In Christ, your joy is made complete!

Deuteronomy 16:15 (NKJV): "Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the Lord your God in the place which the Lord chooses, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice (in NIV: your joy will be complete)."

This verse speaks of the celebration of 'Sukkot' (i.e. The Feast of Tabernacles) among the Israelites. Deuteronomy 16:13-14 says, "You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates."

People of God, this is a time to rejoice and to receive the fullness of His joy! This is also a time for renewed fellowship with the Lord, and being conscious of His Presence; enjoying Him and celebrating His blessings and goodness in your life!

Leviticus 23:40-43 says, 'And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths ('sukkah') for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths ('sukkah'), that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths ('sukkah') when I brought them out of the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.'

This Hebrew word 'sukkah' (where the word 'Sukkot' comes from) simply means 'tabernacle, tent, or hut', i.e. 'a shelter made of tree branches'. This word 'sukkah' is in turn derived from the word 'sakak', which speaks of 'to be covered (by the Lord), to join together (with the Lord), and to shut out (from the world), as God's people dwell in booths'.

This reminded me of when Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting (Exodus 33:7), just to be alone with God. It was here that the pillar of cloud descended, and the Lord talked with Moses (Exodus 33:9) face to face, as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). Moses later experienced God's glory in the cleft of the rock (Exodus 33:12-23), and he came out totally refreshed and renewed for the things ahead of him! (Exodus 34:1-2)

What do all these mean to you as a believer in the New Covenant?

Like Moses, we all need such time at one time or another, away from the people, and even the materialism or worldliness around us, just to be alone with God, enjoying His Presence, and communing (i.e. communicating and being in union) with Him. His wisdom and revelation would also flow when one connects with Him!

And where His Presence is, there is also His joy! Jesus is indeed the Source of your joy, and this joy is one that money can't buy, or the world can't give! It is also eternal and not short-lived (unlike the one that the world gives). Isaiah 53:4 says, "Surely He (Jesus) has borne your griefs and carried your sorrows ..." So that in exchange, you can have His joy! This happened when He died for you on the cross some 2,000 years ago!

His Spirit is also the Spirit of joy, and when His joy comes, sorrow has to leave; just as when the light comes, darkness has to flee! The Bible also says, 'this joy of the Lord shall be your strength' (Nehemiah 8:10). In Him, you are also anointed with the oil of joy that breaks every sorrow and heaviness (Isaiah 61:1-3), setting you free from every yoke, burden, or captivity. As a result, your life is now filled with the fullness of joy. Hallelujah! By faith, receive this oil of joy wherever you are right now, and be refreshed and renewed for the things ahead of you! In Jesus' name. Amen.