What did Jesus mean: In this world you will have trouble? (John 16:33)

John 16:33 NIV – “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus spoke these words to His disciples. He was preparing His disciples for His crucifixion and departure. He was also preparing His disciples for the persecution they will face after His resurrection, and He wanted to assure His disciples that despite the external troubles in the world, Christ would always provide them with comfort, victory and peace.

Earlier in John 14:27 NIV Jesus had told His disciples the following: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Therefore, Jesus is declaring Himself as the only source of genuine peace. Without Jesus Christ in our life, we cannot experience true peace.
In the world we will find tribulations – but in Christ we will find peace. So we must always look to Christ and remain in Christ if we desire peace whilst living in a world full of tribulations.

Globally the world is in utter distress. The world itself is not at peace, and therefore the world is not in a position to offer true peace. The world is in a sinful and fallen state. Its culture and values are in rebellion against God and therefore the world is spiritually at war with God.
The Bible reveals that the world is at war with God to the extent that James 4:4 states that “friendship with the world is enmity with God”

2 Timothy 3:1-5 says: But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

Therefore, the world cannot offer us true peace because the world is in rebellion against the true source of peace – God.

The existence of sin in this world has resulted in many troubles and tribulations such as economic struggles, natural disasters, health problems, relationship problems including the increase of crime, war and social injustices.

So Jesus acknowledges that as long as we live in this world, every person will face trouble or tribulation. Nobody – especially Christians, is immune to trials, temptations and persecution in the world.
Jesus Himself faced every trial, temptation and trouble in the world. He faced sufferings that no other human has faced, but yet He was without sin, and He overcame every trial, temptation and tribulation that came His way.
Therefore when Jesus says that He has “overcome the world”, this means that He alone as the God Man knows and understands our pain, our trials, our challenges in life – and because He has overcome all the challenges that the world can throw at Him, then Jesus Himself is able to guide us, comfort us, strengthen us and give us peace and victory over the trials and tribulations we face in this world.

Hebrews 2:18 says: Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted

Hebrews 4:15-16 says: For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Jesus is our true rock and fortress. He does not offer us the peace that the world gives.
The world offers a superficial and false sense of peace. It does not offer true inner and spiritual peace that is eternal and sourced from God.