"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 5
Yesterday: Be Courageous and Do Right!
“But be of good cheer.”
Before Jesus went to Calvary, He told His disciples to be courageous.
God is not into wimps; He calls for all believers to “be strong and courageous.”
Today: Our Victory Is in Jesus Christ
To be strong and courageous while going through tribulation seems like an impossibility. Why would Jesus command that? Jesus would not have told His men to do so if it were not possible. Jesus’ following statement shows us why believers can be courageous even during affliction.
“I have overcome the world.”
Jesus has gone before us, and He has done what no one has thought possible. He has overcome this world. He has defeated sin, death, the devil, and the corrupt world system.
“He overcame the world when nobody else had overcome it”[1] (Spurgeon)
Although often attacked by Satan in the world, Jesus was never overcome by him. In fact, Jesus has overcome Satan.
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31).
“Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:11).
Although Jesus lived His life in this world, He never let the world overcome Him. He never allowed the world to “squeeze Him into its mold.”
Jesus is the mighty conqueror.
“Thou hast ascended on high. Thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them” (Psalm 68:18).
Jesus died to deliver us from this evil world.
“I have overcome the world—not only before you but for you, that ye may be able to do the same…[2] (JFB).
“Who gave himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father” (Galatians 1:4).
“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).
“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
God expects His child to be an overcomer. How is that going for you, dear Christian?
“Every believer is either overcome or an overcomer.… The world wants to overcome us; this is why Satan uses the world to persecute and pressure believers. The world wants us to conform; it does not want us to be different. When we yield ourselves to Christ and trust Him, He enables us to be overcomers. We must claim our spiritual position in Christ and believe Him for victory”[3] (Wiersbe).
“But mark, again, that our Lord’s life is the type of all victorious life. The world conquers me when it draws me away from God, when it makes me its slave, when it coaxes me to trust it and urges me to despair if I lose it. The world conquers me when it comes between me and God, when it fills my desires, when it absorbs my energies, when it blinds my eyes to the things unseen and eternal”[4] (MacLaren).
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
Faith is the victory! Believers, we are to be overcomers!
Quote: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake, we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:35-37).
[1] Spurgeon’s quote is from the Enduring Word Commentary, the electronic version in eSword. John 16:33.
[2] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 159). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. The emphases are his.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 365–367). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. John 16:33.
[4] Alexander MacLaren. Expositions of Holy Scriptures, the electronic version in eSword.