Before the Lord Jesus went to the Cross, He spent those precious final hours in the Upper Room with His own. What He shared with them in John 13–16 wasn’t casual conversation—it was eternal truth meant to carry them (and us) through every trial, test, and tribulation. These were not just comforting words in a dark hour; they were life-giving truth straight from the heart of God. In these chapters, the Lord Jesus lays a foundation of teaching that is meant to sustain us in His absence.
He knew exactly what His disciples would face. He knew the world would press in, that doubts would come, and that persecution would rise. And so, He gave them—and gives us—a wealth of truth, full of doctrine, comfort, and direction. These teachings are not optional for the believer. They are essential. They are meant to guide, ground, and guard us as we seek to live for Him in a world that opposes Him.
In those precious chapters, He laid down a foundation of teaching that would become the bedrock of victorious Christian living. These were not idle words; they were battle cries for overcomers.
You see, the victory of Jesus was not just something to admire—it was something to live in. As He said in John 16:33, “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.” That’s not just theology; that’s triumph! The victory He secured at the Cross is the very victory we now walk in—and it begins with His Word abiding in us.
So, let’s begin by looking at The Importance of His Teaching. Because before we can live in victory, we must listen to His voice.
“These things I have spoken to you.” This takes in the entire Upper Room Discourse in John 13-16. All the truths, doctrines, and core teaching! Let’s walk through John 13–16, and I’ll point out a few things here:
John 14:10 – He was the spokesman for the Father.
John 14:15–18 – His teachings are to be kept and obeyed in the power of the Holy Spirit.
John 14:21–26 – We must hear and heed His teachings.
John 15:3 – His word cleanses and sanctifies us (John 17:17).
John 15:7 – His words are a prerequisite for prayer.
John 15:9–11 – Following His teaching leads to enjoying His love and joy.
John 15:12–14, 17 – His teaching directs us and comes with commanding authority.
John 16:1 – His teachings are able to keep us from stumbling.
John 16:4, 7, 12 – His truth is a reality. Think of the immensity of the knowledge of what He is able to impart to us.
John 16:13 – He is able to guide us into all truth (the epistles). Back in 14:26, the Spirit will teach us all things (O.T.) and bring back to our minds what He had taught (the gospels), and will teach us things to come (Revelation).
John 16:15 – All His teaching is from the Father, and v.20, 25 emphasize the supreme importance of everything He has said!
All of this shows the importance of being under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ! The day we stop learning is the day we stop living! The day we stop learning from His Word is the day we stop following Him!
“That in Me you may have peace.” Notice the cause and effect here: the cause is “these things I have spoken to you,” and the effect is “that in Me you may have peace!” The root is His teaching, and the fruit is the peace of Christ! His teaching gives us peace in this chaotic and confused world! He is the source of peace—“in Me.” He taught this earlier in chapter 14:27. What a staggering promise! His peace is a gift! The world gives a false peace, but His peace is a calming peace! He could say, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (14:1, 27). Peace is an inner calmness of spirit in the face of mounting difficulties. It is an inner serenity of heart and soul! Peace is brought about by His teaching through the person and work of the Holy Spirit! He gives us peace in the midst of life’s storms! He gives perfect peace! This was the first message of resurrection in John 20:19, and this peace comes to us as we live according to His Word! Now you and I enjoy peace with God (Romans 5:1), and we can enjoy the peace of God in our daily lives (Philippians 4:6–7) and the presence of the God of peace (Philippians 4:9).
“In this world you will have tribulation.” Wherever we are in this world, as followers of Jesus Christ, there will be tribulation! As we follow His Word, we will have trouble, tribulation, and turmoil! This word tribulation has the thought of “to be broken, crushed, or to have pressure all around.” He does not remove the trouble from us or remove us from the trouble, but provides His peace as we go through it! Look back at John 15:18–20, 23, 25. The followers of Christ will stand out and be distinct in contrast to this world! The world will hate us because it hated Him. Then He adds to this in John 16:1–3. There is the inevitability of suffering as a believer!
“Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” He is saying to all who seek to follow Him, “Take courage! Be strong! I have overcome the world!” He was looking past all that lay ahead of Him and claimed the victory that would be His! He is the great Overcomer! The word ‘overcome’ here is where the word ‘nike’ comes from—it means VICTORY! It appears about 28 times in 16 different forms of the word, in 24 different verses in the New Testament. Christ overcame the world during His life. In His death, He has bound the strong man and taken the spoils (Luke 11:22). In His resurrection, in His ascension, and in His exaltation, Christ has gained the victory: “God has made this same Jesus both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36)! He has overcome this world’s system that opposes God. He is the great Victor! The Cross marked the defeat of the ruler of this world. Romans 3:4 speaks of the legal victory by God, while Romans 12:21 speaks of the moral victory which can be seen in each of our lives. Let me give us some cross-references that elaborate on this.
John 12:31 – “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” (Jn. 14:30; 16:11)
Genesis 3:15 – “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
Colossians 2:15 – “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
Hebrews 2:14 – “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
1 John 3:8 – “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
The Lord Jesus has overcome sin, unbelief, death, the gates of Hades—everything that would discourage us, deflate us, or oppose the gospel! He has overcome anything and everything! We do not fight for victory; we fight from His victory!
Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” And again, in 2 Corinthians 2:14–15, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” He would remind us in Romans 8:37 that every believer is “more (or overwhelmingly more) than conquerors through Him who loved us.”