By Jack Davis
“He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.” Revelation 21:7
God’s Son is the chief and full Overcomer and inheritor. He is the Overcomer in His people, and His people in Him – His body and especially His bride. Greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world. Thank God, that our Mighty Conqueror has overcome for us, that He might also in us, by us, and with us. Some of these aspects of His overcoming are so powerfully expressed in Revelation 12:10-11 – “And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb (He for us), and by the word of their testimony (He by us), and they loved not their lives unto the death (He in us).” We praise God for making us partakers of that same victorious, giving, out-pouring life.
“EVEN AS I OVERCAME”
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” – Rev. 3:21. It is important that we are well aware of how He overcomes. From Revelation 5:5-6 we are made to understand that “the Lion of the tribe of Juda” PREVAILED as a “Lamb.” He is seen among the full overcomers as a Lamb slain, yet standing. Hallelujah! Satan could not hold Him down.
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne” – Rev. 3:21. It is important that we are well aware of how He overcomes. From Revelation 5:5-6 we are made to understand that “the Lion of the tribe of Juda” PREVAILED as a “Lamb.” He is seen among the full overcomers as a Lamb slain, yet standing. Hallelujah! Satan could not hold Him down.
His overcoming example cheers us on. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” – John 16:33. “For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin” – Heb. 12:3-4. This is said after we are admonished to “run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith.”
In His conflict for us, He stooped to conquer; and conquer He did through weakness. “For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you” – II Cor. 13:4. As He overcame, we also overcome by depending upon the Father.
We think of how He overcame in the temple. At the age of twelve, He amazed the scholars there. Later He cleansed the temple, overwhelming the money changers and driving them out. In the wilderness, He was victorious, as He used the shield of faith and the Sword of the Spirit so well; for “It is written” sent the enemy away. Then I rejoice in the way He prevailed “for us” in the garden. Oh, what a great victory He had won when He said, “Not My will, but Thine be done.”
On the cross He was a winner when He cried out, “Father forgive them,” and shouted with triumph, “It is finished.” He, through death, defeated “him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” – Heb. 2:14. Even though He was in the tomb bodily, His spirit “went and preached unto the spirits in prison” – I Peter 3:19. Oh, how we thank God that we know Jesus was not in the grave in defeat. Then in the air (the space between the lowly grave and highest glory) He was the Victor, as He passed through the temporary domain of “the prince of the power of the air” – Eph. 2:2. “Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” – Col. 2:15. “Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things” – Eph. 4:8,10.
It is so important that we realize that He is prevailing for us right now, at the right hand of the Father. His priestly intercession, based on the merit of His sacrifice for us on the Cross, wonderfully avails the Father’s favor to us.
SPHERES OF VICTORY
As He would overcome in and by us, we find on the Christian course that there are levels of conflict; that is, spheres of victory, in body, soul and spirit we are under attack. There are the world, the flesh, and the devil; or shall we say sin, self, and Satan to deal with. The world today has a powerful influence on mankind toward sin. But Jesus has not only overcome the world; but He “gave Himself for our sin, that He might deliver us from this present evil world,” providing our escape from its corruption, separating us from it, making us partakers of His Divine nature – Gal. 1:4; II Pet. 1:4. Our part is faith – I John. 5:4. Our fleshly nature has cravings that are against God. Satan knows this, so he works on the flesh to tempt us to go against our Father’s will. We are told to resist him – “Whom resist steadfast in the faith” – I Pet. 5:9. We are taught to refrain from making “provision for the flesh,” and to “walk in the Spirit,” and “not fulfil the lust of the flesh” – Rom. 13:14; Gal. 5:16.
As He would overcome in and by us, we find on the Christian course that there are levels of conflict; that is, spheres of victory, in body, soul and spirit we are under attack. There are the world, the flesh, and the devil; or shall we say sin, self, and Satan to deal with. The world today has a powerful influence on mankind toward sin. But Jesus has not only overcome the world; but He “gave Himself for our sin, that He might deliver us from this present evil world,” providing our escape from its corruption, separating us from it, making us partakers of His Divine nature – Gal. 1:4; II Pet. 1:4. Our part is faith – I John. 5:4. Our fleshly nature has cravings that are against God. Satan knows this, so he works on the flesh to tempt us to go against our Father’s will. We are told to resist him – “Whom resist steadfast in the faith” – I Pet. 5:9. We are taught to refrain from making “provision for the flesh,” and to “walk in the Spirit,” and “not fulfil the lust of the flesh” – Rom. 13:14; Gal. 5:16.
Often the urge to disobey God comes on gradually, and as we entertain the thought it gets stronger and stronger. Usually, if we try to fight it off in our own determination, it will overwhelm us. At times, temptation will hit us all of a sudden with an almost overwhelming force, when we least expect it. Thank God, in whatever way trouble comes knocking at our door, we are well supplied and equipped to be “more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” We are wise to call in the Overcomer to answer the door, when problems come knocking.
If everything we need to be victors is supplied, we have no excuse to live in defeat. Even if we have lost battles in the past, we are encouraged to “GET UP AND GO ON.” When our adversary brings terrible crushing heartbreaking experiences our way, they are intended to bring our complete defeat; and, also, many others may be hurt and hindered by them. We then become either bitter or better. But He is so ready and able to heal, and put down all resentment and rebellion from our hearts, if we are willing to let Him.
Remember, He has to allow the trial to come. Don’t forget, He allows it for our good. God also would use our victories to show up our adversary.
Paul gloried in necessities. Thank God, we also are a needy people; only thus can we become full overcomers. Otherwise, we would never come to know the all-sufficiency of God’s grace, nor the power of Christ resting upon (enveloping) us. “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.” The Amplified Bible translates it thus: “Who in Christ always leads us in triumph – as trophies of Christ’s victory” – II Cor. 2:14. I appreciate that.
Every victory we have demands thanks to God. All our triumphs are caused by Him. Every way that we truly prevail is only and always “in Christ Jesus.” You may have heard it said that, in order to be triumphant, we must add a little of our “try” to God’s “umph.” But God inspired the Apostle Paul to teach us to not trust our try, but only in God’s almighty power – II Cor. 1:9-10; 3:4-5.
Our adversary knows well where to attack each child of God. Something that would seem hard for you to overcome, may seem easy for me. Something I would have a battle with, you may think nothing. Many things, that overcomers experience on their course, are not known by anyone except the Lord. But praise God! I know that one day the universe will stand in awe at the many hidden victories that God’s trusting children have won “In Jesus Christ.”
J. D.
J. D.
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