. It will come not only in the form of pay raises and promotions, but in the form of souls won to the Lord. And that is the greatest reward of all. 

Scripture: James 3:13-16

The Greatest Enemy of Love

As Christians, God’s command to us is to love Him first and then love others like we love ourselves. This doesn’t mean to love others when we feel like it or when we think they deserve it. It means always—even during holidays like Christmas, when you can end up spending time with challenging people.

If you study the Scriptures to find the enemies of love, you’ll find there is one more common than any other. It is the enemy called strife, which means: “vigorous or bitter conflict, discord and antagonism; to quarrel, struggle or clash; competitions; rivalry.”

According to James 3:16, where strife gets in, every other evil work will follow. Strife opens the door to the devil and licenses him to bring confusion and evil into our lives. That’s why he’s always pushing for us to argue with one another and get offended or critical of one another. It gives him access to us!

In examining opportunities for strife at this time of year, consider some of the most common arguments between family members during Christmas:

1. Where to spend Christmas Day
2. How much money to spend on gifts
3. Which gifts to buy for each person
4. How many gifts to buy for the children
5. How much time to spend with the in-laws

Satan doesn’t miss an opportunity—especially during the celebration of our Lord Jesus—to stir up strife within families. He knows if he can get you into strife, you’ll be out of love. And if you’re outside of love, you’re not in position to receive THE BLESSING—healing, prosperity, peace, happiness and strong relationships.

The answer to a wonderful, peace-filled Christmas, and a life under the open windows of heaven is making a quality decision today to shut the door on strife this Christmas and always! Refuse to argue with people. Refuse to fight back when people criticize or wrong you. Determine instead to respond in love—take no account of the evil done to you. 

It will take effort, but by God’s grace, you will be able to do it. He never commands you to do anything that He isn’t standing by to help you with. Plus, it’s a small price to pay for THE BLESSING…and you’ll be forever glad you did. 

Scriptures: 1 John 4, Romans 13:8, John 15:12

The Greatest Sign of Spiritual Maturity

“I never did drink much. I stayed married to my wife. And I gave all my money away to people in need.”

Those were the words of a 95-year-old man to his Christian granddaughter after she shared the gospel with him one last time in hopes of leading him to salvation. He died shortly after, expecting his good works to be enough.

It’s easy for non-Christians and Christians alike to get caught up in external acts and think it somehow equates to holiness. While Jesus did say, “You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16, NKJV), He was not speaking of outward actions alone, but those pouring forth from the spiritually mature heart. 

While Christians can sometimes pride themselves in checking “holiness” boxes, Jesus made it clear that external works are not indicators of right living. In fact, He often rebuked the Pharisees for believing so. 

First Corinthians 13:2 says, “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (NIV).

Certainly, we should desire to live a life that is pleasing before the Lord, but the greatest sign of spiritual maturity isn’t tithing, “being nice,” attending church or reciting scriptures. The greatest sign of spiritual maturity is LOVE. 

Gloria Copeland says, “Love is the single most important key to growing up in God. If we don’t grow up in love, we don’t grow up at all.”

That’s something we need to focus on this Christmas season. Attending church and tithing, while those things are in obedience to God’s Word, mean nothing if you’re rude to your spouse, gossiping about your neighbor, or bickering with your in-laws over Christmas dinner.

At what spiritual age does your behavior peg you? 

This Christmas (and every day!), determine to grow up in the area of love. Watch how you talk to your spouse, children and co-workers. Keep yourself from boasting about your accomplishments or broadcasting compliments others give you. Refrain from reminding people of the wrong they’ve done, and treat everyone with kindness and respect (even those who frustrate you).

“Let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him”(Ephesians 4:15, AMPC). Let’s let the Light of Love—Jesus Christ—shine through our lives in everything we say and do this Christmas and always. 

Scriptures: John 15:10-11, 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Joy

Joy to the world, the Lord is come! 

Christmas is a time when we celebrate Jesus—the Light of Joy—coming to the Earth. As the angel, Gabriel, announced the coming of our Lord Jesus, he said, “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people” (Luke 2:10).

