Most Christians focus on being a survivor. In our world today we talk about all kinds of survivors: cancer survivors, abuse survivors, tornado survivors, and earthquake survivors. The list goes on and on. It is great to be a survivor, but Christians should want to do more than just survive. The Bible does not use the word ‘survivor,’ but it does use the word ‘overcome.’ The root word for ‘overcome’ in the Greek means to “prevail, to pass over, or to gain the victory.” Personally, I don’t want to settle for just surviving. I want to get the victory. I want to be an overpowerer.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world consists of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, these three things is not of the Father but of the world,” I John 2: 15-16. The world is described as a foe to Christians.
The lust of the flesh speaks of passion; lust of the eyes speaks of possession; the pride of life speaks of position. Pride is an unbridled ambition, the desire to put oneself first. Jesus said: “In this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,” John 16:33. We can be overcomers because Jesus was an ‘overcomer.’ The Lord has provided a way for the believer to be victorious over every foe he faces. We can overcome the obstacles that we face in this life through the strength that we receive in the Lord.
The believer is reminded: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world,” I John 4:4. If you have been born again, you have already been made an overcomer in Him. We have already been given the victory through the blood of Jesus Christ. Our challenge now is to live in the light of the victory that has already been won.
To be an overcomer, you must have experienced the rebirth. Are you born again? “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world,” I John 5:4. You must have come by faith (I John 4b-5). “And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our Faith; And have a belief in him as your personal savior; You must have come under the blood, (I John 4b-5). Have you been cleansed by the blood of Jesus? I John 5:6 tells us that it requires the shed blood of Jesus for us to have the victory over sin and death.
My weekly prayer is that the reader of this commentary becomes spiritually inspired of God. Become an Intercessory Prayer Partner with Expressions of Faith. Contact EOF at P.O. Box 330127, Nashville, Tenn.. 37203; or e-mail <w310watson&364;aol.com>. God bless.
