30 Days of Promises - #24

"JESUS HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD"

This promise comes with both good news and challenging news. Let's start with the challenging news. Jesus promises us that this life will be difficult in many ways, full of trials and sorrows. The word for trials and sorrows means 'pressure affliction, anguish, burdens, persecution, tribulation and trouble.'

I hear you saying, "how is this supposed to encourage me?" Well, if Jesus left things there, it wouldn't be a very encouraging promise for sure! But he also gives us another promise: we can take heart in the midst of the trials and sorrows because he has already overcome the world.

The word for overcome means "to subdue, conquer, overcome, prevail and get the victory." What has he overcome? All of the effects of sin in our lives. Yes, we still feel the effects of what sin has done to us in this world. But, we can still live in true intimacy with the Father in spite of that because Jesus has overcome the world.

This reality isn't something that we have to hope for some time in the distant future. It's something that is available now.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NLT)