But Jesus also said that though the trouble will come, it does not have to overcome. Take a closer look at John 16:33 in its entirety.

"In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

It is Bible 101 to know that we are joint heirs with Jesus and we can overcome trouble because Jesus has overcome trouble. We talked about the force of peace recently. But peace is not the only spiritual force Jesus has given us in His commanded to "be of good cheer. Another word for cheer is joy!

We need to pay particular attention to the context of what Jesus is saying. HE said, "In the world you shall have tribulation but….Notice the word "but." That introduces a contrast. "In the world," Jesus said, "You will be subjected to trouble, 'BUT' be of good cheer…" Even in the world where we are going through stuff, we are to be of good cheer. In spite of all the mess we are in, we are to have joy!

If Jesus is saying, "be of good cheer in the midst of trouble," then that must mean there are benefits to being of good cheer. That means we will benefit in some way when we are of good cheer even when we are in trouble. That must mean we can use good cheer or joy in some way to affect our trouble. That must mean that we can use the force of joy to over come our situations.

"But Pastor Mark, I don't feel very joyful when I'm in trouble. Where is this joy going to come from?"

"If you keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his live" John 15:10.

But in John 15:12, the Bible sys loves comes when you keep God's commandments, when you abide in His commandments. Abide means to "set up residence" it means to live there. To abide does not mean to go in and out at your convenience. It means to live there.

Jesus said, "When you keep my commandments, you love me." Therefore, love s based on obedience, not on emotion. In a sense, what the Lord is saying is this: "Do what I tell you to do and you demonstrate My love."

Jesus goes on to say: "these things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." (John 15:11).

Just as He said, "These things I have spoken unto you….that ye might have peace (John 16:33), He now says, "These things have I spoken unto you…that your joy might be full." Therefore, joy comes from hearing what Jesus said. Joy comes from the spoken Word!

"Well, preacher, I thought peace comes from the word." You are correct. Peace comes from the spoken Word. Love comes from the spoken Word. Longsuffering comes from the spoken Word. The fruit of the Spirit comes from the spoken Word. No Word, no peace. No Word, not love. No Word, no joy. No Word, no fruit of the Spirit.

Some folks say, "I want to be like Jesus." No Word, no being like Jesus. Because what is Jesus like? The Word. Somebody says, "I'm a born again Christian." No Word, no born-again Christian. Anyone can say they are a born again Christian, but they won't bear the fruit of their righteousness if they are not getting in the Word of God.

If you are going around looking like a whipped dog all the time, moaning and groaning about how bad things are or how much trouble you are in, that gives one reason to doubt whether you are really born again or not.

Jesus said, "I have spoken these things to you that you might have my joy." He said in John 14:27, "My peace I give unto you…" Now He says He has given us His joy. The words that Jesus has spoken have given us Jesus' own joy!

Now what benefit will having Jesus' joy to me in overcoming my situations? We know He intended for it to benefit us because He said, "I left it for you." What is the significance of living with joy? The Bible tells us the importance of joy in Nehemiah 8.

"So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and cause them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, this day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law. Then he said unto the, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:8-10).

Can you recall the first time you understood something out of the Bible? Can you recall the first time you heard a sermon and understood what the man was talking about? All of a sudden, something began to happen on the inside of you because you understood.

Suddenly you understood what it meant to pray in the name of Jesus rather than to pray for "Christ's sake."

You understood what it means to walk in authority over demons and devils.

You understood what it was like to be the head and not the tail, above and never again beneath.

You understood how to be the man of your house instead of the wimp of the house.

You understood how to be a submissive wife instead of a Jezebel wife.

You understood. And the Bible says "for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

Nehemiah told the people not to mourn. He told them to celebrate because the "Joy of the Lord is your strength."

Where did the joy come from? From hearing the Word of God. When you get the Word, you get joy. When you get joy, you get strength. And when you are strong, you can win. When you win, the devil can't win. And when the devil can't win, he can't steal the Word that has been sown in your heart. If he can't steal the Word, he can't steal your peace, because peace comes from the Word. If he can't steal the Word, he can't steal your joy, because joy also comes form the Word!

What is the relationship of joy to trouble? It may seem like the last place you would expect to be joyful.

James 1 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; knowing this…"

When do we count it all joy? In the middle of trouble! When they cut the power off, count it joy! When they repossess your car…count it joy! When the doctor says you have this or that…count it joy!

"WHAT? I don't see how being joyful is going to overcome what I'm facing!"

But it confuses all of hell when you count it all joy in the middle of trouble!

You may say it's not easy to count it all joy when trouble is hounding me. You may think it's hard not be too happy when you are in a mess. The Bible did not say count it all happiness. It says count it all joy! There is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is based on your comfort. Joy is not based on comfort. Joy is based on what you know..

Take a closer look…."My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; KNOWING THIS…."

You have to know something in order to have joy. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psalm 30:5).

We can have joy because we know something. When you know something, you have strength. You may not be happy, but when you start living in what you know from the Word of God, your joy will make you happy.

You may not believe you can be joyful in the middle of trying times, but the Bible says you can. The book of Hebrews says you can have the worst possible scenario and yet still take everything joyfully.

"But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance" (Hebrews 10:32-34).

Verse 34 says,"…Knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."

Knowing…there it is! It is what you know that determines whether or not you have joy. If we know the Word says the thief who stole my goods will be made to restore seven times, then I can take the theft joyfully because I know God will make the devil restore to me seven times more than I had before!

Joy is a powerful weapon against trouble. With the joy that comes from knowing your benefits as a born again believer and a member of the "joint heirs of salvation", you can take back all the territory and all the goods the devil has stolen from you. The only reason most believers don't get back what's been stolen from them is they don't know they can do so.

You have been putting up with great fights of afflictions because you didn't know you had a right to sit at the table. You've been under the table simply trying to get the crumbs that fall off. Now that you know you are an heir of God and joint heir with Christ, it's time to get off the floor, sit at the table and eat like the king's kid that you are!

The table is prepared. God is waiting for His children to come to the table. It's time you quit letting trouble and affliction overcome you. Rise up in the joy of the Lord. Get up off the floor and take your seat at the table. Get in the Word of God and learn what it promises you now that you are born again. Sure, troubles and great fights are going to come, but "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might (Ephesians 6:10).

Remember, "the joy of the Lord is your strength". When trouble comes, rejoice-knowing this: Just because trouble comes, it doesn't have to overcome!