In John 16:33(NLT), Jesus Christ was speaking with his disciples and said, “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.” We should be bubbling over with joy because we know God through His precious Son. It is through Christ that God has called us to be His very own children. We are in the world, but as God’s people, we are not OF the world. It is precisely because we belong to Christ that many who do not understand his Gospel will dislike, and in fact, hate us. They will come against us simply because we are children of the light.
The things that people do and say for no other reason than to be evil and hurtful is sometimes baffling. We are not perfect, but when I was younger, I thought that if believers tried their best to please God, people would not be mean to them, and we would not feel the sting of satan’s darts. God told His people in Isaiah 54:17 that no weapon formed against them would prosper, but this doesn’t mean that the weapon will not be formed. People that are not interested in growing in Christ are very often used by satan to come against us. I have found that even though these weapons of darkness and evil do not pierce us, they can disturb our peace if we don’t remember the words of Christ. He told the disciples to take heart, to have courage, because he has overcome the world, and because of his victory, we can overcome it too.
Jesus Christ was tested by the devil through temptations, and we will be tested too. Matthew 4 tells us that after Jesus Christ was led in the wilderness to fast forty days and nights, he was hungry and no doubt he was not as physically strong as he normally was. In this vulnerable state, the devil tried to get Jesus Christ to bow to him. Jesus Christ responded to each temptation by speaking forth the powerful Word of God. God’s Word defeats the enemy, and if we try to use any other weapon, we will be outsmarted. Jesus Christ said to the devil in Matthew 4:4(NKJV), “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” With each temptation he faced, our Redeemer responded with “It is written…”
Ephesians 6:17 tells us that the Word of God is the Spirit’s sword. Hebrews 4:12(NKJV) tells us, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” The Word of God is life to us! It is powerful, and we must believe this with every fiber of our being. When we stand on God’s Word, we cannot fail, for His Word never fails.
Jesus Christ overcame the world because he believed and trusted every word from the mouth of our Heavenly Father. When he knew his sacrifice was near, he prayed to God for the disciples in John 17:17(NKJV) and said, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” This is the only way to be cleansed of all unrighteousness; our hearts and minds must be washed clean by letting God’s Word sink within so that we live and breathe it every day. This is our responsibility. If we stay focused on God’s Word, He will fight our battles no matter what they might be.
We will have trials and tribulations in the world. People might say and attempt to do all manner of evil and backbiting things against us, but we are overcomers through Christ. Philippians 4:13 tells us that we can do all things through him, because he gives us strength. God’s Word is all the weapon we need. So, let’s not allow the devil to provoke us into impetuous acts of retaliation and anger. Instead, let’s be calm, have faith, speak the truth, and walk in victory through the power of God’s Word.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
“Be Calm, Have Faith, and Speak the Truth”, written by KLizzie, edited by Reverend Fran Mack, for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2021. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.