“Serve Jehovah With Rejoicing”
1. What can be a source of great joy for servants of Jehovah?
1 “Always rejoice in the Lord,” wrote the apostle Paul. “Once more I will say, Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4) The privilege of sharing the good news and helping sheeplike people to worship Jehovah is a source of great joy. (Luke 10:17; Acts 15:3; 1 Thess. 2:19) However, if we find that at times joy is lacking in our ministry, what can we do?
2. How can keeping in focus the source of our commission contribute to our joy?
2 A God-Ordained Work: Remember that our preaching commission comes from Jehovah. Yes, how privileged we are to be “God’s fellow workers” in proclaiming the Kingdom message and making disciples! (1 Cor. 3:9) Christ Jesus is with us in this never-to-be-repeated work. (Matt. 28:18-20) The angels are also actively involved and work with us in the great spiritual harvest now taking place. (Acts 8:26; Rev. 14:6) The Scriptures, along with the experiences of God’s people, give unmistakable evidence that Jehovah is backing this work. When we preach, therefore, we go forth “as sent from God, under God’s view, in company with Christ.” (2 Cor. 2:17) What a powerful reason for joy!
3. What role does prayer play in maintaining our joy in God’s service?
3 Prayer is essential to maintaining our joy in God’s service. (Gal. 5:22) Since we can do God’s work only in his strength, we need to beseech him for his spirit, which he gives generously to those asking him. (Luke 11:13; 2 Cor. 4:1, 7; Eph. 6:18-20) Praying about our ministry will help us to maintain the right perspective when we encounter negative responses. It will enable us to continue preaching boldly and cheerfully.—Acts 4:29-31; 5:40-42; 13:50-52.
4. How does good preparation help to increase our joy in preaching, and what are some practical ways that we can prepare?
4 Prepare Well: A practical way to increase our joy when we share in the ministry is that we prepare well. (1 Pet. 3:15) Such preparation need not entail a lot of time. It takes just a few minutes to review the suggested presentations for the current magazines or a presentation that is suitable for the literature you plan to offer. For an appropriate introduction, you can consult the Reasoning book or past issues of Our Kingdom Ministry. Some Kingdom publishers find it helpful to jot down a brief presentation on an index card. Periodically, they glance at the card to refresh their memory. This helps them to overcome nervousness and gives them confidence to preach with boldness.
5. How does joy benefit us and others?
5 Joy brings with it many benefits. A joyful disposition enhances the appeal of our message. Joy strengthens us to endure. (Neh. 8:10; Heb. 12:2) Above all, our joyful service glorifies Jehovah. Therefore, let us “serve Jehovah with rejoicing.”—Ps. 100:2.