Count it All Joy

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. (James 1:2)

I’m sure you’ve had moments when life seemed to be hitting you not just from one direction but from all sides. James used the term “divers,” meaning many-faced or many-faceted attacks. In those moments, it's easy to let discouragement, anger, and jealousy take over our thoughts and attitudes. Yet, in James 1, he wrote a powerful message about what believers are called to do instead: Count it all joy.

Now, you need to understand the context and world in which this was written. Christians faced intense persecution, and Jewish Christians suffered even more as anti-Semitism swept through the Roman world. These believers encountered real-life hardships and separations as they scattered to protect themselves from death.

James wrote to these believers, explaining that this wasn’t random, it wasn’t a mistake, and it was methodical. Satan brings life's difficulties to distract, discourage, and make us doubt God’s plan. He can’t take your anointing, gift, or call, but he can try to divert your attention from it and instead get you to focus entirely on him and how negative this situation is. Trials and problems don’t simply occur because we have done something wrong. Those difficulties often arise because we have received the Word of God, and the enemy wants us to abandon it immediately.

James wasn’t suggesting that we enjoy suffering. He was saying that we can choose to focus on and receive joy as the fruit of the Spirit, coming from our time in the presence of God, instead of concentrating on how fiercely the enemy is fighting. When you face trials, remember it's not because you've failed—it's because you're growing.

Practical Application

Stop talking about how bad the devil is. Stop wasting your time on problems, worries, and the mess. When you feel tempted, say aloud, “I have the joy of the Lord.”  Receive His joy and walk in it.

Mark 4:17, Matthew 13:21

When Affliction Arises

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. (James 1:1)

Have you ever considered to whom James wrote his letter and why he began it this way? It’s easy to overlook introductions in the epistles, letters, and books of the Bible. However, every greeting, every word, and every Scripture carries meaning. You shouldn’t read the Bible like a textbook or some spiritual self-help guide.

The Bible is the living, breathing Word of God, and the people in it faced real struggles, had real families, and endured real conflicts as they trusted and followed God. When you read the Word, you should understand what was happening, place yourself in the Scripture, and feel what they felt.

James was writing this letter to the Jewish believers who had been scattered due to severe persecution. They encountered hostility and uncertainty as they faced a challenge they had not anticipated.

Thousands of believers were forced to abandon their homes, businesses, communities, and even places of worship as they fled. They received terrific revelations, thousands of people were being added to the church daily, and the power of God was strongly manifesting in their everyday lives. Yet, they continued to face attacks in every way.

Believers should not be surprised by the enemy's attacks; this is precisely what Jesus promised would happen. In His parable of the sower, Jesus explained that one way Satan attempts to steal our faith is through afflictions. These scattered Christians faced an intense, immediate trial of their faith. Their comfort and stability had been taken from them, leaving them to question whether Jesus was worth it. James encouraged them to look beyond their challenges and focus on God’s promises and plans.

Practical Application

Take some time today to encourage someone who is struggling. The enemy may be attempting to steal their joy, focus, or determination to continue in the things of God. Encourage them, as James did with the scattered church, to concentrate on God’s heavenly perspective. 

John 7:35; Acts 15:23

Not a Superhuman Prophet

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. (James 5:17-18)

Sometimes, it’s easy to place the figures of Scripture—both men and women—on a pedestal, thinking they were somehow holier, stronger, or more spiritually powerful than we are. However, that isn’t accurate. James reminded us that Elijah wasn’t a superhuman prophet. Like us, he was a man with emotions, struggles, and weaknesses. He faced frustration, discouragement, and even fear at times. Nevertheless, despite the human issues that tried to hinder him, his prayers consistently yielded supernatural results. Why? James tells us it was because he prayed earnestly.

Elijah didn’t merely pray casually—he prayed with sincere expectation. His prayers changed the weather for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, God opened the heavens, and rain poured from the sky. If Elijah’s prayers could alter the weather patterns, how much more can our prayers affect the situations surrounding our lives, our families, our workplaces, and the world?

God moves on the earth because His people ask Him to. While there is a sovereign will of God, much of what happens in our world comes from people praying or not praying. Just as Elijah’s prayers influenced the climate, we, too, have the authority to pray for our families, cities, nations, and even natural disasters. When we pray with faith and power, we partner with God to bring about change in our world.

We must not stop praying about something when we see a small breakthrough; we need to continue pressing in, moving forward, and trusting in the fullness of God’s promise. Prayer is not a one-time action; it’s a lifestyle.

Practical Application

Don’t just say words; pray with passion, faith, and expectation. Speak to your storms, both literal and metaphorical. Declare the Word with passion and power and expect God to work behind the scenes to accomplish His will.

1 Kings 17:1; Luke 4:25