But then something happened: A revival of unity changed everything in 52 days. Fifty-two days! That’s less than two months! That’s what happens when people stop fighting about HOW to build and start building TOGETHER!
If you’ve ever been on a plane, you know that feeling. You’re sitting there, everything’s smooth, and then suddenly … bump, bump, bump. The seatbelt sign comes on. Your coffee’s shaking. Maybe your stomach drops a little.
Isaiah 61:10 calls it “the robe of righteousness.” That means it’s something you wear daily. You put it on before you walk into a world that wants to label you by your past. When you get dressed in righteousness, guilt can’t stick to you. Condemnation slides…
What a profound phrase! A heart that can discern God’s voice amid the noise. There’s a lot of noise out there folks! The constant scrolling. The nonstop opinions. The comparison, the criticism, the chaos. Everybody’s talking, but hardly anybody’s listening.
Folks, I was born in the swinging sixties – and I’m not talking about playground equipment! I’m talking about the decade of change, the hippie era, flower power! I came into this world when tie-dye was trendy and VW vans were the ultimate ride.
The Church forgot something. We forgot that power is our word. Not culture’s. Not Hollywood’s. Not Washington’s. Not Marvel. It started in the upper room, and it belongs to the believer. Romans 8:11 says the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in YOU.
“Love your enemies” sounds good in Greek… until your enemy has a name. So, let’s not pretend. Loving people … especially broken, abusive, or twisted people—feels impossible. But here’s your freedom: God never asked us to love people with our own strength.
Before we get into the Biblical meaning, let’s clear this up: Joy isn’t shallow. It’s not a personality type. It’s not the result of good vibes or perfect circumstances. Joy is power. Joy is strength. Joy is resistance against the gravity of depression, distraction, and discouragement.