Category Archives: Biblical Understanding

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Why God tells us to Remember

All throughout the Old Testament God sends reminders to the people of Israel to help them remember who He is, who they are and all that He has done for them! He would tell them to take stones from the Jordan or build an altar, they would even change the name of different mountains, valleys and cities to always remember what God had done there. Often this wasn’t only to help them remember but also in order to teach to their children and their children’s children to remember all that God had done. I love the richness of this and I think we can learn a lot from these practices of old.

How many times do you and I face difficult situations and those difficulties lead us to a place of anxiety and fear. Too often we may even know what to do but we just get stuck. We forget who our God is, we forget who we are and all that God has already brought us through! It’s in these times that we need to remember! Remember it was God who saw Joseph through both slavery and prison. Remember it was God who delivered the Israelites from Egypt, who parted the Red Sea for them and destroyed pharaoh and all their enemies. Remember it was God who delivered David from Saul and Daniel from the lions den. Remember it was God who provided Elijah with miracle after miracle right when he needed it! Remember it was God who rescued the Hebrew three from the fire and Peter both on the water and in the jail. Remember it was God who healed the blindness from Bartimaeus’ eyes and raised Lazarus from the dead!

In whatever season of life we may be in, whatever we may currently be facing we need to remember that Jesus Christ rose from the grave and the same power that rose him from the dead now dwells in us! We need to personally remember all that God has done for us over the years, his faithfulness, his kindness and how he’s ALWAYS been on time! We need to remember His promises in Scripture, the prophetic words spoken over our lives and the truth’s He’s whispered to our hearts. We need to remember, so when the enemy comes and lies to us we can look him in the face and rejoice because we REMEMBER that our God is with us, for us and faithful to see us through!

Be encouraged today as you remember…

~John

“And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” Joshua 4:20-24

PS Pass this message along, share it with a friend, remind those who you know are going through a difficult time and make sure to teach these things to your children! And always remember that the Lord is good and He is always faithful!

(I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you the regular encouragement I send out each week. If you would like to be encouraged regularly then subscribe to receive my devotionals via email @ http://www.johnsilkauskasministries.com/about/ )

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Are You Listening?

In Matthew 4:4 Jesus says that, “Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Here Jesus is giving us insight as to how we’re called to live. Life is not merely about eating, drinking and being merry rather there is more to life! We’re called to live not just for the natural things of life, we’re called to live for a supernatural purpose. That word “super” simply means “above” so we’re called to live our lives above just the natural things. So if food is a natural source of strength and something we so often work for and pay sometimes a great amount of money for, then God’s words are our food and our source of strength in life and ought to be sought after regularly. See we are called to live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. His words are spirit, they are life, He speaks through His written word and He speaks to our hearts through His Spirit and we are called to live by these words! Jesus said it again in John 4:34 like this, “My food is to do the will of He who sent me.”

God brings life, strength and encouragement to us through His word and He also gives us purpose and direction! He reveals to us the path of life in His presence! He shows us what we’re to do and why we’re here, along with also filling us with joy and peace. So, to bring encouragement to your hearts today I thought I would share some of what the Father has been speaking to me lately:

  • Be encouraged even when you don’t see my hand moving, be encouraged even when you don’t feel like you are doing anything for me and be encouraged when you question where you think you should be, just trust me.
  • I am with you and I am working all this (yes, even this) for your good!
  • I love you with an everlasting love and I am working behind the scenes to make wrong things right! Yes the money of the wicked will be laid up for the righteous, yes the wrong things will be made right. Continue to walk closely with me and you will see all things things take place.
  • Too many are distracted by their surroundings and the negative things in their lives but lo, I am at work in secret even behind the things that you can see. Behold you cannot see this great work but I promise you it will come to pass and it will happen soon. Continue to wait on me.
  • Don’t focus on the negative things you see, for I’ve called you to live by faith, set your eyes on me and rejoice in knowing that I am at work in the earth today.
  • Believe me for MORE!
  • Keep coming back to me, keep praying and believing for there is great power in prayer and I am calling you to a deeper place in prayer, I am calling you to get ready for the things that I am going to do in the earth, pray!
  • Rest in my love for you, do not worry about all these things, simply rest, seek me first and often and I will keep you in perfect peace.

I share these things with you as you most likely can identify with some or all of what God is speaking to me, simply because we are His Church and the Spirit of the Lord is often saying the same thing to different members of the body. For there is one body and there is one Spirit. I share these words in hopes that they will speak to you and encourage you to spend time listening to the words that proceed from the mouth of God this week. He loves you and yes he is speaking, are you listening?

 

(Other Scriptures Referenced: John 6:63, Psalm 16:11, Ephesians 4:4)

 

I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you the regular encouragement I send out each week. If you would like to be encouraged regularly then subscribe to receive my devotionals via email @http://www.johnsilkauskasministries.com/about/

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The Hour At Hand

This is what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the Church in this hour: “Don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised.” Hebrews 10:35-37

We are living in very exciting times right now, the season that we are going into is going to be filled with joy and promise! Seriously filled! God’s presence is going to be greatly felt in the earth, an awakening is coming (even now I can sense His presence in powerful ways)! So, don’t give up or grow weary, you’re too close now! Great reward is coming for those who believe! Great favor is being poured out upon God’s children all over the world, receive it now by faith! Although the trials have been great and many they have produced things needed for the journey ahead. God is producing great endurance in the hearts of His children and as we endure we receive the promise!

