“Overcoming Faith”
1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
To start today’s message I’m going to make a statement that I hope that you agree with but whether you do or not it is still true. “We live in one of the most spiritually anemic times in the history of the church.” What do I mean by the phrase spiritually anemic? I mean that there are not many professing Christians who are living in victory today! You can see this in several areas of life. For instance, does it seem to you that the church seems to be helpless in stemming the tide of ungodliness around us, that the battle for the great moral and spiritual issues of the day is being won by the forces of darkness and evil? There doesn’t seem to be any power in our pulpits or our pews? That it seems that Satan is thumbing his nose at God and the church? All of this is true and sadly, much more. The question for us is why more professing Christians don’t have the victory? Our text indicates that those who are “…born of God…” overcome the world and that we achieve this “…victory…” through faith. But what kind of faith are we talking about? I want to share three thoughts concerning the kind of faith that makes us the victor instead of the vanquished.
Introduction: What is an overcoming faith? Definition:
Overcome: From the Greek word nikao meaning to mightily prevail over, to master, to be victorious. We have a choice in every situation to either be a victor or to be vanquished. Too many believers are failing to experience consistent victory over their anger, fear and self-centered responses to adversity.
Jesus wants us to experience His life in all of its abundance, but too many Christians today are allowing themselves to be defeated by the world, the flesh and the devil.
I. Overcoming faith involves an adoring worship
A. Adoring worship begins by acknowledging what we are in Christ - past
Praise God for what we already have in Christ.
Romans 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
B. Adoring worship begins by appropriating what we have in Christ - present
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Paul Fritz writes that: Jesus said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18 All the force of the Almighty God will give you the victory over any oppositionary forces that seek to thwart the completion of God’s forward marching armies.
C. Adoring worship begins by anticipating what we will become in Christ - prospects
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
I Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Second:
II. Overcoming faith involves an adventurous walk
No exemplifies this more than Abraham.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
A. Believed an unrealized promise he had never seen – “…after receive for an inheritance…”
B. Obeyed the voice of a God he had never seen – “…called to go out…”
C. Looked for a city built by God that he had never seen – “…he looked for a city…”
John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Third:
III. Overcoming faith involves an active work
James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
A. Grace
Harry Houdini, the famed escape artist issued a challenge wherever he went. He could be locked in any jail cell in the country, he claimed, and set himself free quickly and easily. Always he kep his promise, but one time something went wrong. Houdini entered the jail in his street clothes; the heavy, metal doors clanged shut behind him. He took from his belt a concealed piece of metal, strong and flexible. He set to work immediately, but something seemed to be unusual about this lock. For 30 minutes he worked and got nowhere. An hour passed, and still he had not opened the door. By now he was bathed in sweat and panting in exasperation, but he still could not pick the lock. Finally, after laboring for 2 hours, Harry Houdini collapsed in frustration and failure against the door he could not unlock. But when he fell against the door, it swung open! It had never been locked at all! But in his mind it was locked and that was all it took to keep him from opening the door and walking out of the jail cell.
B. Grit
When DAVE THOMAS died in early 2002, he left behind more than just thousands of Wendy’s restaurants. He also left a legacy of being a practical, hard-working man who was respected for his down-to-earth values.
Among the pieces of good advice that have outlived the smiling entrepreneur is his view of what Christians should be doing with their lives. Thomas, who as a youngster was influenced for Christ by his grandmother, said that believers should be "roll-up-your-shirt sleeves" Christians.
In his book Well Done, Thomas said, "Roll-up-your-shirtsleeves Christians see Christianity as faith and action. They still make the time to talk with God through prayer, study Scripture with devotion, be super-active in their church and take their ministry to others to spread the Good Word." He went onto say they are "anonymous people who are doing good for Christ may be doing even more good than all the well-known Christians in the world."
That statement has more meat in it than a Wendy’s triple burger. Thomas knew about hard work in the restaurant business; and he knew it is vital in the spiritual world also.
Let’s Roll-up-our-shirt sleeves, there is plenty to do.
(Source: Dave Branon, Our Daily Bread. From a sermon by Dennis Davidson, Authentic Faith Works, 10/26/2009)
C. Glory
BUILDING A CATHEDRAL
A man once walked by a building site and saw three stone masons side by side, sweating over their work in the hot sun.
He asked the first, "What are you doing?"
"Laying bricks" came the reply.
He asked the second stone mason, "And what are you doing?"
"Building a wall." came the reply.
Then he asked the third mason, "And what is it you are doing?"
"I am raising a great cathedral."
Glory is that attitude in our life that portrays what we are doing for the Father is something great and worthy for His kingdom.
