"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
Part 4
Yesterday: Believers Are in Christ, and in the World
“In the world, ye shall have tribulation.”
While we live in this world, believers, “tribulation” from the world is a normal part of life.
Today: Be Courageous and Do Right!
“But be of good cheer.”
Jesus has just explained to his disciples that they live in a world where tribulation, affliction, adversity, and problems will be thrown their way from the enemy. How can they be cheerful with that news? The word that Jesus used when He spoke to the disciples is a word that means “to be of good courage, be of good cheer”[1] (Thayer). Jesus wasn’t telling the men to “put on a happy face,” He was commanding them to “take courage, and be bold!”
This is the same kind of command Joshua received from the LORD after Moses died. Moses led the people for 40 years, and now Joshua was the one responsible for the Children of Israel. He now had the administrative needs of that multitude on him. He was now the one who had to decide whether to go to war or not. It was Joshua’s shoulders that now bore the burden of leadership for the nation. What did God say to him in his “new norm?”
“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).
Believers, even with all the hardships and challenging issues that we face in these end-time days, I believe that God would tell us the same thing, “Be strong, and courageous” (Joshua 1:9b, ESV[2]).
There are many qualities of a courageous believer. Here are a few:
He or She is,
A believer who is trusting in God and doing what the Lord wants no matter what.
A believer with godly convictions based on the Word.
A believer who is brave even when they don’t feel like it.
A believer who perseveres, stays strong in adversity, refusing to wilt under pressure.
A believer with integrity.
A believer who knows fear but faithfully makes a choice to move ahead anyway.
A believer who is being the unique person God has made them. No copycats.
A believer who bounces back after failure. God is loving and forgiving.
Courage is one of the great needs of believers today. We need dads in Christian homes to courageously lead their families to follow God. We need moms who love the Lord and courageously stand with their husbands against the wickedness of the day. We need believing teenagers today who will courageously stand against peer pressure and against the evil influences that are all around them. And yes, even children can be courageous as they follow their moms and dads in learning to do what’s right and how to follow God. Christian families need to take a bold stand. In this sinful world, we need to do what’s right consistently.
Years ago, an old-time, gospel preaching southern evangelist used to say, “Do right ’til the stars fall!”[3] (Bob Jones, Sr.)
Instead of sitting around and complaining about how bad things are, let’s remember what Jesus told His disciples that fateful night before His crucifixion, “Be of good cheer.”
The reason that Jesus’ disciples, and believers today for that matter, can take courage and be strong is because of what He has already done for us. Come back tomorrow, and let’s see Jesus’ attitude towards this world.
Quote: “Is he alone who has courage on his right hand and faith on his left hand?”[4] (Charles Lindbergh).
[1] J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] ESV is the English Standard Version.
[3] Jones’ quote is one of his Chapel Sayings from Bob Jones University.
[4] Limburg’s quote Downloaded: Saturday, August 21, 2021. From: https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/77-motivational-quotes-that-will-give-you-courage.html.