A Daily Devotional with Pastor Doug Crouse  January 17, 2018  

Receive His Great Joy   Scripture Reading – John 16:23 - 24 (NLT)

“At that time you won’t need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.”  

It was during the final moments of our Lord Jesus life on earth when He cried out, ‘It is finished’, as on the cross He sacrificed His life for our eternal salvation and took His last breath. At that very moment the curtain in the Temple was torn from top to bottom, from heaven to earth – that which separated us from the holy of holies, from the very presence of Almighty God was removed. Today my sister and brother because of Jesus there is an open heaven over our lives, we can come to the Father at any time in the name of the Son.

Where is our Lord Jesus now? At the Father’s right hand where He is ever living to make intercession for us that we would be examples of Kingdom living people in all that we think, say and do. Jesus bids us to come directly to the Father in His name with our requests in faith believing and receiving. And as we ask according to the will of the Father we will receive exactly what we are asking for, as we stand in faith.

Since you and I are coming to God in the name of His one and only Son, and asking in Jesus name for those things that God has purposed to be done in our lives we will have everything that we are asking for and even so much more.

It is by continually coming to the Father in the name of Christ Jesus the Son that we will be able to, ‘Receive His Great Joy’, that will not only sustain our lives, but overflow in an abundance to those around us as we carry the Good News of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.

Not only a little bit of joy is promised to you and I, but overflowing rivers of joy, which will be both unspeakable and full of glory. Remember friends as we walk our journey, that His great joy is indeed our strength and our song!  

Prayer Heavenly Father how grateful I am to once again today be able to come into Your very presence through Christ Jesus Your Son and my Lord and Savior. I come once again today in Jesus name asking, seeking, knocking – even claiming and laying hold of by faith those things that You have purposed through my life for the honor and greater glory of Your holy name. Let your joy fill and overflow through my life I pray in Jesus name.   

Memory Verse:  Luke 11:1 NLT “_____, ______ us to ______, just as John taught his disciples.” Luke 11:1b