Joy was a gift to us from God. Joy is not a fleeting emotion, but a fruit of the spirit living inside us every minute of every day. Not only that, but Nehemiah 8:10 says the joy of the Lord is our strength—and it’s a superhero kind of strength. 

That’s why the devil has spent so much time trying to get us near the kryptonite of joy—anything that takes us away from love. That’s because joy and love flow together.

If you think about it, you can easily see why. In this world, we’re surrounded by selfish people. They’re on the highways honking, gesturing and cutting rudely in front of us. They’re in the workplace, saying harsh and unkind things. Sad to say, you’ll even encounter them in church, ignoring you instead of giving you a smile and a warm hello, snapping at you because you didn’t do something just right.

If you don’t walk in love, someone will steal your joy before lunchtime because there is always someone out there who will be unkind. They don’t necessarily do it on purpose (any more than you do!), but they’re human. And, apart from the influence of God, human beings are naturally selfish. 

We can let people steal our joy when they say something ugly or wrong us in some way, by thinking about it and letting it eat at us until we become decreasingly joyful and increasingly upset.

Living a life of love, however, will change the way you respond to potentially offensive behavior. It will cause you to endure long and be patient and kind…not touchy or fretful or resentful.

Love enables you to overlook the offenses of others and let them go free. Love makes you think differently. When you choose love, the behavior of others can’t steal your joy!

This Christmas, whenever you have an opportunity to be offended, change course and move over into love. Then, watch as your joy stays perfectly intact and your spiritual power soars! 

Scriptures: Philippians 4:4-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Use the Force of Joy

So many people—believers or not—rightly associate Christmas with joy. It is a joyful time in the Body of Christ! The coming of our Savior is a time of great celebration. Yet when the focus of a holiday is on feeling joy, many realize it has gone missing in their lives.

But joy is so much more than a feeling. Joy is one of the most powerful spiritual forces in the world!

Nehemiah 8:10 says, “…the joy of the Lord is your strength.” If you were to diagram that scripture and remove the phrase, “of the Lord,” you would find that it’s truly saying this: Joy is strength. The two are interchangeable.

That’s what makes joy so crucial. You can’t live a life of faith without being strong in the Lord—and when God wants to make you strong, joy is what He uses to do the job!

Joy is not just a state of mind. It is not a fleeting emotion. Joy is a very real force, and the devil doesn’t have anything that can stand up against it. Just as fear has to yield to faith, discouragement has to yield to joy.

That’s why when the devil tries to put sickness, poverty or depression on you, the greatest response you can have is to laugh at his attempts. You have to stir up your faith with joy. It may feel forced at first, but when you keep at it, a supernatural joy will come bubbling up out of you until you are laughing under the influence of the Holy Spirit! 

That’s the kind of joy that says, “Devil, I’m not afraid of you. You have no power or authority in my life, so I’m just going to laugh at your attempts to steal, kill or destroy anything in my life!”

Since joy is one of the fruit of the spirit, you already have it residing within you. But you must develop it, confess it and live by it if you want to enjoy its power. Walk in it even when you don’t feel joyful at all. Using the force of joy is a decision.

Whatever circumstances you are facing this Christmas, you can be full of joy. You can be strong in the Lord. You can draw on the supply of the Holy Spirit within you and come out on top. 

Scripture: James 1:2-4

Resist the Devil With Joy

Here’s something you may have already noticed…

The devil doesn’t take any time off at Christmas.

You’re busy shopping and putting up the tree. He’s busy plotting how to steal, kill and destroy. It’s his MO.

He’s hoping to catch you off guard while you’re planning Christmas dinner, volunteering at the Christmas food bank, or hanging lights on the house. 

Christmas is all about Jesus—the Light of Joy. It’s a time for precious celebration of hope, love, peace and joy, which have all come to earth for mankind.

That’s why the devil is making holiday plans of his own—to steal all those things from you, and he sends out his plan in the form of trials, challenges and frustrations.

But there is a secret power in enduring through trials.

James 1 tells us to count it all joy when we face life’s struggles. That’s right! We can choose to respond in JOY to hardships. It will take effort, no doubt, but with God’s help, you can do it!

What happens when we count it all joy and endure with patience?

“God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

When you trust in God’s covenant to provide what you need, you will be blessed! And, as Gloria Copeland has learned, “When you prove to Satan enough times that you will not compromise God’s Word, he will stay out of your way.”

