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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Faith Makes Us Overcomers (1 John 5: 1-5)





Life is not easy. It is full of many challenges and obstacles to overcome. The greatest challenge of this life, however, is a spiritual one for each human being will make choices that will determine the destiny of his or her soul. God, being for us, wants us to become spiritual overcomers. 
The Greek word most often translated “overcomer” stems from the word nikewhich, according to Strong’s Concordance, means “to carry off the victory. The verb implies a battle.” There is a spiritual battle that surrounds us as the holiness of God combats the spiritual darkness of evil that wants to keep us enslaved to sin and keep us from recognizing and desiring the love of God. But,God’s Word tells us how to have victory in this spiritual battle.
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (v4)
And God’s Word is also very clear about what that faith should be anchored to:
“Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (v5)

Matthew Henry gives a wonderful explanation of how this should manifest in the life of a believer.
“Faith is the cause of victory, the means, the instrument, the spiritual armour by which we overcome. In and by faith we cleave to Christ, in contempt of, and in opposition to the world. Faith sanctifies the heart, and purifies it from those sensual lusts by which the world obtains sway and dominion over souls. It has the indwelling Spirit of grace, which is greater than he who dwells in the world. The real Christian overcomes the world by faith; he sees, in and by the life and conduct of the Lord Jesus on earth, that this world is to be renounced and overcome. He cannot be satisfied with this world, but looks beyond it, and is still tending, striving, and pressing toward heaven. We must all, after Christ's example, overcome the world, or it will overcome us to our ruin.”

The world looks at an overcomer as one who pulls himself up by his own efforts and merit. The goal of a worldly overcomer is to be better than others. Such an overcomer strives to outshine, outmaneuver, and outperform his fellow man. His focus is on love of self and self-gain, often at the expense of others. 

But what does the spiritual overcomer focus on?
“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” (v1-3)
God looks at an overcomer as one who accepts his free gift of love and salvation. By believing Jesus is the Son of God and yielding to His Spirit, our hearts and motivations change as well. It is this heart change that makes us overcomers. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, our motivation to follow God’s commandments become love and righteousness. Our faith and obedience become motivated by genuine love and concern for others. 

Do you desire to be an overcomer? Have faith in Jesus Christ. You can rest in the knowledge that you have eternal life. You can rest in the finished work of the cross. You don’t have to strive to outperform and outshine others in order to gain God’s favor. The battle is a spiritual one. You only have to believe in Christ, yield to God’s Spirit and extend his love and compassion to others. Have faith....and God will make you an overcomer!