Foundation Scripture: John 16:33 (AMP)33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage: be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [ I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.] The word “tribulation” means pressure (literally or figuratively). It is also translated as – afflicted, affliction, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, and trouble in the King James Bible. If we live in this world and this world system, it is very likely that we will experience tribulations, burdens and persecutions. Everyone experiences tribulation in one form or another if they live on this earth, whether they serve God or the devil. The difference between the two, is this, those who serve God, are comforted in the middle of the trial and have a really good chance of coming out on top at the end. Those who serve the devil just have a horrible time with no happy ending! Romans 8:35-39 (NKJ)35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Nothing that we go through can separate us from the love that our Father God and Jesus Christ have for us. Because of Jesus’ love, He came to conquer the enemy on our behalf, so that we can walk free and victorious! It does not matter what comes your way, you can take comfort and have confidence in this: that Jesus is on your side and if you will place your trust and confidence in Him, He will take you through to the other side – through into the victory! Jesus has already done everything that He needed to do for you when He conquered the world and the devil. You are not waiting on Him – He is waiting on you to take Him at His word and walk victoriously. There are two reasons that you face tribulations – because you are doing something wrong, or because you are doing something right! When you sin, tribulation comes your way as a result of sin. If you subject yourself to the world, to be like the world, you will reap the harvest of your sin and disobedience. If you are on the devil’s turf, you are subject to him. The devil may make you many promises, but there is no good thing in him and if you hang around with him, you will have what he has – distress, frustration, death and destruction – with no way out.

If, on the other hand, you choose to serve God only and you devote yourself to Him, you will face much opposition from the devil and the world, but the tribulation of persecution cannot defeat you, because your life is in God’s hands and your enemy is His enemy. That is bad news for the devil. Jesus told us to be of good cheer and be confident because He has conquered the world and deprived it of its power