Joy!, Part II

Joy is the key. A critical key that unlocks God's anointing and power. In the parable of the sower, it is an activator of the word. When the word is heard, understood, and is believed, despite what the world says or what seems physically possible and is received with joy, the power of God is released. You must stay on this joy until you reap the 30, 60, or 100 fold return.

Matthew 13:18-23

18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

The seed sown among thorns becomes unfruitful because of the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth which choke it. These things stifle our joy. Another example of this is found in the story about the son of promise; Isaac. Abraham believed God's promise concerning a son being born to him despite Sarah's baren womb. He stayed thankful and stayed in joy. Concentrating and believing in the promise God made to him and his faith was credited as righteousness.

Romans 4:18-25

18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." 23The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.