John 16:32-33 (ESV)

“Indeed the hour is coming that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you will have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Some of Jesus’ last words to His disciples before He went to the cross were some of the most  encouraging and empowering lines of scripture ever recorded. You would think that a man who knows He is about to die will be discouraged or frightened about what’s to come. And yes, in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was troubled. He was literally sweating blood while He prayed to God. But He did not let that deter Him from accomplishing His mission to save us.

Jesus tells His disciples that the hour is coming when they will be scattered and leave Him. Why would we ever leave Jesus? He is the ultimate comforter and Prince of Peace. He performed many miracles in front of His followers, so why would we run away from that? Sometimes, we get overwhelmed by life and the troubles that come with it. That can blind us from the truth that Jesus is still there to help us and guide us. Jesus knows that this will happen to everyone. That is why this was not a private conversation with His disciples, but shared with the world, as it is recorded and written in this chapter of John.

Jesus states that although His disciples will leave Him, He will not be alone, for the Father is with Him. How powerful is that? The statement “I am not alone” carries so much more weight than we can imagine. Sure, we’ll get stressed out about finances, about making friends and other issues that might come up. But in all of that, we are not alone. Because God is with us. Always. Let that sink in for a moment. Jesus is always with us no matter what.

Jesus promises His disciples and to all readers that we will have trouble. It’s not a matter of if, but when. Sin will always be prevalent in this imperfect world. We’re going to have trials and tribulations. But do not fear. Jesus has overcome the world. Isn’t that amazing? We will face many spiritual battles, but Jesus has already won the war. What a moment of triumph to end His goodbye message on!

As believers, all we have to do is believe that Jesus can overcome the problems in our life as we commit to living a lifestyle pleasing to Him. Jesus has overcome the world through the blood on the cross and the resurrection from the grave on the third day. We are preparing for that right now with Easter coming up. So let’s not be discouraged about the troubles of life, but instead rejoice in the power of Christ.

This week, pray about how you can let Jesus empower you through the Holy Spirit to take on your daily challenges. Let Him strengthen you with the same power that made Him rise from the dead.