“And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” (John 16:22)

“And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.”

“And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.”

“And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.”

“And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?”

“For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?”

“But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.”

“And he arose, and departed to his house.”

“But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men” (Matthew 9:1-8)

I have found it very interesting that the phrase “Be of good cheer” appears seven times in the Bible. On every occasion that we see this phrase, it is said when the adversity surrounding the situation is very, very bad. God did not say “be of good cheer” when times were good. No, He said it when times were not so good.

In Matthew 9, a man stricken with the palsy was brought to Jesus. The Lord recognized their faith and said to the man, “Son, be of good cheer.” He had a terrible disease. He wasn’t sure how his visit with Jesus would turn out. The first words he got were these: “Son, be of good cheer.”

The storm was raging on the Sea of Galilee, in Matthew 14. The disciples with Him were in a panic. Then they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water. First, they thought that they were seeing a ghost. But then He spoke, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.”

Like the disciples in the boat, too many people allow adverse circumstances to control their hearts. God has an answer for us in those situation and it “be of good cheer.”

In John 16, Jesus explains to His disciples just how many things they will face as they go on in the call of God. “You will be scattered and I will stand alone,” He was telling them. “Expect tribulation, for you are not of this world.”  But then Jesus added this: “Be of good cheer; for I have overcome the world.”

Jesus was proclaiming the ramifications of his Finished Work victory here on the evening before He went to Calvary. He knew what the Cross would accomplish.

It Shall as It was Told Me

“And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

“But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.”

“And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.”

“For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,”

“Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.”

“Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:20-25)

Paul’s conviction was that everything would turn just as God told him it would turn out. Raging storms or raging demons were not going to deter the purpose of God, which was for Paul to get to Rome and share his faith.

There were problems for Paul in Jerusalem. It was a terrible time for him. He wrongly accused, arrested, nearly scourged, and targeted for death. Christ stood by Paul and said, “Be of good cheer.”

God never tells us that things are going to be “good.” He doesn’t once say there will always be blessing. He does, however, tell us to be of good cheer. God has never commanded someone to do something that he cannot do. Behind every thing that God tells us to do, there is His omnipotence. Divine power gives unto all things that “pertain into life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). We have God’s nature dwelling within us in the Person of the Holy Spirit. We have His knowledge. We have His presence.

Are you not sure about how you are going to pay the rent? Be of good cheer and allow God to help your unbelief as you receive His Word. You may be in one of the lousiest marriages that ever existed. Be of good cheer and allow God to teach His way in your wilderness.

Excerpted from the booklet “Answers for Adversity,” copyright 2006. Available from Grace Publications.