Lent - Day Thirty-Eight - Overcoming the World

  Lent Devotions from Concordia University 2024

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33

“Believers may not feel like conquerors of the world, but, thankfully, overcoming the world depends not on our feelings or experiences but on our faith.” 1 

Surely the disciples did not feel like victors when Jesus was arrested, crucified, and laid in the tomb. They scattered during the crisis and, in the aftermath of Jesus’ death, hid behind locked doors fearing for their lives. Little did they know that Jesus overcame the world during those terrifying, overwhelming hours.

Throughout God’s word, we are reminded that the world outside of us is not as great as the One who is within us. Because of what Jesus accomplished, we are able to live out Jesus’ words: “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Not only has our Lord overcome the world, he has given us something very powerful: he has given us his name with which to call upon the Father in prayer. In times of tribulation, we are not left without any recourse. Rather, we are invited to approach the throne of God in prayer, not in our own name, but rather with the very name of Jesus, the Son of God. Even when our lives are full of discord, hardship, or suffering we are able to sing with confident hope, “Jesus lives! The victory’s won! Death no longer can appall me…This shall be my confidence.” 2 

Prayer: 

Father, 

           You know the trials I face. Grant me peace so that I may not be overwhelmed by them, but may instead find rest in the assurance of Christ’s victory. In the name of Jesus, Your Son, my Lord. Amen.

1 Study note 1 John 5:4, The Lutheran Study Bible, pp 2179-2180.
2 Hymn, “Jesus Lives! The Victory’s Won”, Christian Furchtegott Gellert, tr. Frances E. Cox.

Reading Further - John 16:16-33

16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

By Request - Strength to Overcome

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1 KJV

In my younger days, I could pretty much do anything I made up my mind to do. However, forty years ago when I wanted to quit smoking, I couldn't do it on my own. I smoked three packs a day - smoked them, not watched them burn. I tried to quit so many unsuccessful times. Until I submitted that addiction to the Lord, I didn't stand a chance of stopping. Even then, this is how it went.

I literally would watch the clock and say to myself, “You’ve been without a cigarette for 3 hours and 7 minutes. If you pick up a cigarette now, you’ve put yourself through 3 hours and 7 minutes of agony for nothing.”
"God, I can't do this."
“God, please get me through the next 60 seconds. I can only do this if You help me.” Literally, the next 60 seconds...

And that was the Truth, I COULD NOT, but by HIS grace and HIS mercy and HIS strength and based on HIS WORDS, I was victorious. 1st Corinthians 10:13b, And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

And He did.

Do I think cigarettes will keep someone out of Heaven? I’m not God. Scripture tells us to work out our own salvation, and I believe that means God will work on us as individuals regarding the things that He wants out of our lives and what He wants in our lives and what He wants done in our relationship with Him…because He loves us.

That’s what we have to recognize. ALL that He does, ALL that He speaks to our hearts, ALL - Everything - is because He loves us.

I had prayed and prayed for God to just supernaturally deliver me from the nicotine addiction – to take away the desire because I’d heard so many testimonies of how He had done that for others. After all, He’s no respecter of persons, right (according to Acts 10:34)? So why didn’t He just do that for me?!? However, that’s not the way He chose to deliver me from it. Why? Well, I think it's because I'm rather headstrong and stubborn-willed, and He wanted me to realize that I could not do it on my own. I learned a very valuable lesson about relying on God because I could NOT do it in my own strength.

Hebrews 12:10b-11 NLT, reassures us; God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

Be encouraged today. No matter WHAT it is you're going through or trying to get through - He will see you through it. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Do it in HIS strength. That's REAL strength.

Prayer:

Father,
Thank You for the reminder that You are always there for us - to cause us to be victorious. Your Word encourages us to confess our struggles so that we may be healed. Hasten to perform Your Word in our lives, O Lord our God. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.