John 16: 33
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
We are looking at this question of whether Christians should be beaten and downtrodden or if God has provided us some form of relief. We saw in Psalm 9: 9 – 10 that God has provided us a fortress of protection which we can trust and into which we can escape the trouble of the world. Today’s verse is a New Testament version of Psalm 9: 9. It is even better though.
In Psalm 9 you would have to run into the protection of the Lord. That protection is still available today. However, today’s Word is from Jesus, and he tells us that we don’t have to fear the day of trouble because He has already defeated the enemy. He has already overcome the world for us. Jesus teaches us that we can have peace even when the world is full of tribulation. Jesus knew about Psalm 9. He knew that our Father had already provided us protection from a world full of tribulation, but Jesus is the fulfillment of the law. He is that law and beyond. Therefore, we still have all of the promises of the Old Testament plus we have a new covenant based on better promises and sealed in the blood of Jesus rather than the blood of sheep and goats. Because of the shed blood of the perfect lamb, the enemy has no more power over us. The blood has covered us, and Jesus defeated the enemy one time for all. So, Jesus tells us that although the world is full of tribulation, we should have no cause for fear because He has already defeated the prince of this world. Jesus has told us these things so that we may live in peace rather than fear or worry. He said, “Take courage.” I would also say, “Trust”. How much better a promise is this? Rather than having to wait inside our fortress while God fights our foe for us, we can simply stand realizing that Jesus has already defeated Him. You still have all the promises of the past plus you have the fulfillment of them in Jesus, the Christ. Jesus said in the world you have tribulation but in Him you have peace. Call me simple but I think I will choose to be in Him.
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