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
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