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Take Heart!

Take Heart!
Words of Faith 2-24-17
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2017
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John 16
[33] "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

Jesus had shared a lot of tough information. He was going to die. He was going away. But they would not be abandoned. The instruction in chapters 14-16 was intended to sustain them, to give them peace in Him no matter what happened.
Jesus wanted the disciples to know what was coming and know the provision for them. He wanted them to be calm and confident in the face of disillusionment and apparent disaster. The most important thing for a disciple to hear at such a time was the message of "Peace".
Jesus had already shared this with them. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27). It was a peace like no other. It is not peace as the world gives. In the ancient world, everyone was familiar with the Pax Romana, the peace of Rome. The peace of Rome was an imposed peace that existed because of the constant threat of being crushed by the brutal force of the Roman legions.
What Jesus gives is different. Even in the hour of His greatest suffering, Jesus had an unshakable confidence in the victorious purpose of God. He did not overlook the trial that would affect them as well as Him. The battle was inevitable in a world alienated from God. But Jesus did proclaim victory over it.
In the world we will still have trouble. Jesus made it clear that as believers we have a dual existence. We are both in Christ and in this world. In union with Jesus, we have peace, but the world continues to be hostile. We remain in enemy territory. This is trouble. Trouble comes from the world system and the enemy of God which is opposed Jesus’ message and ministry (1:5, 10; 7:7).
But here is the Good News! Jesus had already won. Even before the arrest, before the “trial”, before the nails, Jesus had already won the victory over trouble. He had beaten the system. He has overcome the world.
Jesus is the “stronger man” who came and tied up the strong man Satan (Matt. 12:25-29). Jesus is the Victor! We must hold to this singular fact as we face whatever sort of trouble comes our way.
When Jesus said, “Take heart!” he was saying “Be courageous.” This phrase was spoken only by the Lord Jesus in the New Testament (Matt. 9:2, 22; 14:27; Mark 6:50; 10:49; John 16:33; Acts 23:11). He is the One person who can call us to courage! Because of the victory of Jesus we are assured of victory in Him. In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:37).
Are you troubled today? Is the world opposing you? Are you facing a difficult day? A difficult time? Take heart! Jesus has overcome the world. We are indeed more than conquerors through Him who loves us!

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to fight my battle. Thank You for fighting my battle today. Thank You for Your peace. I trust You even in the midst of trouble for You have already won the fight. In Jesus’ name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2017
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.