He has overcome

"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 over come the world."

 -John 16:33

This was a verse that a very good friend of mine wrote on a note card to me (along with another note under it) last summer when I was getting frustrated with some things. Under the verse he wrote, "I know this is a big time coffee mug, t-shirt verse, but it's true. Take heart: Christ has over come everything: Even the stuff in your life, have peace, because Christ has overcome the world and in him you can live."

I am so thankful my friend wrote this note card to me to help me out with what I was frustrated with.

I found the note card in my bible as I was opening up my laptop to write this blog and just really remembered how true that verse is, and the words that my buddy wrote under the verse are. For us to know that we have peace in the Lord and that no matter what happens in our life, any struggles we may have, Christ has already overcome them all, he has overcome the whole world.

All that comes to my mind when reading that is, God is bigger.

It brings a peace to me reading that verse knowing that no matter what tribulation comes my way, it's ok because since I am in Christ I don't have to go through the tribulation alone, I have Christ with me to go though it. AND WHAT'S EVEN MORE AWESOME IS THAT HE HAS ALREADY OVERCOME IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT WE WILL POWER THROUGH THE TRIBULATION AND MOVE ON!!!!!!!!!! How amazing is that??????

Another verse that I love that I think goes well with this is Galatians 5:1

"Christ has liberated us into freedom. Therefore stand firm and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery."

Because in John in say's Christ has over come the world already, which in turn (as it says in Galatians) Christ has liberated us and given us freedom from the slavery of sin!

The key to all of this I think is that we have to rely on God and make sure we are putting Christ first and trusting in him. Because going through tough times is not that great when you aren't trusting in God and knowing he has already overcome it for you. When we aren't trusting in him and letting him lead us then it is very easy for us to fall into sin.

And it's like something I read yesterday in my devotion, we are very high maintenance creatures, beings, whatever you want to call us, and we go to sin because it is something simple and easy to get to and do, but sin isn't something that can sustain us because of our high maintenance, the only thing that can fill us up and suffice for our neediness and our high maintenance is God.

God already knew this long ago also, so he sent his only son to die for our sins. He overcame the world so that we would have freedom and peace, so that in our times of tribulation we could, instead of fall into the slavery of sin, trust and rely on Christ because he has overcome all of it already.

How incredible, what an amazing love.