Everything that Jesus did, he did vicariously (in your place and on your behalf). Jesus did not just come and clothe himself in his unique humanity. He came and clothed himself in mankind’s collective humanity. He was tempted in every way, just like us. In other words, for every temptation you have ever, or will ever face, Jesus has already faced them vicariously and overcame.
In John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Jesus doesn’t just offer us peace; he offers us his peace – the peace of the proven Overcomer.
Being incorporated into the life of Christ, Jesus now gladly shares with us his victorious overcoming life. Our life is hidden with Christ in God, and therefore, it is not we as independent selves trying to face the situations of life in a fallen world. It is the Christ in whom we are hidden that continues to vicariously face them in our place and on our behalf as the Overcomer.
There is nothing you and I ever face that Jesus doesn’t have peace about, and because of our union with the human God Jesus, he shares his peace with us. It is a peace that passes all merely human understanding. It is a peace that transcends all reason and emotion because no situation or temptation is threatening the one who has already proven he overcame and thus will overcome no matter the storm. Let this sink in: Jesus doesn’t just live through us a victorious life; he is demonstrating and revealing through us, one test at a time, victories already won in our place and on our behalf.