ARE WE OVERCOMERS? 2/1/17
Can we live the overcoming life? YES!
“They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the
word of our testimony.” Rev. 12:11
Our authority to be children of God always comes from
the blood of Jesus. Our testimony always is created in us by the Holy Spirit.
We overcome by loving our Lord Jesus to the point
of death. What death? Our own! Jesus said, “If anyone will come after Me,
let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.” Each day of our discipleship, do we choose to
do God's will? Each time we choose to do
God’s Will, do we die to ourselves? Am I ready to give up my self-love and my
self- will? Am I ready to go to the
point of death, if necessary?
Let us put aside our hopes and dreams as we seek God’s
will for our lives. Have I dreamt about
a new home, new car, the best for my family?
This is a legitimate desire for our loved ones, but have I sought God’s
Will in the matter? Am I putting the
heart of God above all else in my life?
God , our Father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob said it so
beautifully in Jeremiah 29, 11, “I alone
know the plans I have for you, plans for your welfare and not for woe, plans to
give you a future full of hope.”
When we go through hardships in life, no matter what
is required of us, no matter how it hurts us, are we determined to do the will
of God? Many times we are directed to let go of some relationship, circumstance
or thing exceedingly dear to us. The overcomer chooses death to his own will
when he is obedient to the will of God in his life.
Until we learn to die to self, we will live our
Christian life in defeat. Until we learn to die to sin, we will live in
bondage. Until we learn to die to pride, we will live in slavery and servitude.
As a child of God, we do not need to be
in bondage, slavery and servitude. James 4:7 commands, "Submit yourselves,
then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” When we are one
with Jesus, He gives us authority to break out of bondage. We can give up a
sinful habit, we can be freed from an addiction by the power of Jesus the
Christ.
The overcoming life is a life that conquers sin and unbelief as we defeat the enemy. It is a life lived in the joy of salvation. It is a life of victory in God. It is a life of assurance, a life of certainty that it is ‘well with our souls’. It is a life that fulfills the purpose for which God created us, a life saved as we walk with God. It is not a life free of temptation. Temptations come to all God's people, especially to the saved. Heb. 4:15 says, “ For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but One Who was tempted in every way that we are, yet, never sinned.” Yes, there is victory over sin, victory in Jesus! Romans 8:37 says, "We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”
The overcoming life is a life that conquers sin and unbelief as we defeat the enemy. It is a life lived in the joy of salvation. It is a life of victory in God. It is a life of assurance, a life of certainty that it is ‘well with our souls’. It is a life that fulfills the purpose for which God created us, a life saved as we walk with God. It is not a life free of temptation. Temptations come to all God's people, especially to the saved. Heb. 4:15 says, “ For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but One Who was tempted in every way that we are, yet, never sinned.” Yes, there is victory over sin, victory in Jesus! Romans 8:37 says, "We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”
The Christian life is a life of victory, not a life of
defeat. Some people call it the deeper
life, some call it the victorious life, some call it the exchanged life, some
call it the overcoming life. Call it whatever you will! The truth is, “Thanks be unto God Who causes
us always to triumph in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Victory should be the normal Christian life. If we are not living
in victory, we are living beneath our privileges. God wants us to be normal.
The overcomer bears witness that God is worthy of our
complete trust and confidence. The overcomer studies the Scriptures and speaks
and acts according to what is written. He brings his life into line with the Word of
God. His testimony, which he gives in
speech and action, is that God is true, good, and reliable. When all his
security and hopes have crumbled before his eyes, he maintains consistently
that God will provide for him. God will give him the desires of his heart. He trusts God to temper those desires until
that which finally is given to him is the best of all. The overcomer, through
prayer and obedience, conquers the accuser. The overcomer testifies in the
sight of Heaven and earth that God is true; God is to be trusted. “Those who
wait on the Lord will not lack any good thing.” (Psalm 34:9)
As we overcome, we soar like the eagle! Isaiah 40, 31 says so beautifully, “Those who
hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will SOAR as with wings of eagles.
They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and will not faint.”
