Life is tough sometimes…like right now for example in the midst of a global pandemic. It can be easy to be overwhelmed, stressed, anxious and fearful. It can be natural to be short with people, lose hope and allow negativity to run freely in our own minds and even in our conversations. But as believers trouble and hardship are nothing new and certainly not foreign. In fact Jesus said we should expect it! “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Friends, this is an important word for us to hear…Jesus has overcome the world! He’s already won the victory, he holds the keys to the kingdom and he actually offers them to you and I. The scriptures say, “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4) So, we too (as children of God) have overcome the world! How then do we realize this victory in the midst of what looks like so much brokenness and defeat in our lives and all around us? John gives us the answer, “This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 

It’s through faith that we experience the victory! It’s through faith God makes us overcomers! It’s through faith that we overcome the feelings of negativity, hopelessness, fear and anxiety. We “set our minds on things above” and not on earthly things. We fix our eyes on Jesus! He gives us a heavenly perspective, He calls us to rise above the things in the natural and overcome in a supernatural way. “For the kingdom of God is…righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,” (Romans 14:17) God’s kingdom consists of our relationship with Him and it manifests itself with peace that passes all understanding and inexpressible joy!

You might ask, “Well how do I experience this kind of peace and joy in the midst of so much difficulty?” Allow me to let you in on a secret…It’s in the place of difficulty where the kingdom of God is actually realized!!! The Scriptures say, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” (Acts 14:22) It’s the difficulties of life that cause us to reach out to God and press into our relationship with Him and through this relationship we discover and tap into a peace and joy that is out of this world! Therefore even in the midst of great hardship we can have peace, yes, we can even discover joy in the midst of our painful circumstances.

So friends, if you find yourself beat down and discouraged in this season, if you find yourself full of negativity and fear, if you’re stressed and overwhelmed, would you call upon the name of Jesus? Would you draw near to Him? Would you press into your relationship with God through prayer? And in that place of prayer would you not only bring your burdens and requests but would you also wait for a moment and posture yourself to receive something in return? So often we bring our junk to Jesus and immediately move on but sadly miss out on the receiving part. In exchange for “our stuff” God delights in filling us with His peace and giving us deep measures of joy! Remember the entrance into God’s supernatural peace and joy is through hardships. This is a season of entering in… This is a season of peace and joy…

Let’s press into God and find joy together, amen?!

Finding joy,

John 

The post Entering into God’s Kingdom Through Hardship first appeared on John Silkauskas.

It’s so simple yet so often overlooked. We rush through our day doing all the tasks we or others around us have put on our plates. And if by chance we have a moment to pause, rest or do nothing at all we often fill that space with whatever is on our phone, TV or other device we have at our immediate disposal. 

Yet all the while there is one calling out to us, inviting us to cease from all our doing and simply be…

We are invited to step back from the busyness of life, to slow down, pause and take time to still our hearts and minds and just be… Be still… Be still and know… Be still and know God… Be still and know who God is, reflecting on all He’s done and all He is doing… 

Our anxious thoughts however tell us we can’t stop, we can’t slow down, we have too much to do, too many things to get done. Sometimes we know in our hearts we should step back, pause, breathe, be still, but we won’t allow ourselves out of fear of what others might think. We think we have to keep up, do more, overachieve, post, scroll or check in… We fear we won’t have time, things won’t get done, others will disapprove, we’ll be rejected, we’ll miss out, our world will come crashing down (and whatever other lies we listen to).

But the truth is, most things can wait and a lot of things we actually don’t need to do at all. It’s in our times of being still that we begin to see clearly what truly matters and recognize what’s actually needed and what’s not. At the end of the day there is only one whose approval we truly need and we already have it! When we understand this truth an amazing sense of peace comes and overwhelms us in only the best of ways. A calmness of knowing that God is God and we are not comes and fills our souls. Our hearts are opened to greater revelations of the reality that God is good and kind, that God is with us and for us and that God not only has our world in His hands but the entire world is in His hands!

Refreshing comes in His presence, joy comes in His presence, peace comes in His presence… We find we’re actually able to cease from all our doing and simply be… We are awakened to the truth that we are not human doings after all, we are human beings. And from the stillness of being with God comes so many beautiful things!

