Skip to content John 16:33, one of the most powerful verses in scripture. “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart I have overcome the world.” What is the meaning behind these powerful words. What is the significance to your lives. How can it help you in your daily life. And do you believe this?
The Meaning-Overcome the world
In the prior verses Jesus explains that trials are in their future. He details that he will not be with them and as the world rejoices they will grieve. However he assures them he will return. And as he returns joy will follow.
Jesus is clearly contrasting the world to his followers and how they are at odds. He is being truthful and not shying away from what is to come, but he reminds us that the world is not something to be feared as he has conquered it.
And we know the end of the story, we know that he has conquered death itself and started a revolution of revolutions that has transformed the course of history. He has brought about a new way of living, of thinking, treating others, the world and to God.
How to Make this Real to our lives?
Yet how do we makes this real to our lives. Remember what he is claiming. He is not simply saying that he has played the game of life perfectly, although he has, but he is saying that because of his performance in his life we can find peace and comfort. He is not saying we will not have trials and tribulations, he is in fact informing us we will, but that those trials and tribulations will not be the end of us. That they will not be the reason for our fall.
It is through Him that we have Peace
The world operates under a system of work based achievement. It is only through our performance, our accomplishments are we able to reach the goals of life. Whether it be through financial success, raising perfect children, attracting a partner, obtaining a career goal, it all boils down to work. It’s all based on what you are able to accomplish.
And unfortunately most of us are not naturally gifted to effortlessly achieve these life goals. Yet these are the goals of the world. Unfortunately we also attribute our works based thinking towards our relationship with God. Have we prayed enough, tithed enough, read the Bible enough to gain the favor of God. You are still operating in a structure of accomplishment oriented living. And that can be tiring.
But what are these goals really trying to achieve? Status, comfort, and sense of worth. It’s often these primary drivers in our western culture that we work towards. And in that striving we become slaves to the world. But then Jesus says he has overcome the world. The system that we work under, he has conquered it and took care of it. The work that He has already done he gives to us. Those things that our hearts desires He gives us. The world is no longer our master, it is Jesus, as he has given what our hearts desire
Is Jesus our Master?
The question then becomes have we accepted that Jesus give us what our hearts desire to now pledge allegiance to Him? If you believe in God, and God created you. If you believe that God is the ultimate decider of your fate. That God is not only all powerful and all loving then whether we realize it or not His opinion is the only one that matters.
Its like trying to impress your fellow classmates regarding your knowledge of a subject when it’s ultimately the teacher’s assessment that counts. When you realize that God is the only being that matters then our attitudes must shift.
If that is the case, then we should direct our works towards God and seek his positive opinion of us. Because his opinion of us is not through our own achievement it is Jesus’s. Again he has conquered the world and the requirements of the world. Including the requirements God has placed on our world. So we are already accepted. We are already loved. The work has been done, so that we do not need to strive. We have been given life, freely.
And because of this our deepest desires are fully met and we can finally breathe. The world is no longer our master. The achievements that we work towards are no longer relevant. And all that is left is to praise Jesus, our new Master.
The significance
If you accept that Jesus has overcome the world, and he has achieved the things you strive for and he has giving it to you freely, you have rest. There is peace in knowing this. Your days are not in anguish. Through Christ you have obtained your hearts desire and how you relate to life changes. You no longer need to work for your own glory, you don’t have to toil to make your name known. You can be at peace with that.
Can you imagine what your life would be like if you were not trying to prove yourself everyday? You can be free. Free from the weight of the world. You can be free to now love, not because you have to, but because you want to. You are not competing anymore and you have nothing else to fight for but for love. Love freely. Love those that are even against you because ultimately you are not against them. You only have one priority and it’s to serve Jesus. And most importantly because you want to.
Check out: WHY DO I FEEL LIKE THE WORLD IS ENDING-WHY I’M OK WITH IT
Conclusion
This is what it means to overcome the world. Jesus has done the work. He has overcome the aspects of life you fear the most. He has achieved it, so you don’t have to. So yes, you will have trials and tribulations, but remember you are no longer of this world, you are in Jesus’s world.
