Do you have trouble mustering courage? Is your cheer tank running low? Are the situations in your life causing your confidence to be depleted?
Jesus clearly said in the world His followers would experience trouble and difficulty. They would be isolated and hemmed in with no way of escape. Things would be tight and cramped. However, Jesus taught His followers to be of good cheer, to be courageous. (John 16:33)
What makes it possible for a person who is experiencing loss, misfortune, difficulty, and hardship to have the attitude of triumph?
The explanation Jesus gave for why His followers should choose courage over cowardness is not because of who they were or because they should deny the circumstances of their existence. Jesus mentioned nothing about the good and easy life the people who follow Him would experience. Jesus didn’t expect His followers to have courage because of their reliance upon themselves, what they had done, or who they were. Instead, Jesus explained courage comes only because His followers could hold on to Him. They would only have courage as they possessed Him. Jesus would give those who held to Him rest and tranquility.
Ultimately, the reason Christians can have courage when they cling to Jesus is because Jesus overcame the world. Individuals experience peace with God when they possess Jesus. That means they are no longer at war with God. Conversely, they are on the winning side with God because they hold on to Jesus.
How is your courage level today? Are you striving to be courageous? Consider Jesus’ instruction. Remember, He’s already won the victory over everything in your life that is trying to steal from you, kill you, and destroy you. There is no circumstance you are experiencing that He hasn’t been victorious over.
Don’t allow the stresses of your trouble to rob you of your cheer. Be courageous because Jesus has won the victory.
Read the lyrics of this Hymn explaining the victory we have in Jesus.
Victory in Jesus
Author: Eugene Bartlett
Year Written: 1939
Copyright: BMI Work#1803360
I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood’s atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.
I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing pow’r revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, “Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,”
And somehow Jesus came and bro’t
To me the victory.
I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing,
And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I’ll sing up there
The song of victory.
Chorus
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.
Written by: Anne Gurley
