Throughout my faith journey, the enemy has always pulled out his more subtle weapons in his assault against me whenever I feel a great sense of joy arising within me. I don’t know about you, but I have come to the conclusion that the more our enemy watches us become mature in our faith because we’ve gained perseverance, grit, and joy through each and every one of the trials, it is those feelings of a deep sense of contentment of where we’re at in life and the joy we find in delighting in God’s presence and in His Word that the enemy tries to extinguish. Joy is possibly one of the most understated emotions that we are equipped with in our spiritual weaponry as it is far more powerful than we first believe. It’s why the enemy fires little poisonous darts, piercing the protective membrane around this precious emotion we call ‘joy’ instead of the large arrow tips which normally assail our faith. So, what are we to do about it? Well, girl, it’s time to dig your heels in! 

Recently, I have felt those little darts pierce my joy since my new book’s release, ‘Wounded and on the Run’ as the hunter, Satan keeps reminding me of my inadequacies and mistakes so my joy becomes slowly subdued and suppressed. Clearly, the hunter, Satan is not happy with many elks finding the little cabin in the forest because my book uncovers most of his diabolical schemes. I chose to not share about my joy being attacked by the enemy until one of my college lecturers said to me the other day, “Don’t let anyone steal your joy. Treat joy like she’s one of your children. Protect her, fight for her because the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Protect her, fight for her? And it was then that I suddenly realised the light-hearted, optimistic, full of energy, one determined girl called, Joy, who helped in giving me strength through my trials, needed me to protect her, to fight for her and to dig my heels in.

So why is the enemy hellbent on attacking our joy? Why is our joy such a threat to him and his schemes? In the book of James, he talks about the power of joy. ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.’ (James 1:2-4) The enemy knows that joy develops perseverance, and perseverance helps us to become mature and complete – lacking nothing. This is why our enemy wants to abduct, kidnap, and loot our joy because we lack nothing when we face battles. 

Digging our heels in means that when we face trials of ‘many kinds’ we refuse to change our plans, we refuse to become despondent or discouraged through the testing because the relentless, dogged determination of our enemy has nothing on us when we chose joy. James is saying when we acknowledge and recognise the comfort and delight in the trials and when we consider each trial pure joy, then the enemy’s darts cannot harm us or penetrate our faith.   

I am a firm believer that ever since God said in Genesis 3:15, “I’m declaring war between you and the Woman…he’ll wound your head, you’ll bruise his heel” the serpent has tried to shackle women’s ankles so our shoes of the gospel of peace with the killer heels of joy cannot move us forward in the battles and advance God’s kingdom. Where there is no joy there is no peace and so we shrink back because those little darts the enemy fired have left us emotionally frustrated with zero strength to fight. 

Girl, it’s high time you started to dig your heels in and fought for Joy. Remember that companion, Joy? The one friend who helped you through your many trials. Joy, who walked alongside you and gave you the energy to fight in the battles and difficulties because of her light-hearted, optimistic, determination? Those qualities of hers that helped you even when the enemy assailed your soul? As my lecturer said, protect her, fight for her like she’s one of your children because the joy of the Lord, the One who is God of the Angel Armies, the One who protects, strengthens, and establishes your faith is where you’ll find your clout, your courage, and your power to be a joyful overcomer regardless of your circumstances! 

Wendy xo 

Has the enemy tried to steal, kill, or destroy your joy lately? I pray today, that you will regard joy as a companion, a true friend who helps you through your trials. I pray you will protect her, and fight for her by keeping in God’s Word and in His presence so you are equipped for the battles ahead. I thank you, Father, that in the book of Nehemiah it says in chapter 8 verse 10 that Your joy is our strength, and this is why the enemy so desperately wants to steal it. We know that joy is on our side and develops perseverance and maturity in our faith so that we are victorious because we, with joy as our companion, will LACK NOTHING! Amen