Break Out – Day 16

If you could measure your joy and peace on a 10-point scale, what number would you give yourself?

The enemy targets our joy and peace because he knows that without it, we become restless and powerless. In Nehemiah 8:10b we read: “… for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” Without joy, we become powerless. And in Psalm 34:14 we read: “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Without peace, we struggle to make good decisions or even to hear God’s voice, because it constantly feels like something is chasing after us.

How does the enemy steal our joy and peace? Think about how you feel when someone in the workplace treats you unfairly or when you become the victim of gossip? Normally, our first reaction is to fight back to prove our innocence while setting the record straight with the person who did you harm. Hereafter, we constantly think about the unjust act against us while we fall into the enemy’s trap, losing our joy and peace.

One day, I found myself in the above-mentioned situation. Shocked and hurt by the insensitive, false remark made against me, I was ready to fight back. At that moment, I suddenly experienced the voice of the Holy Spirit inside me: “Benescke, are you going to try and fight this battle on your own, while losing your joy and peace, or are you going to trust me to fight it on your behalf?” These words stopped me dead in my tracks, while realising that I am helpless without God.

Do you also find yourself in a situation where everything inside of you wants to fight evil with evil, for an unfair act or story against you? Maybe it was during a business transaction, in the workplace or even a family member or close friend who hurt you. Are you going to fall into the enemy’s trap by fighting with your own power (while losing your joy and peace) or are you going to trust God to fight on your behalf?

God is a righteous judge. In Psalm 9:4 we read: “For you have judged in my favour; from your throne, you have judged with fairness.” In Isaiah 54:17 we read: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn …” And in Isaiah 5:16 it is written: “But the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will be exalted by his justice. The holiness of God will be displayed by his righteousness.”

Where does your joy and peace measure on the scale today? Let’s make it our goal to protect it while we turn to God, our righteous judge, trusting him to protect our name, show our innocence and judge fairly. After all, he promised that no weapon forged against us will prosper – and that’s a promise! God bless.