Go get your athletic shoes on, if you are going to read the rest of this article. Why? Because we are going to see some things that will really, really bless you!
What does it take to get you exceedingly glad? Or let me put it another way: What does it take to get you all excited? Jumping up and down excited? Or if you are too old to jump up and down, what does it take to at least get you to wave your arms up and down because you are thrilled with something?
The True Word of God revealed and understood can certainly get things rolling. It did for David in the Old Testament.
Psalm 18:29 & 30:
For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
When the presence of the Lord by way of the Ark of the Lord came into the city, David “danced before the Lord with all his might…” We have reason to dance before the Lord as well because we have the presence of the Lord within us via the gift of holy spirit. “…in thy presence is fulness of joy;…” (Psalm16:11).
The man mentioned in Acts 3:3-9 had his athletic shoes on. As a crippled man he was laid at the gate Beautiful for some 40 years. Peter ministered to him and he was healed. His response was, “walking and leaping and praising God.” (Acts 3:8).
If you need some fantastic miracle to cause you to leap and praise God, try the miracle of all miracles when you did Romans 10:9. You received the gift of holy spirit. You were taken from death unto eternal life. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” (I Corinthians 6:20).
What better way to glorify God in your body than to jump up and down and wave your arms! Now I am not advocating doing this 24-7, but a few minutes out of the day won’t hurt!
Before I share with you some more amazing truths that will get you jumping up and down, all excited (or at least waving your arms up and down) you have to confess something. You have to be on board with a certain reality. Do you believe God’s Word is absolutely True? Do you? If so, go put your “Chuck Taylor” athletic shoes on. You are going to be doing some jumping.
Born again believers who fully avail themselves of the rightly divided Word of God increasingly discover God’s plan for them to be blessed in every area of life. As we read the Book of Life we see the many sonship rights that belong to us. They are so fantastic we can’t help but get excited.
Some of these sonship rights are: Justified before God almighty (Romans 5:16); Having peace with God through Christ (Romans 5:1); Having His righteousness in us (II Corinthians 5:21); Being His child and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
What a joy it is to learn, grow and experience who we are in Christ right now. Yet, there is more to come in the future that can make us “glad with exceeding joy.”
I Peter 4:13:
But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
What is your response to something that gives you exceeding joy? Do you have a satisfying smile? Or do you maybe do a little jig dance when no one is looking? When something really meaningful becomes aware to your heart that blesses your socks off, do you not jump up and down a little bit?
The above verse is talking about being “glad …with exceeding joy.” Now to me that calls for a change of shoes! Or at least a waving of the arms up and down.
There is another purpose of having our athletic shoes on. It is utilized in running an important race. We “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14).
Let’s get excited about who we are and where we are going. The future life is assured. Let’s get involved in seeing “…His Word runneth very swiftly” (Psalm 147:15b) over the world!
- Bob and Jeanie Lindfelt
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