*** REJOICE!!!...IN?...OVER? ****

 "REJOICE IN THE LORD"!!!!! ALWAYS!!!  Again I willl say Rejoice!!!"   (Philippians 4:4).

Definition: Rejoice - Joy, to  be greatly happy; to be excessively Happy!

In "THE MESSAGE BIBLE" this verse (Phil 4:4) says:                         "CELEBRATE GOD ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, I MEAN REVEL IN HIM!"

IN the NEW KING JAMES  BIBLE HE declares it this way:                  :...King David LEAPING and TWIRLING  before the LORD...".        (2 Samuel 6:6 New King James Version).).

Some translations state that "GOD rejoices over US with SINGING       and DANCES with Delight over US "!!!!!!!!

"The LORD your GOD in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; HE    will REJOICE over YOU with gladness, HE will quiet you with HIS  love, HE will rejoice over You with Singing."!!!!!!!! (Zephaniah 3:17).

If we focus on OURSELVES, or focus on our Circumstances--- that can make it more difficult to believe that HE REJOICES OVER US!!!

But many times in GOD'S WORD we are taught/Commanded to focus  on HIM---"but we all...behold the Glory of the LORD, being transformed into the same image from glory to glory...by the Spirit of the LORD." (2 Corinthians 3:18).

As we CONTINUE to focus our thoughts on HIM---we are reminded that HE is the "ONE TRUE GOD" (John 17:3)/ "THE LORD MOST HIGH" (Psalm 47:2) 

When HE looks upon us - HE KNOWS by HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE the Most Terrible Price that HE paid for us---and knowing what we will be when "...HE completes HIS good work in us..." (Philippians 1:6)

ONCE FOR ALL TIME AND INTO ETERNITY - HE-THE ONE TRUE GOD SET OUR VALUE TO HIMSELF by paying the HIGHEST POSSIBLE PRICE for EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US-   by sending HIS SON JESUS to a Tortuous death on the cross---to pay for OUR sins!!!  SO, BECAUSE GOD HIMSELF does NOT change     (Malachi 3:6); AND Because JESUS  CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, AND FOREVER." (Hebrews 13:8).---

"THE LORD YOUR GOD in your midst will save...(HE) will rejoice over you with gladness...[In HIS LOVE...He will make NO mention of past sins, nor even recall them].  HE will exult over you with singing." 

Several years ago,  when my wife Mary worked in a town (Dahlonega, Ga.) several miles from our home in Cleveland, Ga.---several times each week I would drive to a gym in Dahlonega-to exercise.  On some of those trips I would first stop by to visit Mary at her office .

On a certain day in April, I stopped by to visit Mary.  As I talked with her---I realized that she was experiencing a day which was even more stressful than usual!

My plan for that day was that I would go to the local library to look for a specific book.  But as I prayed and drove toward the library--- Our LORD gave to me understanding---that rather than look for a book---I should sit outside the library, enjoy the warm sunshine and the spring flowers that our LORD had provided for me...so that I could sit there and pray for Mary!!!

{Please allow me to insert here some information that will help make the rest of the story to be more clear:  Whenever we pray for someone OTHER THAN OURSELVES---it is called Intercessory Prayer}.

As  prayed for Mary, I also began to rejoice and thank our LORD for the warm sunshine, the beautiful flowers, And for the FREEDOM to be there and pray...and to praise and thank our LORD that "...HE HIMSELF is our peace..." (Ephesians 2;14); HE HIMSELF "... is our Strength and our Song..." (Exodus 15:2);  "JESUS CHRIST is the SAME yesterday, today, and forever." (Hebrews 13:8); and that JESUS is "...with us always..." (Matthew 28:20)

SO, I was rejoicing IN HIM---As i continued this---the HOLY SPIRIT moved me to ask:  "LORD, does this mean that I am to Rejoice IN YOU in an Intercessory manner for Others???  ONLY by HIS grace and by HIS FAITHFULNESS I do now, and I am to continue to "rejoice in the LORD..." in an Intercessory manner for others. HOW GOOD!!! Our HEAVENLY FATHER IS!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I mentioned earlier...Rejoicing can be "to dance and twirl in joy."

Back to Mary: As I talked to Mary later...her stress had eased, and her peace Increased As i rejoiced For her!!!

***(You may find this (following) Amusing---                                        Because i am now age 79, I sometimes have difficulty with my balance=so I do dance and twirl SLOWLY!  Sometimes in the parking lot outside the gym - I lift up my hands and twirl...and people walking nearby call out to me, asking "are you OK?" "Do you need help?"  That gives to me an opening to witness to them about "Rejoicing in the LORD"!!!

GOD REJOICES OVER US!!! HE IS WORTHY FOR US TO REJOICE IN HIM!!!!!!11!

HE     IS     WORTHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!