Though the fig tree does not blossom

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (KJV)

One way the enemy seeks to destroy us is to magnify our troubled experiences.  Circumstances may cause us to walk a mile, but it’s the enemy that put splinters in our feet alone that journey. Satan does not care how he weakens us, be it small or large, physical, emotional, or financial, as long as he can infect us with the disease of wrong thinking, as long as he can affect our experiences in such a way that it causes us to question God’s love for us, as long as he can take our joy which is our strength, Satan is happy in our suffering. 

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy

His (Satan's) intent is to destroy not just our physical and spiritual but also our emotional happiness as well. But happiness comes from what happens in our life, when we perceive it is good we are happy, and when we perceive something is bad we are unhappy.  Therefore grasping  hold of happiness is like trying to hold smoke signal in a metal bird cage. The bars just can't contain it. So we need to grasp hold of something more stable, more solid, more rigid more dependable,something that will not blow away or evaporate at the slightest breeze. And that something we need to hold on to is called Joy.


However Joy, comes from the Lord, and Joy is expressed not only when things go well, but also when tribulations and extreme tragedies come into our life. in 2 Corinthians 7:4  the Apostle says he is overflowing with joy in his afflictions. The very thing we have got to realize is when the devils tries to kill our joy, steal our happiness, and destroy or faith with trials and tribulations what he really is doing is perfecting our character and a perfected character bring about a stronger faith in an almighty God Romans 5:3-4 is ther any wonder James said count it all joy when you encounter all sorts of trials? James 1:2-4 

But...when we allow Satan to invade our minds with doubt and hopelessness and depression, we become like a beaten prize fighter in the 10th round of a championship fight, wondering if they can make it through the last two rounds of our spiritual battle or even if we should just throw in the towel and quit. . 

Weary from well doing, we no longer desire, to fight to keep our marriage;  we've lost hope in our loved ones being saved;  we've given up on our financial condition;  we’re no longer believing God for a healing of  that chronic sickness.  

If we allow Satan to invade our minds with doubt and hopelessness and depression,we become drained by the troubles of our family and friends, and to make matters worse, the church elders, those that should be counseling us out of our mess are telling us for some forsaken reason we are not living up to the expectations God has for our lives. And before we realize it, the enemy has dealt a devastating body blow. With broken ribs and broken spirit, we are still in the ring but no longer in the fight, our spiritual Joy has be stolen just like our breath;   or in truth we've given our joy away.

However, Philippians 4:4 says “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice” this is not by accident that this verse is written as it is.  this is not a suggestion but an spiritual antidote to a broken spirit. God wants us to rejoice! 

Even in those times when we just don’t feel like rejoicing, because He knows that our rejoicing in Him is strength. This is why James 1:2 says “…count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” God knows that it is the joy in Him that strengthens us and draws us into a deeper relationship with Him. the prophet Habakkuk teaches us that even in the most desperate time we must contend for the Joy we have in Christ Jesus. He prays; 

 
Though the fig tree does not blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, [though] the product of the olive fails and the fields yield no food, though the flock is cut off from the fold and there are no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the [victorious] God of my salvation Habakkuk 3:17-18(Amp) 

Even though Judah was going through starvation and drought, injustice and wickedness, Habakkuk had no intentions of being defeated. They were poor and did not have the resources for success, the rich just got richer and the poor just got poorer but Habakkuk did not succumb to the circumstances. He didn't lose his Joy , the Devil couldn't steal his joy, God had already spoken let the righteous live by faith.. God   already had a plan, just because Habakkuk did not see  God's plan did not mean it wasn't so. Wait for God I say praise God. my mother says He's and on time God!

Often we say we have a victory in God but we walk around looking defeated, but just because we can’t figure a way out, just because everything is going wrong, and sometimes everything will go wrong! We cannot be defeated we must put our confidence not on the circumstances, but in God. It may mean we have to endure a little trouble, but God is saying to you Wait for it! it will surely come

Habakkuk refused to be defeated he had read the story of Job and was OK with troubles knowing that God is a rewarder. He read the psalms and knew that if God be for him who could be against him. The confidence in God expressed by Habakkuk would be the precursor to Nehemiah’s statement that the Joy of the Lord is our Strength. Habakkuk knew full well the power that comes from having God as your joy. Now when we go to verse 19 we see why Habakkuk was sent to encourage the remnants of Judah, he professes;

Habakkuk 3:19 (Amp) The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!

Habakkuk had an attitude of victory, he wasn't going to be defeated, the odds against him was not important, his lack of resources wasn't important, his hunger pains wasn't even important, but his confidence in the renewed strength he would attain through the praising of God was the only thing that made a difference. Habakkuk had real Joy in the lord, and it was that Joy that gave him strength. If he was here today, he would say,

“I’m flat broke and been jobless for over a year, no money in my pocket, no food on my table, and I don’t know how these bill will get paid. I spend all day long at the free clinic, but the pain is only getting worst; my children are on drugs, gay, strung out and my spouse doesn’t seem to give a crap what I’m going through.
Yet will I rejoice, even though I’m going through all this, I will rejoice in the Lord, no matter what my circumstance are I will be joyful in God my Savior, regardless of what’s going on in my life.

So often we get stuck in our depression we mope, sulk and feel sorry for ourselves, but God wants us to rejoice in Him, to praise Him, worship Him, not in thought, but in action. God wants us to sing, dance, and give testimony of His great works, publicly, that His Joy may strengthen us. We must see rejoicing in God as action, a thing that can be seen, not an emotion that is felt. Therefore saints, Rejoice in the lord always, and again I say, Rejoice!

Soli Deo Gloria

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