To Him Who Overcomes...

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33
).

There is something about the word “overcome” that astounds me. To overcome a trial or a sorrow is a great accomplishment when you’ve involved God. But to overcome the world? That seems impossible. Overcoming the world means we have to actively prevail over every enemy—our sinful human nature, persecution, trials, Satan’s temptations. I sometimes feel like Jesus Christ is the only one who could ever overcome the world. But if it were impossible for us, why would God repeatedly say in Revelation, “To him who overcomes…”? And how could Jesus Christ, who left His position as a God being and became human, be able to live a perfect, sinless life?

The key is faith. “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
). Sometimes we forget that God is always there, and we can rely on Him. It can be hard to have faith when we’re in the middle of difficult circumstances. Or even if we remember Him, it sometimes feels like He’s very far away. But God is always there, and He’s always ready to help us.

One story that helps me to remember that God is always near is the one of Elisha and his servant when they were surrounded by the Syrian army. When Elisha’s servant saw that the city was surrounded, he was afraid: “Ah, my lord, what will we do now?” But Elisha knew why they didn’t need to fear. “‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him. ‘For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ Then Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!’ The LORD opened his servant’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire” (2 Kings 6:16-17

). Elisha showed the servant why he needed to have faith. God and His unseen army were on their side, and they could overcome.

For us today, it isn’t necessarily an army surrounding us, it’s Satan out there trying to break us down. But He who is on our side is greater than those on Satan’s side. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4
, New International Version).

There is peace and strength to overcome this world in repentance and obedience. With God, all things are possible—even overcoming this evil and sinful world like Christ did. Renew your faith everyday. Have faith in the things unseen. Be victorious and overcome.