Pray with me, “God, even now I say yes to you and all that you desire to do in me and in the earth today. Come Holy Spirit, fill me and send me where you desire, use me for your glory! Thank you for producing in me things needed for the journey, and now by faith I say yes to joy and promise! Surround me with favor as a shield, fill me with joy and laughter, let these things abound in me, my family and the Church! Come with promise Lord, all that you’ve promised and more! Let it be exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think in Jesus name, amen!”

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Understanding the Times

We are on the eve of an unprecedented move of God. Soon we will hear and see things we never thought possible as God is positioning his church and setting the stage for His hand to be greatly seen in the world today. Much money has been spent on wickedness in recent days, months and years but the tables are turning. God is exposing what is in darkness and bringing it all to light. Soon you will see a great outpouring in the Church, it will be an outpouring of not just wealth (although that is part of it), it will also be an outpouring of love, maturity, growth, joy, peace and the miraculous!

Although this past season has been a difficult one, filled with uncertainty and confusion for many, God has brought about a greater dependence in our hearts. And as we’ve looked to Him, He has brought about a maturity as well. We’ve been tested so that we can be approved for the increase that God is about to bring. And although it is coming quickly we must wait just a little longer.

In this time of waiting God is calling us to Himself. He is the access point for which all blessings will flow but he is calling us to Himself not just so that we can access His blessings but so that we can experience His heart. God is calling His Church into a place of greater intimacy, not just of knowing His word, but knowing His heart! In this busy season do not be distracted, do not be fooled. Give yourself over to spend time with the Lord, sit as His feet and allow Him to speak to you in the silence. Yes, pray and pour your heart out to the Lord but also wait before Him and listen to Him speak. Remember to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

It’s a new season, let’s pray in anticipation!

“God, prepare my heart for the things to come. Strengthen me in the areas where I need to be strengthened. Stir up my faith and draw me closer to you. In all of the changes and all that is happening around me help me to focus on you. Remove distractions from me and give me grace to sit at your feet and hear your words. Jesus, I want to fall more in love with you! Keep me close, in Jesus name I pray, amen.”

Our best days are ahead,

John

PS I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you the regular encouragement I send out each week. If you would like to be encouraged regularly then subscribe to receive my devotionals via email. Subscribe today @ http://www.johnsilkauskasministries.com/about/

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Are You Stuck in Satan’s Web?

We’ve been in a season of warfare (it helps just to know this). See this knowledge brings light to your difficulties, it helps you to see you’re not as bad off as you thought, in fact you’re a lot better off than you thought! See just knowing that you’re being assaulted with a wave of warfare helps you to clear your mind knowing that even the thoughts that you’ve been thinking haven’t been you at all but rather the enemy bombarding you with fiery darts and accusations. He’s been trying to get you to question who you are, what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. He’s been attacking your character and identity trying to get you to second guess yourself and think as one who doesn’t know who they are at all. And along with this onslaught from the enemy he’s also been trying to confuse you, cloud your judgement, fill your heart and mind with doubt, discouragement and depression. And as if all those weren’t enough he’s also been attempting to bring division in your relationships, apathy at work and deceit in your mind (even leading to difficulties in your health).

I say all this to bring light to his schemes. Jesus said that he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). Satan operates in darkness (which means ignorance), therefore when we don’t know his schemes we are often subject to them (Hosea 4:6). Jesus is the light of the world and in him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). Jesus brings light (understanding) to Satan’s schemes. And therefore it’s through Jesus we overcome. Christ is the head of the church and we (referring to believers) are his body here on the earth (Romans 12:5, Colossians 1:18, and 1 Corinthians 12:27). So as we spend time with Jesus (reading God’s word and spending time in worship and prayer) and his body (sharing what’s going on in each of our lives and praying for one another) we walk in the light and darkness has no power over us. I believe even now as you read these words darkness is leaving and light is filling your heart. Ignorance, deceit, discouragement, confusion and despair are headed out and in their place joy, peace, understanding, encouragement, clarity and hope are flooding your heart today.

I declare freedom for you today in Jesus name! You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). And he who the son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36). All the rain is passing, the sun is bursting forth and you can clearly see God’s promise painted in the sky. “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Deuteronomy 7:9 Great is his faithfulness (Lamentations 3:23), faithful is he who calls you, and he also will bring it to pass (1 Thessalonians 5:24). “Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” Joshua 21:45 “Remember his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.” 1Chronicles 16:15

Remember God’s faithfulness! Remember all he’s done for you! Remember who he says you are! Remember the prophetic words spoken over your life! Remember all that you’ve been through together! Remember! Now rise up and give testimony to who God is in your life today! Stop letting your mountains speak to you and start speaking to them! God has given you authority, use your words, declare God’s truth over your heart and situation and be encouraged knowing that God is working ALL this for your good! Yes, indeed! Even your past, yes even your present, yes even this dark season, this time of testing, yes God is working it ALL for your good! Just think of what the Father has in store for you (in light of all these things). Oh, God is good, let’s bless his name together!

(If you were blessed by this message and believe others you know need to hear it, please share it with them, share in my joy knowing God is using you to help others and share it with the world as you never know who is in darkness and could really use some light)

Blessings!

John

PS I would be remiss if I didn’t share with you the regular encouragement I send out each week. If you would like to be encouraged regularly then subscribe to receive my devotionals via email @ http://www.johnsilkauskasministries.com/about/