Overcoming Faith
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.” I John 5: 4
Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good courage I have overcome the world.” John 16: 33
What a dreadful truth followed by an even more dynamic provision.
Because of His victory, we don’t work for victory; we work from victory.
Jesus realistically let us know we would have — opposition.
The Greek word for world is “kosmos” in this case meaning alienation from and opposition to God, all forces opposing new life in Jesus. Such is a summary for any and all opposing the believer. It is spiritual adversity in any form.
Faith overcomes the world. Such faith [faith or believe] does not merely mean to believe, but to trust, to confide in, to commit to, entrust with, and so forth; the very marrow of the meaning of faith is confidence in, reliance upon.
Faith enables believers to overcome by applying:
Reason teaches we are “overcomes.” This is a verb form speaking of a continuous victory in an unceasing struggle.
“Victory” is in a verb form which speaks of a single victory. The single victory was Jesus’ victory over the world. Because of that single victory, we have the potential of a continuous victory. Because of His victory, we are called “overcomers.”
We quote wonderful truths, BUT do we live according with the truth?
“If God be for us…” “I can do all things…”
Resources are twofold.
Birth is the basis for “whoever is born of God.” The birth factor gives us a new nature which has the capacity for combat with and conquest of the world.
Belief, “our faith,” is likewise a basis.
It is simply to take God at His word and act on it. Faith is not saying that what God says is true; it is acting on what God says because it is true. It is not believing in spite of evidence, but obeying in spite of consequence. We have the victory.
There is a story of a Civil War vet who spoke often of his friend Mr. Lincoln. Because of his injury, he was unable to hold a steady job. He was a virtual beggar who told stories about “Mr. Lincoln” for bed and food.
One day a skeptic said, “Prove you know Mr. Lincoln.”
He pulled out a piece of paper with pride to show them Mr. Lincoln’s signature. He couldn’t read; but when a spectator saw the paper, he exclaimed: “Do you know what you have here? You have a generous federal pension authorized by President Lincoln. You don’t have to walk around like a poor beggar. Mr. Lincoln has made you rich.”
Jesus has done the same for us. We don’t have to walk around defeated… Jesus has made us overcomers. That doesn’t immune us from worldly assault but it enables us to deal with and overcome them…. by faith.