We Are Overcomers!
1John 5:1-5
Introduction:
Christian = you are an Overcomer! We are Overcomers! Identity in Christ. Who you are in Him.
NT = verse after verse that bears out this great truth…
Romans 8:37 – “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
1 Cor. 15:57 – “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Cor. 2:14 – “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.”
1John 2:13,14; 4:4
1John 5:4,5
“Overcome / Overcometh” = 6x’s in 1John – 3x’s in vv.1-5 – get Eng. ‘Nike’… to carry off the victory, conquer, prevail.
Pictures:
Athlete = on the field of play who has given every fiber of their being and carried off the victory. They prevailed in the contest. A Winner!
Warrior = standing on the field of battle with sword in hand having vanquished the foe – won the fight. A Victor!
“Overcometh” = present tense – describes an ongoing victory because we face an ongoing struggle…
World = live in a world broken by sin… all of us face times of heartache, trial, tragedy, pain, temptation, etc…
Satan = forces of evil that seek to defeat and destroy us spiritually.
Illust: Fanny Crosby
Greatest hymn writer of all time… 20th century wrote nearly 9,000 hymns and gospel songs. Sing her songs today: Blessed Assurance, Safe in the Arms of Jesus, All the Way My Savior Leads Me,
Blinded as an infant at the age of 6 weeks.
Never became bitter that she could not see.
Age of 8 wrote poem:
Oh, what a happy soul I am!
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don’t!
To weep and sigh because I’m blind,
I cannot, nor I won’t!
One time a preacher sympathetically remarked, “I think it is a great pity that the Master did not give you sight when He showered so many other gifts upon you.”
She replied quickly, “Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I should be born blind?”
“Why?” asked the surprised clergyman.
“Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior!”
One of Miss Crosby’s hymns was so personal that for years she kept it to herself. Kenneth Osbeck, author of several books on hymnology, says its revelation to the public came about this way:
“One day at the Bible conference in Northfield, Massachusetts, Miss Crosby was asked by D.L. Moody to give a personal testimony. At first, she hesitated, then quietly rose and said, ‘There is one hymn I have written which has never been published. I call it my soul’s poem. Sometimes when I am troubled, I repeat it to myself, for it brings comfort to my heart.’ She then recited while many wept,
Someday the silver cord will break,
and I no more as now shall sing;
but oh, the joy when I shall wake
within the palace of the King!
And I shall see Him face to face, And tell the story – saved by grace!
At the age of 95 Fanny Crosby passed into glory and saw the face of Jesus!
Fanny Crosby = an Overcomer!
Far too many Christians – living defeated lives – more often than not feel like they are overcome rather than being Overcomers … feel more like a victim than a victor. Maybe that is you! Doesn’t have to remain that way!!
Every person here today can be a winner. You can be an Overcomer!
How??? Give you some foundational truths from our passage. Over the next several weeks go through the Bible learn from some of God’s Overcomers.
You can be an overcomer when you…
1. Know Jesus Christ as Your Personal Savior!
Look: v.1
John = giving us the definition of a person who is saved.
“Born of God” = a person who has been born again by faith in Jesus Christ.
John 3 – Jesus nighttime meeting with a man by the name of Nicodemas – religious man but he wasn’t a saved man. You can be religious and yet be lost.
3:3 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
3:5,6 – “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
• Born 1st time physically.
• Born 2nd time spiritually.
3:7 – “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”
Members of the human race we have been overcome by sin – Sinners – perish – need to be saved.
Jesus = overcame our sin at the cross! Cried, “It is finished!”
Born again/ saved = by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross! Paid for sin, defeated death… rose again from the dead!
John 1:12
John 3:16
Making the decision to believe on Jesus Christ is where spiritual life begins. Personal decision… make it yourself.
Overcomers = have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior. Starting point!
Because Jesus overcame in death… we can overcome in life!!!
Win by knowing!!!
2. Love Other Members of God’s Family!
Look: v.1b
Normal and natural for members in the same family to love each other. Every father wants his children to love each other.
God = no different – as our Heavenly Father – He wants His children to love one another!
Look: v.2 – command is that we love one another!
John 13:34,35 – “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Many a Christian fails to be an overcomer – live defeated lives – because they fail to love the way God commands them to love.
