Mensa Otabil - Jesus, Our Prince of Peace
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This week, we are talking about God’s peace, and I pray that His peace surrounds you wherever you are, that you enjoy His safety and security in your life.
John chapter 16, verse 33: «These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.» Jesus Christ understood the world that His disciples lived in; He understands our world because He participated in our world. As He is about to physically leave them, He promised them the Holy Spirit, but they are not going to see Him physically. So He has to now speak to them about how to walk in His presence while He is away. That’s what He is doing in John, in the latter chapters of John-encouraging His disciples to live life without His physical presence. He says, «I have spoken these things to you, that you may have peace in Me.»
The first thing we learn from this is that our peace is in Christ. In Christ, we have our peace; our peace is not in this world. The words of Jesus Christ are the source of our peace. That’s what He said: «I have spoken these words to you, that you may have peace.»
Now, if you’re going to enjoy God’s peace, that’s what you have to focus on: the words of Jesus Christ, on His promises. Because if you’re going to focus on the news, and if you’re going to listen to commentaries on the radio, and if you’re going to watch what is going on all over the world, you’re going to hear so many things that will make you panic. There are so many people in our world living very panicky lives today. They hear of an earthquake, the next time it’s a tornado, the next time it’s a hurricane.
In Ghana, we don’t know hurricanes and what they are, but we see the pictures happening in other parts of the world, and it can put terror in your heart. That’s why Jesus says, «Listen to My words.» Yes, in the world you would hear the news, but listen to the words of Jesus Christ; stay in His words and allow His words to fill your heart. He says, «In Him, we have peace.»
Then He says to His disciples, «In the world, you will have tribulation.» That’s true, isn’t it? But He says, «I have overcome the world,» and that’s where our strength is. Christ lived in our world; He experienced the troubles of our world. He understood what it is to be criticized, to be fought, to have scarcity, to not have enough. He had nowhere to lay His head, but He said, «I overcame the world. I triumphed over the world.» The implication is, because I triumphed over the world, you will also triumph over the world. There will be tribulation in the world, but you will win over it. No matter what the world throws against you, you will win over it; you will rise above it; you will come out victorious.
That is where we stand as Christians: in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the world, there is tribulation; in Christ, there is victory, there is triumph. May you experience triumph. Then He says to them, «Be of good cheer.» That’s an encouraging word. In other words, live cheerfully; don’t be depressed. Don’t live life sad, beaten down, complaining, always feeling like a victim, lost with no direction. As Christians, we rejoice in the Lord in all things. We rejoice not for all things, but in them. We don’t rejoice because something is bad; we don’t go clapping, «Oh, it’s good that it’s bad.» No, we say that although it’s bad, God still gives us joy.
So, in the trouble, in the trial, in the tribulation, we rejoice in the Lord. Jesus says, «Live cheerfully. Live hopefully. Be excited about your life. Anticipate God’s grace; anticipate a miracle happening in your situation. Live joyfully.»
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, Your word gives me peace. By Your word, I rejoice through all situations. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»