SCRIPTURE: John 16
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. [John 16:20]
Jesus is warning them about how hard things will get for them.
He alludes to His coming crucifixion when they will no longer see Him, and then His resurrection when they will see Him again [John 16:19].
While He is dead, the world will rejoice while they grieve; but when He returns to life, their grief will be turned to joy!
He also refers to His upcoming ascension, when He goes back to God [John 16:7]; He explains that though it will be hard for them, it will also be good because then He can send His Spirit to fill and equip and teach and support them.
And so in this reading, He refers to the 4 big events in His life: His crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and outpouring of the Spirit.
In summary, things are going to get harder before they get easier; but don’t worry, my victory is in the bag!
And yours is too!

These words were not only intended to comfort the disciples then, they can comfort us now.
Jesus assures us too that things on this world will get hard, but we can be assured (especially since all four of these events have occurred, and the Counsellor is now in us)… we can be assured that the victory is in the bag!
As hard as things get, Jesus has overcome and is more than a conqueror; therefore nothing and no one can separate us from God’s love in Christ.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:35-39]

The Spirit of Jesus in us reminds us of these things: He helps us in the struggle, He strengthens us in our weakness, He assures us that greater is Jesus in us than any enemy that is in the world.
After all, the prince of this world has been condemned, his days are numbered!
We may endure a season of grief on this planet, but His Spirit promises joy beyond measure.
If you are going through a tough time – you may be sick, depressed, afraid for yourself or someone you love, you may be under attack, alone, filled with grief, ruined by addiction, burdened by guilt, afraid of dying, under pressure, etc…
In this tough time, Jesus offers His Spirit, and the encouragement and strength He provides.
Allow the Spirit to change your focus, to shift your meditation from how great your troubles are, to how great your God and Saviour are.
Allow the Spirit to speak through you, to voice hope and confidence and surrender and peace and praise and joy, whether you feel it or not.
When you don’t how to say it, let the Spirit say it for you: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. [Romans 8:26]

We cannot survive or succeed apart from Christ, and since He is gone (in His body), we have to rely on His Spirit.
Though we might think that it would be better for us to have Jesus here in person, Jesus assures us that it is better for Him to be on His throne, ruling things from above, and for His Spirit to be in/with us, ruling from within!
May you experience the fullness of joy of knowing that His Spirit is in you; nothing can separate you from His love!

PRAYER:
Lord, You are over me, You are with me, You are in me. I am not alone. Strengthen me for the battles that I must endure, the seasons of grief that will precede my joy. May my joy soon be complete!