Being an OVERCOMER

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”(NKJV)

By the end of the Sixteenth Chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus is only moments away from being betrayed and arrested, as the ominous shadow of the cross looms ever closer. It was time to make His final statement to His disciples in which He disclosed the ultimate purpose for everything He has taught them—"that in me you may have peace (harmony, health, prosperity, absence of stress and anxiety).” But even though they were “in Him,” as He was about to pray, they were also “in the world.” And “in the world you (they/we) will have tribulation (thlipsis – affliction, persecution, trouble, even chaos).” Jesus knew that affliction, persecution, and trouble comes in every imaginable form and fashion. But unlike PEACE, which Jesus said those in Him MAY HAVE, everyone in the world WILL HAVE tribulation and trouble.

Why everyone in the world WILL HAVE tribulation:

Why does it come? I believe it comes (1) because the earth itself is cursed because of Adam’s sin and rebellion (Gen.3:17), and (2) because the people who are not “in Christ” are, like Adam, not only “ín the world,” but “of the world,” and are automatically under the power of its evil ruler—Satan, the devil. According to Jesus, because of Him, those who are not of the world are hated by the world (Jn.17:14-16).

Jesus offers an overcoming alternative to just being “IN THE WORLD!”

Jesus closed His final statement to the disciples (and to us) when they (and we) were about to face the most challenging times of their (our) lives with one profound utterance: “But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” When Jesus spoke these words, I believe it caused a shockwave heard around the world.In one bold emphatic statement, Jesus opened an escape hatch from the devil’s tyrannical rule over all mankind. But notice, Jesus didn’t speak this AFTER His death and resurrection, he spoke it BEFORE! This is a critical point about spiritual warfare that we MUST UNDERSTAND moving forward! The attacks of the enemy are not fought and won first in the flesh, but in THE MIND! The Holy Spirit continually reminds us that THE BATTLEGROUND IS IN THE MIND! Notice: Jesus didn’t declare victory over the world with all its trouble and tribulation after the crucifixion and resurrection—that was not the battleground, HE DECLARED OVERCOMING VICTORY BEFORE—"I have (past tense) overcome the world!” So, when did the overcoming victory happen? The first clue is found in the purpose He stated for everything He had taught them (Vs. 33); it all came down to this: “That in Me you may have PEACE!”

Because the physical realm is so intimately connected and controlled by the spiritual realm, the battle must be won FIRST in the MIND! Victory comes the moment when all worry, fear and anxiety is replaced by PEACE, but it isn’t my/your peace (when the attack is great enough and scary enough, I don’t have any peace)—it’s HIS PEACE that wins the battle. It’s not MY PEACE that comes after the battle is won, and it’s not MY PEACE that comes from reasoning and figuring it out in my head before the battle that makes me an overcomer, it’s HIS PEACE—“the PEACE which surpasses all understanding (it defies all human logic) (Phil.4:7),” that comes before and during the battle that wins the victory and makes us an overcomer.

Since Jesus is God, then “HIS PEACE” is the “PEACE OF GOD,” but the Bible makes it clear that “His peace” did not originate with Him. Jesus got His peace from His Father. But there is another kind of peace mentioned in Romans 5:6, it’s “PEACE WITH GOD.”

This gives us insight into why PEACE is so powerful and important that when it comes to us, it immediately establishes our victory over any attack and our position as an overcomer. It’s because HIS PEACE carries with it HIS POWER to establish and enforce HIS WILL!

That’s what we are witnessing in John 16:33: the PEACE OF GOD (from the Father)has found agreement and connection to the PEACE WITH GOD (in the Son), resulting in the reality of victory being attested to by the declaration: “I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!” The resulting PEACE is so powerful, the will of God is sealed, and not even time can change it.It becomes a manifestation of the prayer Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:10, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

John 16:33 echoes what Jesus told His disciples in the Fourteenth Chapter of John’s Gospel:

John 14:25–28 25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 27PEACE I leave with you, MY PEACE I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (Be of good cheer!). 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I. (NKJV)

Are you catching this? There is an overcoming alternative to just being “IN THE WORLD” and having to put up with everything the curse and the devil sends your way and battling it in your own strength and intellect! The alternative is being “IN HIM,” and choosing to have and live in “HIS PEACE!” Colossians 3:15 says, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Notice we have a choice when it comes to PEACE! We “MAY HAVE” PEACE and we can “LET PEACE” RULE. But how do we do that? How do we tap into and share in Christ’s victory over the world?

THE KEY to the POWER OF HIS PEACE to OVERCOME THE WORLD:

Jesus gave us the key every time He said, “Be of good cheer!” “Be of good cheer” means to “brighten up,” be confident, courageous and FEAR NOT! The POWER OF PEACE lies in the reality that PEACE IS A CHOICE, and that choice begins with a decision to “Guard your heart (Prov.4:23)” from everything that leads to fear, doubt, discouragement, and unbelief. In counseling, we have seen up close the spiritual damage that fleshly fixation on social media, politics, breaking news, and world events can cause, resulting in severe fear, depression, pessimism, and negativity. The result is being robbed of your peace, as well as your ability to be an overcomer for God, yourself, and others. Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” The enemy likes nothing more than tricking us into thinking as a victim; believing the lie that we have no hope and no future. Yet, Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”

PEACE begins and abides with a CHOICE!

2 Corinthians 10:3–6 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (NKJV)

“Readiness to punish all disobedience” is being so in love with the Truth, that even the slightest error is swiftly confronted and cast down! While there may be many opinions, there is ONLY ONE TRUTH! We can choose to believe the Truth, even before we understand it/Him fully—It’s called FAITH! Here is how to walk in peace by faith:

Philippians 4:8–9 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—MEDITATE ON THESE THINGS. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (NKJV)