Have you been bogged down by the challenges of life lately? Have the hard knocks you’ve received over the past few years hurt your faith and your ability to believe God for all things new?

If so, I encourage you today to simply rest in the presence of God, pressing into Him so He can restore your soul and fill you with His fullness of joy.

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Our precious Lord Jesus is our shepherd, and restoring our souls is one of His main tasks as such. King David wrote:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:1–3 NKJV).

Isn’t it amazing that our God stoops to restore our souls?

Our Abba Father is so powerful and holy that He has every right to simply demand that we fall down and worship Him. He owes us nothing, except that He has chosen to obligate Himself to us by virtue of His own promises. Yet, this God — our dear, precious, Heavenly Father; His holy Son, Jesus; and His gentle Holy Spirit — cares about our mind, our will, and our emotions (which together comprise the soul).

He cares so much about your soul that He makes it His personal responsibility to heal you.

Yes — when times are hard (which, let’s face it, is every day!), Jesus Christ takes it upon Himself to heal and restore your mind, your will, and your emotions. And as your shepherd, a big part of how He does this is to help you rest in His presence.

It is in the presence of God that we receive fullness of joy.

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11 NKJV).

And beloved, as an intercessor, you have chosen to make prayer one of your chief pursuits. That means you have chosen the better portion, for in Spirit-led prayer you WILL encounter God’s manifest glory — and you will receive from His presence.

His presence is everywhere, for God is omnipresent. However, there is a special reward that comes when we focus on His presence. When we gaze upon His face and wait upon Him, we receive ALL of His benefits.

What will you receive? We will talk about the rewards of God’s presence throughout this article series. However, first and foremost, you will receive fullness of joy. And “fullness of joy” looks like:

• rest from all that ails you;
• hope where you had none before;
• renewal of peace for your heart.

The fullness of God’s joy will make every wrong thing right.

His joy will put the smile back on your face, the dance back in your feet, and the bounce back in your step. His joy will make you strong when you were weak, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

O beloved, if only I could tell you of the many, many, many times I felt all hope was lost — but in the presence of God, seated before Him in prayer, He made wrong things right and all things new for me. Over and over again He has done it for me, filling me with His healing and life-saving JOY where I had none before. And if He’ll do it for me, He’ll do it for you.

In the presence of God is fullness of joy.

And as an intercessor, you have chosen the presence of God as your portion — so you are entitled, by virtue of His promise, to be filled with fullness of joy, time and time again. Every day, every hour, every second, the fullness of His joy is your portion.

So do you need the fullness of joy today? Go to Jesus in prayer. Sit before our Heavenly Father and pour out your heart to Him:

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22 NKJV). (!)

Rest in His presence, and allow His precious Holy Spirit to minister to you and to heal your heart and soul. Wait on Him, and let Him do His good work in your heart, and you will receive fullness of joy.

Does this word speak to your heart today? Do you need fullness of joy? If so, please leave a comment below — and pray for the person who commented before you!

This article is part of a series. Find the other installments at the links below.

Part 2. The Intercessor’s Joy: Ministering to the Heart of God
Part 3. The Intercessor’s Joy: You Need a Covenant Prayer Partner
Part 4. The Intercessor’s Joy: Ask God for Signs of Land
Part 5. The Intercessor’s Joy: Angelic Encounters
Part 6. The Intercessor’s Joy: Inside Information
Part 7. The Intercessor’s Joy: Reward for Private Prayer

Jamie Rohrbaugh is the author of the ebook How to Become an Intercessor: You Can Shake Heaven and Earth. She is the founder of From His Presence, a ministry dedicated to equipping God’s people in prayer, the prophetic word, living supernaturally, inner healing, and kingdom wealth. Her writing can be found on YouVersion Bible Plans, in Charisma Magazine, and on The Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, and various other ministry outlets. Download her free prayer tool, Praying the Names of God: 555 Biblical Names of God and How to Use Them in Prayer and Worship, here. Photo Credit: Canva.