Serving the Lord With Gladness
God desires that we serve Him with gladness, trusting in His love and believing His Word, so that we may be testimonies of joy and good cheer.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that God desires His people to serve Him with joy and gladness, rooted in the understanding of His tender love and ongoing work in their lives. He warns that a lack of joy in serving can lead to spiritual emptiness and vulnerability to life's challenges, as illustrated by Moses' warning to Israel. Wilkerson encourages believers to rejoice in what God has done and to maintain a spirit of gladness regardless of circumstances, citing various Psalms that call for joy and gladness in the Lord. He asserts that true joy is not dependent on external factors but is a constant state that flows from trusting in God's love and truth. Ultimately, he calls for a life filled with gladness that serves as a testimony to others.
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God desires that we be so convinced of His tender love, so persuaded He is at work bringing us into His best, that we will have continual joy and gladness in our walk with Him! Moses warned Israel, "Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of all things" (Deuteronomy 28:47-48).
God is saying to us today, "Be glad and rejoice in what I have already done for you! If you go around moping, murmuring and complaining, you will forever be spiritually starved and naked, a prey to your enemies!" God wants us to so trust in His love for us that we will be testimonies of gladness and good cheer! He wants preachers who are glad at heart, filled with a gladness that is based on truth.
His truth produces a wealth of gladness that flows naturally outward from the heart: "Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing" (Psalm 100:2). "He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness" (Psalm 105:43). "Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!" (Psalm 32:11). "Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly" (Psalm 68:3).
You may ask, "How long can I expect to maintain joy in my service to the Lord?" Many believe that it lasts only as long as seasons of refreshing come from on high or as long as things go right. No, we are to have joy at all times! That is exactly what the Bible says: "Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!" (Psalm 90:14). "But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy" (Isaiah 65:18). We are "the Jerusalem from above"--reborn and living for Him with a spirit of gladness and rejoicing! Trust the Father, believe His Word about Himself, and see His gladness pour forth from your life.
Sermon Outline
- I. God's Desire for Us to Serve Him with Gladness
- A. To be convinced of His tender love
- B. To be persuaded He is at work bringing us into His best
- II. The Consequences of Not Serving the Lord with Gladness
- A. Serving enemies in hunger, thirst, nakedness, and need
- III. The Benefits of Serving the Lord with Gladness
- A. Being testimonies of gladness and good cheer
- B. Being filled with a gladness based on truth
Key Quotes
“Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing” — David Wilkerson
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” — David Wilkerson
“Let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must trust in God's love for us and believe His Word about Himself in order to experience true gladness.
- Serving the Lord with gladness allows us to be testimonies of joy and good cheer.
- We are to have joy at all times, not just during seasons of refreshing.