Overcome = with a critical spirit, judgmental spirit – in bondage to bitterness, anger, resentment, unforgiveness, etc…
Don’t have to be overcome; we can overcome!
Confess the sin, release the wrong, forgive the hurt!
Live in the freedom and victory of God forgiving us and us forgiving others!
Victory = never come if fail to love God’s way!
Well preacher, I love her, but I don’t have like her! What kind of spirit is that! Well they are just hard to love – may come as a surprise but for everyone you find hard to love there is someone that finds you hard to love. Jesus = didn’t say love them if it is easy!
Win by Knowing!
Win by Loving!
3. Live in Obedience to Christ’s Commands!
Look: v.3
Quote: DL Moody – “Every Christian should put their Bible in shoe leather.”
Jas 1:25 – “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
It’s not just knowing the Word but living the Word that brings the blessing!
Obedience = doesn’t just bring God’s blessing – it puts us on the pathway to victory!
Wrong Idea = that to overcome sin is to stop sinning – problem more try not to sin more we sin. More try not to think wrong thoughts – more we think them. Focus is wrong. Focusing on the negative rather than the positive.
Victory = doesn’t come by trying to stop doing wrong but by determining to do right.
Gal. 5:16 – “This I say then walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Say = no to sin and self by saying yes to God!
Jas. 4:7 – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
Resist = the devil by submitting yourself to God!
It is when we say yes to God that the victory comes!!!
Win by Knowing!
Win by Loving! Win by Obeying!
4. Daily Live out Your Faith in Christ!
Look: vv.4,5
“Faith, Believeth” = a day by day, moment by moment trust in the enabling power of Jesus.
Jesus = is the Son of God. The Person of Christ. The Almighty God. The Great I AM!
Jesus = Ultimate Overcomer!
John 16:33 – “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.”
Cross = Sin couldn’t defile Him! Satan couldn’t kill Him! Grave couldn’t hold Him! Arose in resurrection power! Victorious over sin, Satan, death, hell grave.
Gal. 6:14 – “God forbid that I should glory save, in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
Victory is won at Calvary!
1Cor. 15:57 – “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
His victory is our victory! We overcome because He overcame!!
Jesus won the victory, and He has given it to us!
We = Overcomers, more than Conquerors because we are not fighting for victory but from a position of victory. We are already victors, overcomers, more conquerors.
Jesus = didn’t just want us to survive this world; He wants us to thrive!
A. With Us
Joseph = OT overcomer way back in the book of Gen – hated, conspired against, beaten, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, seduced by his master’s wife, lied on, thrown into prison… dreams shattered!
Phrase: “the Lord was with him”
Thumb your way through the Bible and you will find some of God’s choicest of servants in the most difficult of situations – in every instance God was with them!
Cloud and pillar of fire, Rock in the wilderness, Moses exiled back side of the desert… God was there in the burning bush, 4th man in the fire, Daniel in den of lions!
Christian = no matter the circumstance, situation you find yourself in – the Lord is there! He is with you!!!
Heb. 13:5 – “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Learn = practice the presence of God – you don’t have to feel Him to know He is there.
Jesus = didn’t say feel me; He said trust Me!
Job = “He knoweth the way that I take.”
B. For Us
Rom. 8:31 – “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
“These things” = all the things that the world, flesh and devil throw against us! Times may say with Jacob – “All these things are against me.” God is for you!!!
Remind: 1 John 4:4 – our God is greater!
C. Helps Us
Times = life comes against us no way out.
God = always makes a way!
Heb. 13:6 – “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”
Psalm 46:1 – “a present help”
He Helps Us! In those moments we don’t think we can take another step, can’t see our way through – God fills us with His enabling power strengthening us for the journey!
Deut. 33:25 – “…and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.”
Disciples = in storm couldn’t see the shore – Lord took them to the other side.
Right now, you can’t see through your storm… remind you that we walk by faith and not by sight… the Lord will see you to the the other side.
Lord = never promised us smooth sailing but He did promise us a safe landing!
John 16:33 = quest is not do you know the verse, but do you believe it?
Christian = if you really don’t believe that you are an Overcomer – that you have the victory – battle over before it began!
We Are Overcomers!!!
Conclusion:
Win by Knowing!
Win by Loving!
Win by Obeying!
Win by Trusting!
