In the world you will have trouble,
but take courage, I have conquered the world.”
On our own in the world we are constantly at risk of being scattered and of leaving Jesus alone. He tells us to take courage, but why? He does not say take courage because we'll be able to conquer the world when it fights against us. In the world we have trouble. Only Jesus is able to conquer the world. Why does this give us courage? Because he shares his victory with us.
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?”
Unlike the disciples at Ephesus most of us answer yes to this question. Yet many of us aren't far from saying what they do:
“We have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
We modify it to say 'we have never heard that there is a Holy Spirit who works in us and transforms our lives day to day in a powerful and visible way.'
The disciples at Ephesus end up experiencing the Holy Spirit in an experiential way that is much greater than the expectations of most of us.
And when Paul laid his hands on them,
the Holy Spirit came upon them,
and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
If we have not experienced this power we can rest assured that Jesus wants us to know his victory by his Holy Spirit as much as he wants anyone else to know it. No two experience him in the same way. But that should not limit our expectations of what his power can do in us.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
If we don't feel like we are living in his victory we can be sure that he wants to do more in us by the power of his Spirit.
Jesus tells us that he knows in advance that we will often rely on our own efforts to face the troubles of the world. He knows we will therefore be scattered and sometimes forsake him. But he loves us so much that he tells us in advance that such failures on our part will not deter his love for us.
I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.
Let us therefore rejoice in him.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.
Peter Furler - Greater is He
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