Is the enemy of darkness robbing your joy?

Say this out loud, "I choose joy!"

Philippians 4:4 (TPT) says, "Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let joy overflow, for you are united with the Anointed One!"

Joy is an outward expression that comes from a growing inward relationship with God. If you have been feeling low, unsafe and disheartened, turn your face to the Lord and choose joy!

I have been captivated by what the Holy Spirit has been speaking to my heart today: "Laugh twice as much today and watch the fear of death be broken."

We live in perilous times where fear, doubt and unbelief are hanging in the atmosphere like an unbroken killer fog.

Nehemiah 8:10b (MEV) states, "the joy of the Lord is your strength."

One of Life Church's core values from pastor Craig Groeschel states, "We will laugh hard, loud and often. Nothing is more fun than serving God with people you love!"

We are in a pandemic, where there's violence in the streets, contentious hostile elections and the agony of demonic racism seems unending.

I Choose Joy!

Are you surprised that I would write about laughter and joy during this time?

Perhaps you think I'm not taking today's turmoil seriously or don't have the knowledge or understanding of the world, pain and suffering.

I know what's liked to fight cancer. My wife, Marsha, is dealing with five compressed fractures in her spine; our son went through 18 months of mantle cell lymphoma; and both my wife and I were in quarantine for seven weeks with COVID-19. I was in the hospital during that time with pneumonia, the flu, COVID-19 and my lungs inflamed from asthma.

Choosing joy does not mean we won't experience physical, mental or financial challenges. It means that in each season, we can find strength, peace and real joy amid those experiences, for the Bible tells us so.

I'm not sure you've heard my heart, head and mouth enough, but I choose joy!

—I choose faith, not fear.

—I choose hope instead of doubt.

—I choose love over hate.

—I choose belief in the promises of God instead of disbelief.

—I choose forgiveness over an offense, wounds and pain.

—I choose light over darkness.

—I choose God, not the devil.

—I choose heaven over hell.

—I choose praise for the living God over fixing blame.

Say this out loud with me, one more time. I choose joy!

Remember, you can't threaten the child of God with heaven.

John 16:33 says, "I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer. I have overcome the world."

Laugh twice as much today and watch the fear of death be broken.

You are beautiful. I see Jesus in you!

Have an awesome week.

Mikel French has challenged spiritual awakening all across America, where many celebrations extended into multiple weeks, and has conducted celebrations in France, Sweden, Russia, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Germany, South Africa, Malawi, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Haiti, Japan, Singapore, India and Thailand. He conducted an outreach celebration in Manila, Philippines, reaching 200,000 teenagers with the Book of Hope. Through the generous support of partners, he has presented the message of Jesus Christ to millions of people in the nation of Russia through televised citywide soul-winning celebrations. Mikel considers it an honor to assist in conducting the annual pastor's conference, where thousands of pastors from Russia's 11 time zones come for training, teaching and equipping. Mikel and his wife, Marsha, reside in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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