When we come to Christ we are not entering a flower garden, rather, we are entering a place full of thorns where we need the strength of God to be able to overcome the different difficulties that come our way. This is not an easy path, but it is not an impossible one either, because our Christ has shown us that we can overcome, because He defeated the world and this is our hope: “If He overcame, we can overcome”.
Jesus, having a conversation with His disciples told them:
“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 16:33
Before saying these words, Jesus refers to His disciples about how the Father has loved them and how the temporary sadness will become an eternal joy. The disciples had witnessed all the things that Jesus had gone through, all the problems He had had with the pharisees and the scribes, about how the world had hated Him for speaking about the truth of God.
What message could this give to the disciples? The central message of all this is that they would also be part of the message that both the pharisees and scribes hated and that this could create multiple consequences in their lives, such as death, constant suffering, vituperation and many other things. They had to prepare, because the moment would come where they would have to suffer for Christ, and that is why He tells them: “I have overcome the world”.
The apostle Paul also said something that can encourage us a lot:
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 Corinthians 4:17
This is exactly what Jesus was saying to his disciples, that they were going to suffer a lot, but that this would not be eternal, if not temporary, and that they had to be confident because He had overcome the world, and if they trusted in He, then they could also win.
Dear reader, our beloved Jesus was a man of flesh and blood like you and me, and yet the Bible reveals to us that He was able to overcome the world.
In our trials, in our difficulties and in this difficult pilgrimage where we walk above the thorns, God gives us enough strength to overcome the world. Do not fear, let’s have faith and trust in the only true God and I assure you that we will be victorious Christians before the world.
