Overcome.

"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" John 16:33

I have had this verse on my mind for weeks now so it certainly was no coincidence that it showed up in my devotion this morning. How often do I lose sight of this truth....We battle things of this world on the regular don't we?

• When the boss asks us to do something that's against what we believe, nothing too "out there" but just something slightly against our morals...we are battling things of this world
• When there's a magazine that's slightly inappropriate, nothing too scandalous but just enough to allow our mind to stray slightly from our spouse and we battle leaving it alone...we are battling things of this world
• When we find the perfect dress at Antho that's just a little bit out of our budget and if we buy it we won't be able to give our tithe for the week or month...we are battling things of this world

The list could go on - so many things fight for our attention, our "faithfulness" and we struggle because we are filled with sin...we battle making the right choice, even as believers, because we are flawed, period. What point would the cross have been if we were all perfect and had no struggle whatsoever with the things of this world.

And we all struggle with different aspects of this world don't we?

Addictions of all kinds
Selfishness
Gluttony
Pride
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.

Satan has a way of spinning the ugliest of things into beauty and we struggle, some days we make the right choice, other times maybe not BUT the light at the end of the tunnel, the hope in your today is this...HE HAS OVERCOME THE WORLD.

Let that sink in for a second.

All darkness has been defeated....

every minion of satan put in his place

Jesus has defeated HELL - and overcome this world...and you are HIS child --

I find great confidence and strength in this verse. It's powerful to me. While I know that I will struggle in this world because He has called me to be in it but not of it - I am thankful even in the midst of my mistakes because I know there is more to it - and that the God I believe in, the Lord I serve - He has tackled it all and it won't be long before He comes back in righteousness and power and restores this place to what He intended, it won't be long before we are standing with THE KING - and satan will be tossed into hell with all of darkness - he knows the ending to his story already, he will bow before Christ again - and as believers we will have victory - we have victory in this very moment because HE is the victor!

Amen.

Nothing big today - just marinating on this verse this week and I'm pumped...He is our hero, in every sense of the world.

Praise HIM.