"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have perfect peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy; I have overcome the world. My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding." (John 16:33 AMP)
Christ's peace brings a quietness and stillness within. It involves letting go of ourselves—a willingness to trust and enter His rest, regardless of the circumstances in our lives. This trust is not rooted in our own abilities but in Christ's victory over the world, a reliance on Him. This peace, born from our trust in His faithfulness, is our grace.
When Jesus said He came to give us life in abundance, He wasn't referring to an abundance of our old lives. The life He offers is entirely new, not a better version of the old but an overflowing abundance of a life that is completely transformed. We are a new creation—the old is gone, and the new has come. He has restored us from our fallen state, renewing our relationship with God.
Christ overcame this world because the life He gives far exceeds anything our old lives had to offer. His life diminishes the power and hold of our former selves. This new life is an entirely different way of seeing ourselves—not through the lens of the old and of this world, but through the light of who we are now in Him. Our new position with Christ far transcends the old.
This new life quiets the mind that was once bound to the old self. Our courage, confidence, and joy no longer come from this world and are not dependent on our status or position here. We are above all because He is above all. With this new perspective, we face the challenges of this world, recognizing they belong to the world and not to our new reality.
All of the world’s rules and regulations for gaining confidence and position no longer apply to us, for our confidence and position are bound to a new reality—Christ's eternal reality. We do not sway with this world because our new reality is unshakable. We are grounded in God's truth about who we now are and our new relationship with Him, which is firm and steadfast.
Thank You, Lord, for bringing us into a new life, a new eternal reality. Thank You for a new perspective and understanding that transcends this world, bringing us Your eternal rest and peace.