Tribulation And Cheer

Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b).

“In the world ye shall have tribulation”

No Christian is fully shielded from troubles. Jesus said it plainly, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” Jesus has not promised His followers a life totally free from sorrows, poverty, toil, sickness, slander, persecution or any of the common ills of mankind. Instead, He promised every follower a “cross”.

You are not promised the admiration of the unbelieving world. In fact, you should not expect or accept much favour from the world. Worldly people will not gather around us to admire our piety or to appreciate our devotion to the Lord. The people of the world may like a Christian for some favours they can get out of him; but as a Christian they cannot love him. If the world does gather around a Christian in real admiration and support, it is because either the Christian has compromised or it has made a mistake about him!

Beware of the kiss of Judas with which Christ was betrayed and with which you will be betrayed unless you are well on your guard. In the world and from the world, ye shall have tribulation. When the world pretends to love, understand that it now hates you more cordially than ever, and is carefully baiting its trap to catch you and ruin you. The Apostle John cautioned us, “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13). It is no surprise that the world hates Christians because it hates their Master. Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). He also said, “The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil” (John 7:7).

The world’s hatred and opposition to Christians are a reflection of its prince’s hatred for Christ and His beloved ones. The enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman still continues. It is better that you understand that the serpent has not changed his nature. He is a vile deceiver and destroyer still. As soon as he sees  in you a devotion to Christ and His truth, he hates you with passion.

“But be of good cheer”

To comfort all His beloved ones who are troubled in this world, the great Conqueror of the world says, “But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Remembering Jesus as the overcomer of the world, will help us to be cheerful even in afflictions.

Our Lord was an overcomer both in life and death. No adversity was strong enough to distract our Lord from accomplishing all that His Father had appointed Him to do. Nothing could overcome Him, but He overcame them all.

If you take time to study the life that our Lord had lived while He was on this earth, you will see that He was a victor in all the circumstances of His life. A deep calm always pervaded His spirit whether it was the approbation or censure that He received from men around Him. He never lost His self-control. Nothing could frustrate Him that He might fail to perform His assignments perfectly to the pleasure of His Father. He conquered all circumstances and did everything
perfectly. To hold Him in our view through our life’s journey, is indeed a wonderful experience.

Our Lord also overcame the world by His fearlessness of the world’s elite men. When the Pharisees, who had no regard for Him, and with sneer and disgust, confronted Him, He declared God’s truth, rebuking and disproving them. Like a true Master, He outwitted them with His wise answers and actions. Their opposition could only prove that He is all-powerful and all-wise. Even the threats of Pilate, the governor, could not intimidate Him. He remained calm and undisturbed within when He was tried by Pilate. Even in death, He was a victor, for He ministered divine comfort and hope to the repenting criminal who was crucified beside Him. Finally, He overcame death and grave in His resurrection. Thus, He has defeated our last enemy, even death!

Since the Lord Jesus has tasted the severity of earthly tribulations and also the exultation of victory, we can trust Him to give us cheer in this hostile world. He understands the agony of our sufferings. He knows what it means to be rejected by people. He empathises with all our problems, because He experienced them. Now as an overcomer of every tribulation that He had faced, He assures us that if we follow His Word, we can "be of good cheer."