The "Overcomer” From The Book Of Revelation

The “Overcomer” from the Book of Revelation

Since the advent of sin into this world, life has become a battle for mankind. In this battle of life, one is either an overcomer or a victim. My prayer for you is that you will live the rest of your life as an overcomer in Jesus’ Name.

However, before you can overcome by calling on the Name of the Lord, you need to first believe in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and in His finished work on the cross at Calvary and you have to confess all your sins , and receive His forgiveness. . When you believe this and you confess so with your mouth, you become “born of God”.

In the book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, we find that the Holy Spirit gives recognition to a group of wholehearted and faithful believers whom He calls "Overcomers", in the midst of a church. These are the ones who overcome sin and worldliness and the problems that the specific churches faced and who stand faithfully for the Lord in the midst of the spiritual decline around them.

The Bible has a lot to say about being an overcomer. However the term overcomer is especially prominent in the book of Revelation, where Jesus encourages His people to remain steadfast through trials (Revelation 2:26; 3:21; 21:7)

The promises to the overcomer in Revelation 2 and 3 present us with some important, but difficult questions that need to be answered in order to properly interpret and apply these promises to our life.. But as is so often the case with difficult passages, we are divided on the answers. The main questions as I see it are:

(1) who is the overcomer

((2) what is the nature of the promises?

(3) Are these warnings against the loss of salvation as some have advocated?

(4) Is “overcomer” a title for all believers because of initial faith in Christ? In other words, does 1 John 5:5 also define the overcomers of Revelation 2 and 3?

(5) Or is the overcomer equivalent to a special name for genuine believers because of the ultimate triumph of their faith?

(6) Is this a warning against false profession or is it a challenge and motivation to all believers to faithfulness for rewards?

These seven passages of Revelation 2 and 3 are not the only passages that touch on the issue of overcoming or victory over the conflicts and adversaries that we face in this life. However it will be beyond the scope of this study to discuss all the portions of scriptures dealing this term. We will be confining ourselves only to the verses in chapter 2 and 5 of the book of Revelation

The term “overcomer” means “to conquer, prevail, triumph, overcome.” This verb is found 28 times in 24 verses in the New Testament. This presupposes and calls attention to the presence of war, contests, battles, and conflicts in man’s struggle with evil. The New Testament clearly teaches us that we are in a conflict, indeed, a holy war, with specific adversaries. Even after salvation the conflict still rages in and against the life of the Christian. This is everywhere evident in Scripture and so obvious in life that one has to deny reality to ignore or disclaim it. Two key passages that illustrate the nature of our conflict with evil are Ephesians 2:1-2 and 6:12:

Eph. 2:1-2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.

Eph. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

These conflicts comes from:

(1) Satan, our chief adversary, the devil: 1 Pet. 5:8-9; Eph. 6:12; John 16:11; Col. 2:15; but note 1 John 2:13-14.

(2) The world, a system and arrangement of the affairs of men and government under the control of the evil one and opposed to God and His purposes for man: John 16:33; 1 John 5:4; Eph. 2:2.

(3) Indwelling sin or the flesh and all its corrupting power and life dominating patterns: Rom. 7:15; 8:4-8, 13; Gal. 5:16-26.

(4) Other forms stemming from the above three: darkness (Col. 1:13), blindness (2 Cor. 4:3-4), death (Rom. 8:4f; Rev. 2:11), evil (Eph. 5:16), disobedience (Eph. 2:1), rebellion in every conceivable form (2 Tim. 3:1f).

However scripture tells us that Christ is the Overcomer - the ultimate source and means of victory is the great message of Scripture and everywhere evident in its pages. Note the following passages: