Let us therefore now rejoice with all assurance and gladness, and should any thought of sin or death frighten us, let us in opposition to this lift up our hearts and say: “Behold, dear soul, what are you doing? Dear death, dear sin, how is it that you are alive and terrify me? Do you not know that you have been overcome? Do you, death, not know that you are quite dead? Do you not know the One who says of you: ‘I have overcome the world?’ It does not behoove me either to listen to your terrifying suggestions, or heed them. Rather [I should listen] to the comforting words of my Savior: ‘Be of good cheer, be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ He is the victor, the true hero, who gives and appropriates to me his victory with this word: ‘Be of good cheer!’ I shall cling to him, and to his words and comfort I shall hold fast; regardless whether I remain here or go yonder, I shall live by [this word, for] he does not lie to me. You would like to deceive me with your terrors, and with your lying thoughts you would like to tear me away from such a victor and savior. But they are lies, as surely as it is true that he has overcome you and commanded us to be comforted.

“Saint Paul also boasts likewise and defies the terrors of death: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O hell, where is thy sting?’ Like a wooden image of death, you can terrify and challenge, but you have no power to strangle. For your victory, sting, and power have been swallowed up in Christ’s victory. You can show your teeth, but you cannot devour, for God has given us the victory over you through Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be praise and thanks. Amen.” (Luther’s Works, v. 50, p.19-20)

Second, dear Mother, you also know the true center and foundation of your salvation from whom you are to seek comfort in this and all troubles, namely, Jesus Christ, the cornerstone. He will not waver or fail us, nor allow us to sink or perish, for he is the Savior and is called the Savior of all poor sinners, and of all who are caught in tribulation and death, and rely on him, and call on his name.

[Christ] says: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” If he has overcome the world, surely he has also overcome the sovereign of this world with all his power. But what else is [the devil’s] power but death, by which he has made us subject to himself, [and] held us captives on account of our sin? But now that death and sin are overcome, we may joyfully and cheerfully listen to the sweet words: “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” We certainly are not to doubt that these words are indeed true. More than that, we are commanded to accept this comfort with joy and thanksgiving. Whoever would be unwilling to be comforted by these words would do the greatest injustice and dishonor to the dear Comforter, as if it were not true that he bids us to be of good cheer, or as if it were not true that he has overcome the world. [If we acted thus,] we would only restore within ourselves the tyranny of the vanquished devil, sin, and death, and oppose the dear Savior. From this may God preserve us. (Luther’s Works, v. 50, p.19)