Yes, you can learn how to respond when Satan attacks! You don’t have to sit idly by waiting for something to change. 

This Christmas, make a decision to stand in faith, resist the devil, give your attention to God’s Word, and count it all joy when enduring trials. When you do, you will come out the victor and take all the spoils with you. What a perfect way to celebrate the Light of Joy this Christmas! 

Scriptures: Psalms 16:11, 1 Peter 3:15

Your Joy Is Your Testimony

As Christians, at Christmastime we exclaim, “Joy to the world!” The question is, are we really living out that joy before the world?

If you pay attention to people on the roads and in stores, you won’t see evidence of much joy. Most of the time, you’ll see stress, unhappiness or indifference. Someone who has joy definitely stands out!

That’s why your joy is your testimony. Not fake, bubbling-over happiness—true, pure joy that comes from Jesus—the Light of Joy—living on the inside of you. The joy that can only come from knowing who you are in Christ, how much you are loved by Almighty God, and how He has already provided for your every need and desire.

When you think about those things, how can you not be joyful?!

Joy is a fruit of the spirit—evidence of God’s supernatural power living within you. It is a natural attractor, too. People in the world are so desperate for love, peace, hope and joy, they’ll go to extremes to get it. But they can’t have true joy without Jesus. 

Your joy is your testimony when you stay calm, kind and happy even during life’s challenges. It speaks volumes when you are the only one who never seems to grumble or complain. It shines God’s light into the world when you don’t let current events or unkind people ruin your day. 

Your joy is more than just a blessing to you, it is a blessing to others. After watching you maintain your joy in all things, it won’t be long before people start asking you how you do it. That will be your blessed opportunity to share Jesus and provide others with the powerful Source of your joy to have for themselves.

This Christmas, be the one who is joyful even during a pandemic, an intense election cycle and any personal challenges you might face. Shine the Light of Joy into a hurting world. You’ll find it will continue to increase your own joy, too. 

Scriptures: Psalms 119:111, Luke 2:10

Add More Joy to Your Life

At Christmastime, a long to-do list, the demands of events and gatherings, and the awareness of time ticking away can turn the focus from the joy of the season to stress and frustration.

That’s when it’s important to remember some of Paul’s final words of encouragement: “Always be joyful” (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Notice he phrases it here as a choice. Some people think they can only be joyful if everything in their lives is just so. But Paul says, not so!

Would others use the word joyful to describe you? Would you use it to describe yourself? If not, it’s time to give your day a shot of joy. Here are five ways to do it.

1. Add More Joy by Remembering Your Inheritance

You have a BIG inheritance filled with all kinds of wonderful blessings (Romans 8:17). So everything you need for your day is available to you—peace, health, healing, prosperity and success in every area of your life. God wants you to have it. That’s something to be joyful about!

2. Add More Joy by Focusing on God

When you “seek the Kingdom of God” and His way of doing things first (Matthew 6:33) and “set your mind on things above” (Colossians 3:2, NKJV), the concerns of this world won’t consume your mind. When you focus on God—His goodness, grace, mercy and love for you, you’ll tap into great joy! 

3. Add More Joy by Resisting Conflict

Instead of giving in to conflict this Christmas by yelling at that bad driver who cut you off on the way to work, joining in on the water cooler gossip about a difficult co-worker, or fuming over an inconsiderate neighbor, choose to be a peacemaker (Matthew 5:9). Think of the freedom and joy you’ll have by refusing to get wrapped up in strife!

4. Add More Joy by Remaining Thankful

It’s amazing how joyful you feel when you’re thankful. This week, start a 30-day gratitude journal and watch your joy jump sky-high!

5. Add More Joy by Caring for Your Body

The Word refers to your body as the “temple of the Holy Spirit.” That means you need proper sleep (7-9 hours), nutrition (limit processed food, sodas and caffeine) and exercise (30 minutes, five days a week, for example)—even during the busy Christmas season! All of these things affect your mood and a lack of any of them can result in feelings of discouragement and irritability.

Make adding joy to your life part of your Christmas plans this year. What a wonderful way to celebrate the Light of Joy—our King Jesus!