We continue our study of the Gospel of John, We pick up at verse 28, of chapter 16. John quotes the words of Jesus as He works to prepare His disciples for His death, and departure from this world. Jesus said, “I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” (The Disciples told Him that now He was speaking clearly, and questions were not necessary. What He was saying made them Believe that He came from God.) “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming, and in fact has come, when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone for My Father is with Me. 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: 28-33)
The Lord packed so much into the last few minutes with the Team He had put together. They were about to be given a Mission that would cost them their lives but would change the world. He knew
Fear would be their first reaction, but they would overcome that fear as they kept going. Even though they had pledged to Jesus that they would follow Him to the death, and they said they did indeed believe that He had come from God, they were simply afraid when it looked like things were coming apart for them. (So it is for us sometimes) Jesus was telling them what was going to happen to help them believe that all was well no matter what it might look like. So it is for us.
He said, “I have told you these things so that in Me, you may have Peace.” The Lord Jesus came from The Father to bring Peace into this fallen world. The Good News was, The Father was in Him in Spirit, just as He is with us. When we ask Jesus into our lives, at that point and forever after, we are never alone again. There are times when it may feel as if we are all alone, but that is a lie of the enemy. The Power of all creation is with us in the Holy Spirit, and that is why we can trust, and be in peace from the words He spoke. He said, “In this world you will have trouble.” He did not say we ‘may’ have trouble, He said when we walk in the world, we ‘will’ have trouble. But the Good News is He has ‘overcome’ the world, and has given us the power to do the same in Him.
Therefore when we encounter seeming trouble in the world, we simply keep going because we know we have already overcome it -whatever it may be. He has prepared us, and equipped us to be Overcomers, and walk in peace with Him as we face down any challenge. He is our Overcomer. We focus on Him, and not the problem, He is saying peace is ours as we walk in Him, in faith and trust, for we know that victory is ours and that we will overcome the things the enemy is trying to drag us down with or put upon us as we journey on in faith. The Lord, and His angels will fight the battle of whatever we may be facing. Our job is to just keep showing up in His Love, and showing that love to the world. Jesus said, “I have overcome the World.” So have we. Take Heart!!! ? All is well.