Nehemiah 8:10 has been a very powerful scripture for me to read and meditate on as I have journeyed (and still journey) through my healing from a degenerating backbone disease that left me wheelchair bound for many years. In the worst of circumstances Nehemiah declared this verse. He said;
''Go and enjoy choice of food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve for the Joy of the Lord is your strength!''

Nehemiah was simply saying to the people; let your joy know no bounds.
That even when things are hard, we ought to go through trails with dignity, with a joyful heart! God is not out to get you - He is out to get you through!

There was a time, however, when I wasn't aware of this. For fifteen years I lived in brokenness and despair! I felt empty and shamed. My family lost everything trying to provide medical care for me. I honestly thought life was over for me. Although, deep down within me, I knew God was faithful.

At this low point in my life, I cried out to God for His healing and restoration but instead of the kind of answer I was looking for, I heard the Lord telling me to start up a prayer group! Can you imagine how I must have felt? However, I obediently responded to His command and our intercessory prayer group was born.

Stop Enemy Interference
Precious, it's important to realise that all along the way, satan tries to interrupt or side track our walk of faith with doubt, fear, confusion and unbelief. His aim is to get us to stop believing and trusting God's promises for our needs; but to focus on the cares of this life such as our jobs, our finances, our families, our health issues and so on and so on.

He wants to interrupt our fellowship with God and cut off the flow of God's blessings. If he can get us to stop believing and trusting in God's goodness, then he can successfully steal our Peace and Joy, because Peace and Joy are found in believing! (See Romans 15:13)

I lived for many years in despair during my illness. There were times when I was believing God to bring healing and restoration back into my broken body and satan would whisper thoughts of doubt, fear and confusion into my mind. But because God's spirit lives in me, He did not leave me alone in unbelief! He would stir me up and bring me around full circle and put me back on a track of believing!

Eventually, I realised that as long as you and I stay in faith, we have a steady supply of power, peace and joy and if we put ourselves in the right position, we will reap the reward of the ultimate Joy that Jesus died to give us!

(c) Copyright Precious Woman, 2009.