JUDAS GOT HIS COINS BUT LOST HIS JOY!

In the early hours of Purim (The feast of Esther) God awoke me with these words:

"Judas got his coins but lost his joy! Jesus stayed the course and received His full joy! Let His joy be in you and let your joy be full! I am with you! Stand up! Be courageous! Open your mouth and speak the word of The Lord." 

Purim is the most joy-filled of all the Jewish holidays. A feast dedicated to the celebration of good triumphing over evil. It reminds us that God is the master of the turnarounds. A time of turnaround is coming for those who stay the course. Haman thought he won the great prize but ended hanging on his own gallows. Esther stayed loyal and God brought a great blessing on the whole nation. The name Esther comes from a Hebrew word meaning: "the hiddenness of God." It is good to know... Just because you don't see what God is doing or have access to all He knows... It would be a mistake to doubt He is at work. Jesus said there are things hidden that God only reveals to His friends. [John 15:15]

God especially pressed the story of Judas on me as a prophetic encouragement. He told me: "In this pre-revival battle many Judas' will rise up amongst the people and say 'brothers', but I will show them as liars and expose them as usurpers in the spirit of Jezebel. There stubborn hearts don't/won't listen to what My Spirit is saying, and they continue to put their ideas ahead of what I say. They've allowed Satan to deafen their hearing and mature self-righteousness in their hearts. But know this... they will not succeed. Pleasing men is not the same as pleasing Me. Judas found a ready ally in pleased the institutions, laws, practices of religion and the wisdom of man but in doing so they have rebelled against Me and what I am doing."

The Jewish people refer to Purim as the disaster that God turned upside down! God's plan and purpose, even when it doesn't look like it, will succeed in the end.

For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [Hebrews 12:2]

Who can rise up against God and win? Nobody!  It all started when pride crept into Judas' heart and opened the door to witchcraft. He thought: 'I'm right. I know better. I know things Jesus doesn't. My way has to be better than what Jesus is doing. Afterall who put Jesus in charge! He is totally off track. I cannot stand this anymore!' It only took 30 pieces of silver, a difference of opinion and a friend's kiss on the cheek for Judas to betray Jesus and feel justified in himself. Judas become disillusioned when Jesus showed little interest in his clever ideas about what the kingdom should look like and how it should work. John 13:27 tells us that after Judas considered Jesus' ways and disagreed with it that Satan possessed him. 

Somehow Judas believed he knew better than Jesus. He did not care that God sent Jesus and that Jesus was doing what the Father was telling Him. Something in his own heart convinced him that he had greater revelation and a much better way to run things. He did not like the leadership of Jesus. He did not like the plan of God. He did not agree with the way Jesus obeyed God. He did not like what Jesus called worship. He did not agree with how money was spent. He did not like how Jesus ministered to the lost and broken. He especially did not appreciate how Jesus was going after something he was not passionate about. He did not understand it. He did not appreciate it. He had so many 'GREAT' ideas, but Jesus just did not do anything he suggested. How dare Jesus lead without his consent. Then out of that most insane delusion he rose up and said: "I WILL FIX IT! I will be the one to sort all this out! Let me collude with the religious ones and see how we can remove Him!" The bible then says it was out of such a heart that he proceeded to conspire with the religious authorities of the day on how they could remove Him. BUT HIS MASTER PLAN BACKFIRED ON HIM! 

It was never about the money. It was about pride. It was about his heart. Judas made the mistake of thinking he knew it all. He thought he had all the information required and somehow, he could come up with a better plan than God. He allowed the spirit of rebellion, dishonor and disrespect to overtake him in what he thought was a righteous cause.... only to realize later that he ended up working for Satan and was a great part in his evil plan.  

This is the message for us all..........

God wants you to live in joy, but that will never happen if you're following the ways of Judas. I strongly believe God woke me with this word because Jesus is offering a grace to those who will turn from rebellion and humble themselves under the "not my way but yours!" confession. If you find yourself like Saul persecuting God's plan and kicking against His ways... then I pray today that by His amazing grace He will encounter you on your road to Damascus. I ask God to show you your place, your authority and your attitude so you will not go the way of usurping Him, but rather the way of "show me your way Lord so I may follow!". 

If today, you have faithfully followed the purpose and direction of the Lord and you find yourself under the hand of betrayal, dishonor and disloyalty... Then I speak a better word over you: A time of turnaround is coming for those who stay the course. Don't apologize for being faithful to God. Don't deny that you've been led by God's Spirit! Stay encouraged and be filled with the JOY of the Lord. All authority to overcome ALL works of darkness is with you and NOTHING will by any means harm you or overcome you. God's plan will succeed. Be with HIM when it does!

BY NICO SMIT

‘JUDAS GOT HIS COINS BUT LOST HIS JOY!’ - published 16 March 2025. Find it, and other teaching and prophetic words on: nicosmitblog.com