Merry Christmas! May You Be More on Fire and Filled With Greater Joy Than Ever Before!

Good Morning My Loves,

Merry Christmas to all of you! I pray you are more on fire in this season, and that you have a JOYFUL NEW YEAR! Notice, I didn’t say “happy” because happiness is dependent up your circumstances, but JOY remains regardless of what is going on.

If things go the way most believers like or expect, they’re happy and on fire. If they don’t, they’re often sad, mad, bad, lukewarm, or downright COLD! LOL! Those are legitimate feelings, but we don’t have to be ruled by our emotions. We have access to an unending source of fire and joy that gives us strength amidst difficult situations. JOY comes from the Lord, and He doesn’t leave…..ever. He's a consistent fire. An all consuming fire. He’s faithful, and He doesn’t change. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever!

Hebrews 13:8 (AMP)

8 Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever.

It’s not like God has only “one” emotion and He never feels anything other than joy. We are made in His likeness, and of course He feels and expresses many other emotions, but none of those emotions can drain or diminish His fire or joy. He’s never without fire and joy, and as a believer, neither are you!

In fact, the word of God says that because we are filled with the Holy Spirit we too have righteousness and peace and joy IN the Holy Spirit!

Romans 14:17 (AMP)

17 for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking [what one likes], but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

I’ve found that the way to stay on fire and filled with joy, is to simply “STAY IN HIS PRESENCE!” There’s always fire and joy in His presence!

Psalm 16:11 (AMP)

11

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

In Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

-Don’t wait for a church service.

-Don’t wait for anything or anyone BUT GOD!

-Your spouse, friends, or family members may not have joy and be on fire, but that doesn’t mean you should lose your fire and joy right along with them!

Remember, you’re not a thermometer, you’re a thermostat.

-You set the temperature of "your" house. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN HOUSE! Never look to someone else to steward what “you" are responsible for. STIR YOURSELF UP. Pray in the Spirit, sing in the Spirit, charge your own spirit up!

-Press into God daily and ask Him to breath upon the flame that He put inside of you. Talk to Him, worship Him, seek Him, ask Him to pour fresh fuel into your lamp.

-Keep your fire burning.

-Refuse to lose your passion or joy.

-Refuse to let discouragement snuff out your fire and zeal.

-Regardless of the set-backs, refuse to stop running “your” course.

Remember this, God doesn’t always deliver us from every difficulty, but He does give us joy in the midst of it. Often times the difficulty is our test for the promotion that He’s had planned for us. Many people become cold and bitter right at the point that God was about to promote them. Instead of enduring with a good attitude and keeping their fire burning and their heart filled with joy, they succumb to a defeatist mentality, and get stuck instead of going to the next level.

Don’t let this be you. Go into this next season with the attitude, “I am staying on fire. I can endure and handle whatever comes my way. I’m not going to be defeated by it, I’m going to be promoted because of the way I go through it. I’m keeping my attitude right, and my joy regardless of what comes my way. I’m expecting the best and not the worst. I’m not planning on failing, I’m planning on succeeding. I’m not going backwards, I’m going forward with fresh fire and joy. 2017 is going to be a year of great joy and victory for me in Jesus mighty name!”

I love you all! PV