1 John 5-Part 2 (verses 4-5)
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:4-5
LET IT GLOW
I was a cheerleader my freshman year of high school. It was fun to cheer my football and basketball teams on to victory. We would encourage them no matter how things were going. We even encouraged our fans to encourage them. We wanted them to overcome any obstacle, opposing team, mistakes, injuries, and keep on keepin' on. It must have been effective because we cheered them on to victory as district champions in football that year. My team was an overcomer. We cheereleaders were encouragers. And so it is in the spiritual realm. John tells us that we can overcome the world. Shall we see how?
Overcometh (nikao in Greek), means to gain the victory. (Thayer's Lexicon)
John uses the word overcometh four times in these two verses. Its first occurrance gives the sense that the true believer is always victorious over the world. Victory is normal and natural, and that is why His commandments are not difficult. Our faith is the key to victory over the world. (Liberty Bible Commentary)
Three characteristics of an overcomer are:
- Faith-believes in God and Jesus is the Son of God;
- Love-has love for both God and fellow believers; proof of faith is love;
- Obedience-proof of love for God is obeying Him.
Faith denotes a strong and welcome conviction or belief that Jesus is Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. (Thayer's Lexicon)
This faith, saving faith, is what makes us true children of God, which in turn assures us of victory over the world. (Falwell)
Faith is the cause of victory, the means, the instrument, the spiritual armor by which we overcome.
We must all, after Christ's example, overcome the world, or it will overcome us to our ruin. (Matthew Henry)
Am I encouraging others to be overcomers? Do I help their faith grow? Will I share my overcomings to encourage them? Am I a spiritual cheerleader? You go, girl. You can overcome through Jesus.
LET IT GROW
What do we believers in Jesus overcome? The world is what we overcome, conquer, have superiority over, have conquering power over because we get it from Jesus, the omnipotent God.
Satan's world wide system of deception and wickedness is the world. (emphasis mine) Through Christ and His provision of salvation, the believer is a victor over the invisible system of demonic and human evil that Satan operates to capture people's souls for hell. Faith in Jesus Christ and dedication of one's life to Him make a person an overcomer. (The MacArthur Bible Commentary)
Am I the overcomer that Jesus wants me to be? How strong is my faith?
How about you, friends?
LET IT GO
Turn away from the world and turn to Jesus.
Seek Jesus' strength so I can overcome temptations and worldliness.
Be victorious! Be an overcomer!
Keep the faith.
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