Overcome

“In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Who amongst us can say we have it all together. There are still many things that we need to overcome in. Jesus encourages us to take courage, that as He has overcome the world and its ruler, Satan (John 14:30), so too can we. What was it though about Jesus that enabled Him to be an overcomer? There are three very important reasons why Jesus was able to overcome and none of them are to do with Him being stronger and better than anyone else. Remember He came in the likeness of man, took upon Himself our every weakness and subsequently endured every form of temptation that we are tempted with. (Php 2:7-8; Heb 4:14-16) So how did Jesus overcome? Firstly He loved the Father more than anyone or anything else. Secondly He was absolutely obedient to the Father’s will for His life and every word spoken by the Father in relation to that will. (John 14:31) And thirdly, He totally depended on the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to strengthen Him so that He could accomplish the work the Father had given Him to do.(Luke 4:1;14; 18) The work of the Holy Spirit is to help us love the Father and the Son, to reveal the word of our sonship, and to strengthen us so we can fully obey His word to our lives. (John 14:16;26;15:26- 27;16:7-15) This is how we too can overcome like Jesus. “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zech 4:6) Let us take courage from Margaret’s testimony, ‘Jesus overcame and He tells me I can too, therefore to Him I look.’ The Holy Spirit will minister the courage of Jesus to all who rely on Him as their Helper.