A Matter of Perspective

“When Jesus said, "I have overcome the world," He meant that by the use of certain words He had dissolved all adverse states of consciousness in materiality, appetite, and selfishness.” - Charles Fillmore, Christian Healing 

Jesus said, “In the world you will have troubles, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) He did not mean that he had conquered the world or had ascended beyond the physical world, but that he was no longer subject to the illusory perspective of the conditioned mind when perceiving the world. 

As we awaken to the truth of our being, the Christ, which is not of the world, is not conditioned by the world, and is not subject to the appearances of the world; we awaken from the dream of identification with the conditioned consciousness that would have us believe that we are defined by the world, that we are our bodies, thoughts, emotions, and possessions. 

From the moment he came out of his forty days in the wilderness and began his ministry, Jesus was presented with many opportunities to face the conditions of the world.  They appeared as lack of health, absence of life, inability to walk, see or hear, to name a few.  However, Jesus chose to see beyond the limiting conditions.  By standing in his truth as the Christ, he was able to be fully present, regardless of how the world appeared from the human perspective, and see the light of truth shining through all apparent conditions.  And, in his presence others were able to claim their truth, overcome the limitations of the conditioned consciousness, and allow the light of their true nature to shine through.  In so doing, they too experienced the demonstrations of their truth.

Jesus also said, “Those who believe in me will do the works I have done and even greater works will he do.”  He was not speaking as the man Jesus, but as the Christ, when he spoke these words.  When we know our truth as the Christ (believe in me); stand in the world as the presence of the Christ; and live from that consciousness, others will be affected and lives will be changed.  John’s gospel quotes Jesus, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16 & 17 NIV).  We are condemned as we allow ourselves to be threatened by the appearances of the world.  We are saved when we know ourselves as the Christ, the one and only son/daughter of God.  As we are saved, so is the world.  We are here, not just to awaken, but also to follow Jesus’ example and be the presence of Christ in the world.  That is how we will do the things that he did and even greater things.

It is not enough to awaken to our truth as the Christ: we must live the truth we know.  When we do, we “overcome the world” and the world is saved through our awakened presence.