Overcomer {1 John 5}
11:00 AMOctober 20, 2020
Overcomers
are followers of Christ who successfully resist the power and temptation of the
world’s system. Whew! And how do we do that? An overcomer is not sinless – but holds fast
to faith in Christ until the end. She
does not turn away when times get difficult.
Overcoming requires complete dependence upon God for direction,
fulfillment, and strength to follow His plan for our lives.
When we recognize that the Bible teaches us that the world is a battleground, not a playground, we come to realize God does not leave us defenseless.
Strong’s concordance shows us that the Greek word most often translated “overcomer” stems from the work nike, which means “to carry off the victory”. The verb implies battle.
Ephesians 6:11-17 describes the armor of the Lord available to all believers. Throughout this scripture passage is the admonition to “stand firm”. Sometimes all it takes to overcome temptation is to stand firm and refuse to be dragged into it.
James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” An overcomer is someone who resists sin no matter what lures Satan uses.
Overcoming
is often equated with enduring. Jesus
encouraged those who follow Him to “endure to the end” (Matthew 24:13)
Life can be a bit like a corn maze with a lot of twists and turns and shocking and frightening obstacles, but when we cling to Jesus, He makes a way and we have the guarantee of Jesus, that if we are His, we will be able to endure to the end and His reward will make it all worthwhile.
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