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Take Courage
Andrea Lende • June 29, 2020
John 16:33
Take Courage
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Take-Courage-eg3r60
Daily Word:
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.]”
The last verse in this sixteenth chapter is the culmination of all that He taught the disciples.
He was shortly taken to be crucified.
I could read this verse over and over.
I need to read this verse over and over.
Jesus said, “you may have [perfect] peace and confidence.”
Without these two things, peace and confidence, I am unfit.
If I am in a lack of peace there is little that I am able to do.
I am ineffective at almost everything I touch.
In addition, I usually hurt others because I am so involved with how I feel – which is stressed and chaotic.
When I lose my peace, the Lord cannot use me.
I am unreachable to Him.
He is always with me, but He cannot get through to me when I am in chaos.
My purpose, then, is nothing.
My contribution is nothing.
I do nothing to glorify and magnify the Lord when I am in a state of lack of peace.
Jesus went on to say that we will meet with trouble and difficulties, distress and frustration.
So, how do we not get stressed out and frustrated?
He said, “be of good cheer [ take courage; be confident, certain undaunted]!
I can allow my emotions to take over my being or I can get closer to Jesus’ commands.
I can press in and ask God to calm my emotions and remind me of how Great He Is.
I can ask Him to be especially close to me and quiet my mind and soul.
I can put on a mind and heart of gratefulness.
I have to do that though.
No one can do that for me.
He said do not be undaunted.
It is my role to give my distress to the Lord and let Him replace it with perfect peace.
Jesus said, “I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]”
I take away His victory if I allow my problems to be distressing to me.
So, I pray.
I pray that God will strengthen me and give me courage.
I pray that He will help me be confident, certain, and undaunted.
It is my right.
And so, it is.
Today I choose to be courageous and undaunted as difficulties come my way knowing that God has already conquered them.
May you find that the Lord is already working out your difficulties and that you can have perfect peace as He has the victory.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for working out every circumstance in my life. Thank You for Your Word that strengthens me, gives me courage, and reminds me that You already have won. You are the Victor. You have overcome the world. May Your perfect peace be mine. May You wrap peace around me like a blanket that cannot come undone. Help me put every ounce of faith that I have been given in You, Lord. Put Your praise in my heart. I praise You, Lord. I praise Your Holy Name! You are greatly to be praised! Keep me close to You, Father. Keep me at Your feet during every trial and difficulty. Keep me looking to You. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM the Great I AM and there is nothing that I cannot do for you, My child.
Response: You are Great and are greatly to be praised!
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.