HoHum:
“everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4, NIV.
The hymn “Faith is the Victory” is based on this verse. The author of this hymn, John Yates, overcame an accident prone childhood. In 1844, 7 year old John fell from a high set of stone steps in a hotel and tumbled down into the cellar, fracturing his skull. It wasn’t certain he would come to, as he was unconscious for a long time. He had a broad scar as a souvenir of this incident. In 1847, when his family was traveling by ship, a storm struck so powerfully that 10 year old John was thrown across the deck, breaking his leg. At the age of 16, John brought down the curtain on a school play when he accidentally fell on an open double edged knife, piercing his right lung. For 3 weeks, his life hung by a thread but survived again. Avoiding the America Civil War because of his injuries, John became a minister of the gospel. In 1891, Mr. Yates agreed to write gospel songs for Ira Sankey, a famous Christian song director. During that time, John Yates wrote “Faith is the Victory” giving living illustration that our faith in the promises of God and in our Lord Jesus gives us overcoming victory. After his death in 1900, his headstone has engraved, “Faith is the victory, oh, glorious victory, that overcomes the world.”
WBTU:
What is this thing called faith? Defining faith is simple: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1, NIV. Defining faith is simple, living by it is another story. Faith is more than just believing that God exists. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6, NIV. Faith believes that God keeps His Word, rewarding those who are His. Faith is trusting the promises we have with no way to measure or authenticate the results until we receive the rewards. It is believing we have them when they are not yet realities in our lives. Where does faith come from? There are those who believe that faith comes from outside us. God miraculously strikes us, zaps us one day, and we have saving faith. No, faith comes from within us but is produced by the Word of Christ. “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17, NIV. The principle is that we believe in something we cannot see because we believe the message of the one who tells us. The word of Jesus Christ is good testimony, believable and trustworthy. If He says something is true, we can be certain of it- even when we cannot see it. How wonderful it must have been to see Jesus Christ with physical eyes, to touch Him with literal hands, to smell Him with actual nostrils, to hear His voice rumble in an eardrum! Even then, there had to be faith but Peter gives us a blessing in our day- “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8, 9, NIV.
Thesis: How does faith give the victory?
For Instances:
1. Faith in the future
Was reading the news and recently there was an asteroid that was going to hit the earth in 2 hours. The asteroid was roughly the size of a bus and when it came into the earth’s atmosphere it simply disintegrated. Many believed that a missile could be sent to intercept a large asteroid and change it’s trajectory and avoid the earth. Now scientists are concerned that an asteroid would appear quickly and so be unable to intercept it with a missile and change it’s trajectory.
There is war in Ukraine and the Russians have put their nuclear forces on high alert. What would happen if nuclear weapons were used and this would trigger a nuclear war? How many end of the world scenarios have there been?
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” 2 Peter 3:10-14, NIV. This is how we should live. What should we be doing? “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9, NIV.
Michael W Smith- I am sure there will be a day, but it will not be like the nations say. The Lord will come when this life is through and His deep desire is to be with you. Hearts will fly when the new world starts and joy will rise like the morning star, God will meet every cry of the heart, and it’s my prayer, I want you to be there. Faith is the victory we know that overcomes...
2. Faith overcomes temptation
Faith sustains us, making every temptation or trial lose its power over us. “Temptations lose their power when thou art nigh” How? By faith we are transported beyond this world, giving us victory over it. The devil can hurt me only while I live in this world. Although I walk the earth, my mind and heart live in heaven. Even though I live in this world, I’m not a part of it. For now, Jesus wants us here, representing Him; but He doesn’t want us to be part of this world. His desire for us is the same as his prayer for the apostles: “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” John 17:15, 16, NIV. We need to be different and overcome sin in our lives.
Sometimes read old hymns and poems and this one from Charles Wesley struck me: Love only can the conquest win, the strength of sin subdue, Mine own unconquerable sin, and form my soul anew. Think about that- Christ is unconquerable and we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. On our own we have unconquerable sins- we cannot stop doing them. Christ gives us the strength to subdue them. Christ conquers the unconquerable sin. “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” Matthew 19:26, NIV. Satan says we cannot overcome, but Christ says that through Him we can.
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Ephesians 6:16, NIV. Hymn talks about our shining shield
3. Faith to Go On
Satan uses a 3 fold attack for every person.
A. Keep a person from ever becoming a Christian- This is effective, most people never come
B. Once they accept Christ, deceiving them into abandoning their Christianity. Many call this falling away from grace. Yes, the Bible and experience tells us this is possible. There are some famous examples like Charles Templeton who served alongside of Billy Graham. Once an evangelist for Christ, Templeton became an atheist.
C. Even so, once a person becomes a Christian, if Satan can’t steal a person’s salvation, he attempts to steal his effectiveness. The reason is simple: if he can’t keep this person from heaven, at least he can keep this person from taking anyone else to heaven. Satan steals our enthusiasm for Christ and His church. He seems to be extremely effective in this. As mentioned in the point above, Satan wants us to get entangled in some sin or the world so we lose our effectiveness that way. Might be a spirit of unforgiveness and bitterness- I’m not going to do anything at church because of so and so. Usually the flame of enthusiasm just goes out. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11, NIV. J. Wilbur Chapman- Anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christians work difficult, is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it.
4. Faith to Die
Story of Cleo- He was a former elder at a church where I served. He had been asked to step down from his leadership position because he was instrumental in “running off the last preacher.” Cleo was in poor health when I started at the church and his wife, Jewel, asked if I could spend some extra time with him. I took Cleo with me on several visitation trips to the local hospital and nursing home and he would often share with me his failures and the troubled relationship he had with the previous preacher. He was suffering greatly from guilt so I shared the forgiveness of God with him and began treating him as a Christian brother. Cleo was put on hospice and my presence increased as his time grew short. When his death became imminent, the family called for me to be there. He was already unresponsive by that point, so my attention turned to Jewel and the adult children. As I led them in prayer over his bed, Cleo took his final breath and died.
Clyde Grammon said that his job was not to give a person permission to die. Even so, many times a trusted friend and family member has to give that permission. My faith can’t give someone else faith (God doesn’t have grandchildren, just children) but the faith of a Christian can strengthen the faith of another Christian- even on his deathbed.
“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13, NIV. The faith by which they conquered Death is still our shining shield.
“Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”” John 11:25, 26, NIV.
