WORDS OF FAITH AND VICTORY

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the VICTORY that has overcome the world – our FAITH”” – 1 John 5:4

Beloved, in this new month, we shall meditate on and be filled and guided by God’s WORDS of FAITH and VICTORY: “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the VICTORY that has overcome the world – our FAITH” (1Jh. 5:4). The idea that Believers are Overcomers is a theme throughout apostle John’s writings. Here, he affirms that those who are born of God overcome “the world.” Earlier, he described Believers as having overcome the devil: “I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one… I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the Word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one” (1 Jh.2: 13-14). We overcome the world and the wicked one by Faith – by abiding in the Word of God!

Multiple times in the book of Revelation, Believers are called Overcomers – Victorious Conquerors (Rev.2:7 11, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). To overcome is to conquer; to come out on top; to prevail over another. All true Believers – not just certain “super-Christians” – are overcomers, having been born of God: “Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (v.5). Our Lord Jesus Christ has overcome the world: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have OVERCOME the WORLD (Jh.16:33). Therefore, we who believe in Him can cheer up and smile through the fires of trials and the floods of afflictions. They will neither burn us or cause us to drown!

Our Lord Jesus Christ is our Lord, Mentor, and Ally in Overcoming: “Yet in all these things we are MORE THAN CONQUEROR THROUGH HIM who loved us” (Rom.8:37). The Greek word for “conqueror” [hypernikao] means: “to be more than a conqueror, to gain surpassing victory.” The root word – nikao – is often translated as “overcome.” Therefore, to be a Conqueror is to be an Overcomer! Christ is our Model in Overcoming. We are more-than-conquerors; we can prevail because He has prevailed over the evil one and overcome the world by the Instrumentality of Faith, which John describes as “the Victory that has overcome the world”!

In John 5:4, the original Greek terms translated as “our faith” refer to putting our trust in the saving work of Jesus Christ or believing in the gospel’s message. Whoever believes in Jesus for salvation and trusts in His atoning work on the cross – His death and resurrection – partakes in His victory over sin (Heb.2:18; 4:15); over the forces of evil at work in the world (Col.2:15; 1 Jh.3:8); and over death (Acts 2:24). Through faith, we believe in Christ and are born of God: “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by FAITH in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by FAITH in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Gal.2:16). Being born of God, we are overcomers!

The Bible Way to overcome the world is through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Through faith, we surrender our wills to His. Our Faith is the Victory, and He is “the Author and Finisher of our Faith” (Heb.12:2). The Eternal Overcomer is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith! This makes Faith in Christ to be strong enough to overcome the world! Believing and trusting in Him means absolutely everything for our Victory over Sin, the world, the devil, all forces of wickedness, the fear of death, and death itself!