Finding Victory Through Celebration
Christians must learn the importance of celebration. In a sermon by Pastor Mike Signorelli, the apostolic leader emphasizes that we can find victory and experience God's transformative power by embracing celebration, particularly amid adversity.
A study in the book of Leviticus chapter 23 highlights how the people of Israel experienced God's presence through celebration, even amidst life's difficulties and opposition. They were given specific feasts to observe whether they felt like it or not. Celebration, in this way, can combat generational trauma and rewire our brains for joy. Until this very day Israelis celebrate passover regardless of what is going on. The feast and festivals serve as a reminder to them to worship God who has delivered them in the past despite the current trials.
Purpose for the Feast
Pastor Mike spotlighted three key purposes of the feasts in Leviticus:
Remembrance of God's Faithfulness: They recalled past deliverances and trust in God's unchanging character. Scripture is clear that God's words do not return void. He is the same yesterday, today and forever and does not change. Followers of Christ can rest assured that He is not a man that He should lie, if God said something, that settles it.
Renewal of Covenant Relationship: These feasts served as a reaffirming commitment to God, even when they faltered. It emphasizes continuous repentance and returning to God. God doesn't have to renew His covenant because He does not forget, but people do tend to make commitments and by the time they get home from church, forget about it. It is important to keep repenting and committing yourself to God as many times as needed, and one day it will change.
Rest and Joy: The feasts were instrumental in scheduling rest and helping God’s people find joy again in God's presence amidst conflict. The discipline of celebration helps us learn to convert chaos into "white noise." Rest is not the absence of conflict but rather it’s the presence of God which in turn offers a peace that surpasses understanding.
Who is Hosting Your Celebration?
Psalm 23:5 is a foundational scripture for those who follow God to embrace the reason for celebration and the one hosting our celebration. God prepares a feast table for His children, which is a blessing. However, He prepares it in the midst of our enemies which many times is a challenge for us to accept. Recognize the Host has invited people or things that you wouldn't have invited to your table (pain and suffering), but these experiences bring forth growth.
The reason people have so much anxiety and depression today is because the focus is not on the host and enjoying the celebration. Let us celebrate and allow God to do the rewiring in us that is needed. We often try to escape the very people God uses to make us a more accurate reflection of His son, Jesus.
God is sovereign. God has a plan and is never surprised by the events in our lives. The things we don't choose He’s selected for a purpose. The V1 church leader shared from his personal experience of having multiple abusive stepfathers. He himself would not have chosen these men to be in his life but they served as mentors by showing him what he didn't want to be. His heartbreaking experience helped shape Pastor Mike's understanding of the Father's heart.
Schedule Divine Celebration
Christians should schedule feasts and festivals to connect with God. The deeper we go in God, the more you should enhance your celebration. There are so many people who have partied in the world before coming to Jesus but when they do come to God they won’t celebrate in Him and that should not be so.
Believers must learn to be joyful in the Lord (Philippians 4:4). The enemy hates it when we rejoice. Wherever God is, there is a reason to celebrate.
Pastor Mike connects the idea of scheduled celebration in Leviticus to the modern understanding of neuroplasticity. He suggests that intentional acts of praise and celebration, even when one doesn't feel like it, can rewire the brain and break generational patterns of negativity and trauma inherited from experiences like slavery in Egypt or hardships in the wilderness.
The Israelites are very good at training up their children in the ways of God. Likewise, Christian parents should lead their children in worship to the Most High God. Serving God should be a non-negotiable in your home until they are old enough to be on their own. Celebrating the goodness of God should be enforced across generations. In 2 Chronicles 20, the story of Jehoshaphat, we see worshippers were placed at the front of the army, demonstrating that worship and praise are powerful weapons against spiritual enemies.
Celebrating God even before a victory is a powerful act of faith that acknowledges His character as a deliverer (Philippians 4:6). In Revelation 19, we see that we already have the victory over sin, death, and all enemies. So why not start feasting and celebrating in faith now?!
About the Author
Jeannie Ortega Law is a chart-topping singer, evangelist, media personality and author from New York City. She can be reached on social media: @JeannieOrtega or emailed at Info@JeannieO.com
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