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Power to Overcome
Andrea Lende • November 14, 2020
John 16:33
Power to Overcome
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Power-to-Overcome-emg11s
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect peace] and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted)! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you].”
Jesus was almost ready to walk His final steps to the cross.
He said that everything He told His disciples was so they may
“have [perfect] peace and confidence”.
As their worlds were soon to be crushed around them, they would have these last words to hang onto.
Perfect peace.
Confidence.
With perfect peace and confidence, we too can conquer any trial that comes our way.
With perfect peace and confidence, we can forge ahead with God’s plan for us.
With perfect peace and confidence, we can remain strong in a world that seems to have lost its way.
Jesus said this world is full of “tribulation and trials and distress and frustration”.
Our days are currently filled with tribulations.
However, the Lord didn’t leave His disciples in distress and He doesn’t leave us in distress either.
He told them to “be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!”
Even through all the difficulties we face, the Lord tells us to have courage.
Essentially, do not let our troubles derail us.
Jesus said He had
“overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you].”
He has conquered the world for us already.
It no longer has power over us.
We can let the chaos of the world destroy us or we can trust in the Lord no matter what our circumstances look like.
No matter how bad it is at this very moment in our lives, we can give all that yuck to the Lord and allow Him to conquer it.
Because no matter how hard I try to work out my circumstances, I cannot.
No matter how much I think about my circumstances, I cannot think them away.
I can, however, keep my eyes on the Lord.
I can allow His peace to wrap around me like a blanket.
I can step into the confidence He died to give me.
I can be courageous in the face of the storm.
I can rely completely on the Lord to watch over me and protect me in all ways.
Today I choose to be of good cheer in the face of the trials that come my way and live in perfect peace and confidence.
May you find the Lord gives you perfect peace as you find confidence in the Lord and His sacrifice that conquered this world.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me that Your Son has overcome this world. Thank You for showing me the trials and frustrations that come against me can be handled with peace and confidence. Strengthen me, Lord, to face the difficulties that come my way. Thank You in advance for working out all the circumstances perfectly according to Your plan. Lord, help me give all my burdens to You. May my mind be at rest today knowing that You have gone before me and worked everything out. Keep my mind on You instead of my problems, Father. May Your mercy and grace be upon me and the family You have given me. Help us walk in total peace and confidence today. May the strength You give me allow me to help those in need. May I serve with joy, Lord. Keep my eyes on You today. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I sent My Son to overcome the world, and no harm will come to you, My child.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and glorious Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.