Shout for Joy

Editors Note: Disclaimer – If you are living a life of sin or you have unholy actions as a part of your life, do not use this Bible method for more joy, you may get a religious demon instead, that will fool you. If you are immodest in lifestyle or liberal in theology, religious demons will give you a false feeling that will deceive you into thinking you are OK with God. Beware! Be sure your shout comes from a heart that is fully God’s.

"Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy." (Psalm 132:9).

The Lord has promised that He will present us faultless before His presence with exceeding joy. He demands and promises to help us live a holy, separated life. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." (Jude 1:24). But He desires that our holy life be filled with HIS joy! Have you noticed that joy seems to be missing from many believers lives? If we get a new car, there is joy! (For a while, at least) Many other things cause joy, but the intense joy of the Lord that used to be prevalent in the full gospel churches is currently very weak.

The joy most church folks have is temporary. They shout with good music and back up the preacher, but on the way home, the normal arguments and frustrations kick back in. Hey folks! Real joy from the Lord will last through anything, even a deathbed! Well, if most joy is temporary or just emotional, then how do we get the real thing? What can a believer do to experience the Spirit empowered joy that we see in the Book of Acts and remember from our grandmas? Have we forgotten that the joy we have is part of what the Spirit uses to convince sinners that Christ is their answer also?

There are two types of shout. One type is the emotional response to the presence or work of God in which a person runs and dances similar to the lame man who was healed when Peter and John went to the temple. The other type involves vocal praise and worship that is louder than your normal tone. I cannot say which of these the scripture is speaking about, but I lean toward the vocal because of the setting of many of these verses. Physical shouting seems to be in response to God’s moving in our life, whereas the vocal shout seems to be an action that will cause God to move in our life.

Many believers have forgotton that God inhabits praise. We should realize afresh that to powerfully praise God with all of your heart will touch the heart of God. The joy that the church needs could become a fresh, mighty work in our lives if we would dare to lift our voices in strong adoration of the Lord. To purposefully and loudly praise the God of heaven does something in our own heart. To weakly seek to praise does not have the same effect as boldly coming before God. It is not a magic formula, but it is necessary to come believing and to come with boldness and faith that cries out.

We are supposed to find joy in trials. "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." (Jude 1:24). Persecution should cause us to have joy. "Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven." (Luke 6:23). A sinner repenting should bring us joy. "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." (Luke 15:10). Many reasons for joy exist in the scripture, so where is your joy?

The Hebrews marched seven times around Jericho, then shouted when the trumpet blew. "And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city." (Joshua 6:16). Would the wall have fallen if they had not shouted? "So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city." (Joshua 6:20). Their shout was an act of faith in God for victory.

King David, a man after God’s heart was a man of shouting praise! Look at some of his words: "But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee." (Psalms 5:11). "Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." (Psalms 32:11). "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant." (Psalms 35:27). "O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph." (Psalms 47:1).

The word "rejoice" in the New Testament seems to say "re-joy". To renew your joy or to re-joy, then lift up your voice in a bold and strong manner and praise the God of heaven. Our full-gospel services used to be filled with the majority of attendees loudly giving God glory! The New Testament has verses like: "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4). "Rejoice evermore." (I Thessalonians 5:16). "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord." (Philippians 3:1). You will never have joy without praise. Shouting has diminished and so has joy. Is there a connection?

If you have been burdened down or if you have not felt God’s powerful presence in a while, go somewhere and get alone and begin to praise God with all your heart! Lift up your voice! Let the devil and his imps hear you shout the praises to God! Let God feel your intense desire to love and praise His name! We should not let the antics of the false Christians keep us from real praise. Is it OK to shout praises to God even if we don’t feel goosebumps? Yes! We can praise in faith, just because God is worthy to be praised! We don’t need any other reason than the fact that He is God and He is worthy! Praise your way out of your problem. Praise God for what you expect Him to do! Don’t be scared to shout aloud!

If this results in God touching your heart and you end up physically shouting or getting more joy, don’t blame me. God responds to powerful, bold faith. It is His plan, His ways and His joy!