My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trails, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have it’s perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

I used to eat microwave popcorn just about every night and got pretty good at making it! It took exactly three minutes and 45 seconds in our microwave. If I was going to watch a football game. I would put a bag in the microwave, set the time and get my soda ready.

Then I would come back to check the progress of the popcorn. I’d look through the window (that’s why they put them there), and nothing would seem to be happening. One minute, then two and a half minutes would go by, and nothing changed. The bag was still lying motionless in the microwave. Just when I was about to give up, I’d hear, “Pop!” Then, I’d hear another, “Pop, Pop!” For the next minute, that sound would fill the kitchen until the entire bag was popped!

It is the same principle with the things you are believing to receive from God. You have God’s promises from the Word, but at times it seems like nothing is changing-nothing is happening! Just as I had to do with that bag of popcorn, you’ve got to keep on waiting. You’ve got to keep your joy level set on high and expect to receive!

James 1:2 says you’ve got to count it all joy. I like what James 1:3 say in the Berkeley Translation “…well aware that the testing of your faith brings out steadfastness. But let steadfastness have full play, so that you may be completed and rounded out with no defects whatever.

Joy gives you patience and staying power!

Joy gives you patience or staying power. It helps you to stay in a position of faith while God is working a miracle in your life, while He’s working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28)! If you rejoice while you wait for the answers to your prayers, it won’t be long until you hear “pop!”

Turn It up to Ten Joy!
Consider it maximum joy, my brothers, when you get involved in all sorts of trials… - James 1:2 (Berkeley)

He did not say that it was a “joy” to have multiple troubles. He said to “count it joy.” Look at your problems and count. One joy…two joy…three joy…then laugh at the devil! What Satan meant for evil. God is turning around for your good. Jesus paid too high a price for your victory for you to be defeated. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Jesus paid too high a price for your victory for you to be defeated!

One time I put my bag of popcorn in the microwave, set the timer, and walked away to do something else. When I returned, the bag had not popped. How disappointing! I checked the time and then I checked the bag. Finally, I looked at the setting on the microwave and I found the problem! Someone had set the microwave on defrost! I said, “Trina, did you set the microwave on defrost?” She replied, “Yes dear.” So I turned it back on high, set the time again, and soon I hear that “pop” that I expected.

Maybe you have not been getting any answers to prayer and victory seems lost. Maybe it’s been awhile since you’ve heard a “pop” in your life. Check your joy level. You may need to get your rejoicing off defrost and set it on high!

I like to say it this way: when you’re going through difficult times, turn your joy up! Remember, we’re supposed to count it ALL joy, in both the good times and the troubled times. The word “all” in the Greek is pas and includes all the forms of declension. That means that the word joy in this verse encompasses every level of joy, from cheerfulness and calm delight to gladness and exceeding great joy!

As you begin to count your situation “all joy,” then, you may start at “1-joy” which would be to brighten up. Then comes a smile which gets you to “2-joy,” a chuckle at 3-joy,” and so on, all the way up to “10-joy”! This “10-joy” is the same joy Peter referenced when he was told up to rejoice with “joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8). The Amplified Bible calls it “TRIUMPHANT, heavenly joy!” This kind of joy has winning power in it! Glory to God!

Your joy may be simmering right now, but you can turn it up to maximum “10-joy” and get the full manifestation of whatever you’re believing for! You may say, “I don’t really have anything to rejoice about.” Let’s see what Habakkuk has to say about that.
Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: YET I REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL JOY in the God of my salvation!
(Hab. 3:17–18)

Here is a clear picture of how to “count it all joy” when every circumstance around you is negative. The Hebrew word for “rejoice” here is alaz and means to jump for joy – to exult, be joyful, rejoice, and triumph. Think about it! Even children naturally jump up and down when they’re happy.

But can you jump for joy? How can you rejoice in terrible times? You can rejoice because you know something besides what is obvious to your physical senses? James 1:13 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempted He any man. Remember God is not the one who is tempting or testing you. That is not His nature, but every good and perfect gift comes down from Him (James 1:17).

God has given us the power through His Word to say in a position of faith. Second Peter 1:3 says, “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” Jesus said in John 16:33 that, “…In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” There is a crown of life given to those who overcome the tests and afflictions from the devil (Rev. 2:10).

I Brought You Here to Have a Good Time
Several years ago, Trina and I took out children to Disney World in Florida, It is such a creative and exciting place for children with a lot of rides and entertainment. It is also quite an expensive trip for any family. I thought it was funny when I saw a mother scolding and correcting her little boy for whining and complaining. The mother grabbed him firmly by the arm and said, “I brought you here to have a good time, and you’re going to have a good time!”

The mother commanded him to stop complaining and whining, and to get happy right away. She went on to explain to the boy why he was commanded to have fun. She said, “I paid too much for this trip for you to be grouchy and complaining. It has taken us too long to get here for you to ruin it with your whining!” The little boy promptly dried up his tears, stopped whining, and enjoyed the rest of the trip. I laughed because I understood exactly how that mother felt.

Enjoying the Trip
Now I can imagine our Father God having a similar problem with some of his children. I can hear Him saying: I brought you here to have a good time, now you are going to have a good time! I paid too much for your freedom for you to be bound. I paid too much for your joy for you to be depressed, I paid too much for your peace for you to be confused.

I paid too much of a price for your forgiveness for you to be condemned, I paid too much for your righteousness for you to be guilty or ashamed. I paid too much for your healing for you to stay sick, I paid too much for your success for you to fail!

The price of our freedom was the precious blood of Jesus. Jesus paid too high a price for our blessing for us to be cursed. We are blessed in Christ. God is speaking to us saying, “I brought you here to have fun – NOW YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE FUN!”

Jesus even prayed for us to experience His joy and gladness as He prayed in the Garden before His crucifixion. John 17:13 says, “And now I am coming to You, I say these things while I am still in the world, so that My joy may be made full and complete and perfect in them [that they may experience My delight fulfilled in them, that My enjoyment may be perfected in their souls, that they may have My gladness with-in them, filling their hearts]” (AMP). It is time to enjoy our victory in Christ! It is time to enjoy our redemption!

Rejoice! Your Name is Written in Heaven
The Lord is a God of salvation, help, deliverance, healing, and provision and you know Him! That’s what Jesus taught His disciples. In Luke 10:20, He said, “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because you names are written in Heaven” (NKJV).

You can rejoice about the fact that you are saved regardless of your circumstances.

No matter what bad things happen in life, at least you’re not going to hell! That’s something to be very happy about! Jesus was certainly happy about it. Verse 21 says that, “in that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit” (NKJV). The Spirit Filled Life Bible has a note on this verse, commenting on how Jesus rejoiced. “The successful mission of the 70 caused Jesus to burst forth in a spontaneous demonstration of worship in the Spirit (the Greek word suggest shouting and leaping with joy).

You can rejoice about the fact that you are saved regardless of your circumstances. Even if your best friend just left you, you can say, “ha, ha, ha! At least I’m not going to hell!” Rejoice, shout, and leap for joy because your name is written down in Heaven! Rejoice, because with God, nothing is impossible. Rejoice while you are waiting for the answers to your prayers, and you’ll soon hear “pop, pop!”

You have just hit “10-joy”! Glory to God! Hallelujah!


Source: The Secret Power of Joy
Excerpt permission granted by Mark Hankins Ministries