OPEN VEIL DEVOTIONALS

kevwealth (45)in #steemchurch • 6 years ago (edited)

Monday, 28th May

Topic: Be of Good Cheer (Part 1)

Scripture passage: John 16:19-22, 33

Focus:

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Many people think being a Christ exempts you from troubles. It's a lie. Jesus who brought Christianity said to us "...in this world, you will face trials and tribulations but be of good cheer... I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The first time I read this, I thought "be of good cheer" meant "be happy" but I studied deeper in the original rendering and discovered that it meant "be courageous". There is something about courage. Courage is the lie you tell yourself to keep advancing in the face of turmoil. So what Jesus really meant was "You will face trials and tribulations but call it a lie so you don't need to be afraid".

Until you agree that the lion is on the way, you won't stay back at home. They say "This city is a hard place. People don't succeed there"; turn it into a lie. That's courage.

Look at Joshua... God said to him in Joshua 1:8-9 "this book of the law..." Then he led Joshua to take the people into lands where there were giants. But he told him "when you see giants, just tell yourself" there are no giants". That's what he meant by "be strong and courageous". 'Strong' means 'engage them in a fight' but 'be courageous' means 'fight them as if they are grasshoppers'. The reason is because if you smash grasshoppers, you don't expect them to survive. You know, when you fight a giant with the mindset that it is not different from the grasshopper, you will hit it stronger than you would if you fight it with the mindset that it is giant.

Every matter is at the level of your mentality. IT IS YOUR MINDSET THAT SETS MATTERS AS BIG OR SMALL. It is your mindset concerning a matter that determines whether you will prevail or not. Courage is a mindset. Use it!