Believing comes much more naturally and we’re reminded of our truest identity as God’s beloved children. And as His children we can rest knowing that He is a good father and He will provide everything we will ever need. In the stillness of being we experience a very real and true sense of belonging as well as a great sense of becoming. We know that we belong to the family of God, we are accepted and welcomed with open arms. We’re encouraged knowing that God is not only doing something beautiful within us but He is also about to do something new and beautiful through us. The beginning of new dreams are born, new opportunities are seen and our hearts become alive in His presence. We become like children again, care free, full of assurance, full of faith, full of joy.

So simple; so often overlooked… 

But maybe, just maybe, today on this day we will hear the Father calling and we’ll respond to His invitation.

“Be still and know that I am God.”

The post The Secret to Living Your Best Life Now first appeared on John Silkauskas.

One of the greatest needs in the world today is something we can all freely give yet rarely do. *LET’S CHANGE THAT!* Let’s pour out encouragement to everyone, everywhere, everyday! For what’s celebrated is replicated! This is the power of encouragement. So be generous in your encouragement towards others, may we bring life everywhere we go. Your words may very well stick with someone for years to come – so may they be words of life, love and encouragement.

Encouragement from God’s Word –

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. Hebrews 10:24

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. Proverbs 25:25

Looking for more?

Looking for more in the way of encouragement? Here are 4 guaranteed ways to encourage YOURSELF – watch here!

Be encouraged when you open up your email and find hope and inspiration waiting for you. Subscribe now —>  www.JohnSilkauskas.com 

How have others encouraged you along your journey? How have you encouraged others? Have you ever had a time where you had to encourage yourself? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post THE POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT first appeared on John Silkauskas.

Life is hard, each day is different but one thing each day brings is “trouble of it’s own.” (Matthew 6:34) We don’t even like to think about trouble, we don’t like to go there in our minds. But we all go through it, life throws us curve balls and can be downright brutal at times.

But what if I told you life doesn’t have to be as hard as it is?

Maybe for you it’s been the loss of a loved one or a serious illness in your body. Maybe it’s a struggle with an addiction or a troubled marriage. It could be a rebellious child, an ugly divorce, a car accident or a sudden job loss. We all go through difficult seasons in life, some more difficult than others. Sometimes it might not be one event but rather a series of small events that have a way of dragging us down – leaving us feeling beatdown, defeated, worried or stressed. Jesus knew life in this world would be difficult when he said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

But how do we experience peace and overcome when facing such difficulties in our lives?

The scriptures say it’s through our faith! (1 John 5:4) We can rise above the feelings that leave us beatdown, defeated, worried and stressed by bringing those very real things that we feel to Jesus in prayer. It’s there in the place of prayer where we find that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 It’s there where we’re reminded of God’s promise, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” And so we’re able to say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” Hebrews 13:5-6

It’s in God’s presence that we’re reminded we are not alone. His loving kindness washes over us and our heavy load is lifted, our burdens become lighter and we find help for our day. (Matthew 11:28-30) Everything doesn’t always change but one thing that almost always does is us! Our perspective changes, He helps us to see things differently and through faith He helps us overcome!

The old spiritual “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” comes to mind, particularly the line, “Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

Friends, make sure to go to God in prayer! Remembering that God is our helper and help from God means difficult things become easier!

Blessings!

John

“To those who grieve He will give beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, and a song of praise for a spirit of despair.” Isaiah 61:3

The post Where to go When You Need Help first appeared on John Silkauskas.

You have a gift! A God-given natural ability that is the secret key to your success in life. When you identify your gift and begin to utilize it, your gift will make a way for you and bring you great joy and fulfillment! We’ve all been given gifts. Natural abilities in certain areas. It’s evident when watching your favorite sports team – certain individuals are incredibly gifted with athletic abilities. Other people you know have a real gift with words, you can listen to them talk all day. Whether it’s music, math or mechanics, analyzing, accounting or administrating, we all have a gift! The question is: How do we discover and identify what those gifts are?

It took a little time to discover what my gifts were, but once I identified what they were and began utilizing them consistently they’ve caused me to excel and thrive! That’s why I’m excited to share this content with you – it’s my hope that you will discover more of what your gift is and how to utilize it in a way that not only blesses you but also blesses the world around you! In this brief video I not only share how to identify your gift but also what to do with your gift once you’ve identified it.

Watch the video and then reflect on the questions below…

What did you learn? What did you love? What are helpful tools that have helped you identify or grow your gift? Share in the comment section below!

For the full message click here – Your gift will make room for you!

If you’d like to learn more about getting the most from this ministry click here – Start your journey today!

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