New Year’s Predictions 

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

At the start of a new year, people offer all sorts of predictions. Nevertheless, I believe we could take this statement from Jesus as a prediction for any year. See what Jesus predicts for the coming year.

First, "In the world you will have tribulation." You can count on it – you will face tribulation this year. Jesus promised it would be so. The ancient Greek word translated tribulation has the idea of stress or pressing. Someday, you will have a time of rest and unending happiness – but that is for heaven, not for earth.

Understanding this removes a false hope. Struggling Christians often hope for the day when they will laugh at temptation and life will be one effortless victory after another. While we are in this world, we are promised a struggle, yet there is peace in Jesus. Your current area of struggle may one day pass away, but after that, there will be new areas to conquer.

We are promised something greater than tribulation: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." In this, Jesus shouted out the truth of His victory. It is an amazing statement from a man about to be arrested, forsaken, rejected, mocked, tortured, and executed. The glory of the resurrection made it clear that Jesus could truly say, "I have overcome the world."

Knowing all this, Jesus made a sincere offer: the gift of courage (good cheer) for the tribulation we must face. Knowing – not just as a fact in a history book – that Jesus has overcome the world brings us courage. There is no reason to be downcast or discouraged. If we believe His victory, and by faith share in His overcoming, we have good cheer. We also have what He offered at the beginning of the verse: peace.

Remember the circumstances surrounding this opening statement to the verse: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace." At that very moment, Judas met with Jesus’ enemies to plot His arrest. Jesus knew that He would be arrested, forsaken, rejected, mocked, humiliated, tortured, and executed before the next day was over.

Finally, notice that Jesus did not promise peace, but He offered it. He said, "You may have peace." People can follow Jesus and yet deny themselves that peace. Jesus said, "that in Me you may have peace." We will not find real peace anywhere else; we find it in Jesus alone.

We can predict tribulation. We can look back on the fact that Jesus has overcome the world. When we really receive His victory as our own, we can have peace. That is one prediction we are assured will come true.

In Jesus Christ, this new year is your year.

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God bless you as you continue to study the Bible and trust God’s promises!