As I was looking for pictures to post a recent article, I was actually surprised to find one with a man holding a sign that said, “Overcomer.” So, my question to us is, “Do we believe, as followers of Jesus, that we can overcome anything, just as Jesus did?”
How do we overcome when life gets hard at times and circumstances change for the worst?
I recently asked the Lord this question and He answered by reminding me that the word over indicates being above. So, if we overcome the things that way us down, then we must rise above them. How do we do that?
The first example the Holy Spirit showed me was the importance of overcoming our unbelief.
In the gospel of Mark, Jesus gave the example when He was healing a boy of evil spirits. “Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” Mark 9: 21 The father then tells Jesus that he’s been like this since childhood and then makes this statement (that we sometimes make) asking, “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” Mark 9: 22
“If you can? said Jesus, “Everything is possible for him who believes. Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.” Mark 9: 23-24
Read this highlighted verse again. Isn’t it contradicting itself? The father says he believes, then he asks for help to overcome his unbelief.
Boy, I was convicted when I saw this. Why?
Belief and unbelief are often mixed.
We are told from James that, “He who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1: 6b
The apostle Paul commends us to grow up in our faith and not be like infants who are “Tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching…” Ephesians 4: 14
The second example I saw was that as we grow in faith, we should rise above doubt and fear by overcoming them.
Maybe the lesson of walking on the water is also about overcoming and rising above.
The third example is overcoming evil by doing good.
Something happens spiritually when we are “Not overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12: 21
Prior to this teaching, Paul gives his audience some very specific ways of overcoming that I want to list so we get it. Here they are:
- Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
- Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
- If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
- Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, “It is mine to avenge I will repay, says the Lord.”
It doesn’t stop there, Paul continues saying, “On the contrary (which is the opposite in nature)”:
- If your enemy is hungry; feed him.
- If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
- In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. (Romans 12: 17-20)
When we act in the opposite spirit to one that is hurting us, it looks foolish to the world.
Remember, Jesus, said, “If someone takes your coat, offer your shirt as well.” Luke 6: 29 In the natural, this seems unreasonable or stupid.
Hear me on this! I am not saying to be a doormat!
So, what’s the point? Blessing someone who has done you wrong disarms the enemy. Overcoming is disarming the enemy.
This same scripture we used in Romans is listed in the book of Proverbs, but it ends by saying, “And the Lord will reward you.”
When we overcome, we rise above the hurt and we succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty, and we prevail. This is called warfare!
Yes, brothers and sisters in Christ, we can “Overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our testimony. Revelation 12: 11
His death and resurrection made it all possible. All things are possible!
KINGDOM ASSURANCE
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