Today we continue our new series entitled, “Faith and Patience Volume IV — The Wonder Twins”. As I continue to lay the foundation for this series, I am providing somewhat of a faith refresher. I will do the same for patience when this portion is over. We need both faith and patience in order to lay hold of the promises of God. I shared 8 things about faith. Here they are:
1) We are only pleasing to God when we operate in faith (Hebrews 11:6)
2) We are saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8,9)
3) We are called to live by faith (Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38, Habakkuk 2:4, and Galatians 2:20)
4) We are commanded to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)
5) We are urged to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12)
6) We are supposed to pray the prayer of faith (James 5:15)
7) We must speak the language of faith (Matthew 8:8)
8) We ultimately overcome the world by faith (1 John 5:4)
We have dealt with 7 of the 8. Today we get to the last one.
We will look at two passages for today’s message. The second we will look at in two translations.
(1 John 5:4,5 NIV)
4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
(John 16:33 NKJV)
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.”
(John 16:33 TPT)
And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous, for I have conquered the world!”
So what does this mean for you today? A few things.
1. Jesus overcame the world, so you have an alternate reality.
In John 16, Jesus explained how this world is full of tribulation, challenges, trouble, and sorrows. However, in the same conversation, Jesus told His disciples to be of good cheer, to have great confidence as they found rest in Him because He already overcame the world.
Jesus came to redeem the world from satan, hell, and the grave. Jesus took the keys of the kingdom BACK from satan. Jesus got back what Adam lost in the Garden. Jesus now has all power in heaven, in the earth, and even under the earth (the kingdom of darkness). Jesus redeemed us from all the power of the enemy. However, this does not mean that the enemy does not have power. This does not mean that satan is not still at work on this planet. While that day will come, for now, it means that there are two concurrent realities. In one sense, satan is still at work, doing his deeds, causes havoc, turmoil, death, and destruction in this world. And at the same time, Jesus is ruling and reigning as Lord.
Think of it as two realities or alternate universes that are playing out in the same space. In one sense, satan is busy, especially right now, with COVID-19. Not only is he at work doing what he does: stealing, killing, and destroying. But he is also robbing people of their peace. In this season there are people who cannot sleep, who are full of worry, who are now dealing with the physical repercussions of fear and anxiety. Your body and your soul were not designed to carry sustained stress. As a result, there are people who are breaking down mentally, physically, and psychologically. Even people who love God.
Now that you have that picture, I want to paint another picture for you. One that is another reality that is playing out at the same time. In this reality Jesus is Lord. He has conquered satan. He has overcome the world. He is seated at the right hand of the Father. He did not sit down because He was tired. He sat down because He was done. Jesus overcame the world. He now freely offers supernatural peace, rest, and power to His children. Jesus knows that in this world there will be tribulation, troubles, and sorrows, but He made it so His children can be IN this world, but not moved by it, because they are not OF this world.
Jesus made a way for His children to be surrounded by trouble, but not be troubled by it. The only way to do this is by faith. If we have the faith to tap into what Jesus already did, we can be in the world, in the middle of a global pandemic, and not be moved by it. We can be surrounded by the same challenges everyone else is, but we don’t handle them the same way. We can still sleep well at night. We still get up every morning with a spring in our step, a song on our heart, and a smile on our face, because we are living off of a different reality. While the world is glued to the television, feeding themselves off of news report after news report, we are filling our hearts with a different report. We are spending time in God’s Word. We are meditating and medicating on what He SAID, so we can hear what he is SAYING to us in this season. We are spending time with the Holy Spirit and He is leading us concerning what to say and do.
The Holy Spirit is leading us concerning our businesses and careers. He is speaking to us concerning our children and their education. He is leading us concerning what to do in order to maintain supernatural peace and rest. He gives us sweet sleep at night. He gives us divine insight during the day. We get to tap into supernatural joy while we work. And while we do all of this, we are living differently than the world is. This is how we become LIGHT in the middle of darkness. While the world is full of despair, we are full of HOPE. While the world is stressed out, we are full of PEACE. We may be occupying the same space as they are, but we are not living off of the same reality. We are living by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God concerning us. We are living IN SYNC with heaven, even it means we seem OUT OF SYNC with the things of this world. If there has ever been a time where we WANT to be OUT OF SYNC with what is happening in this world, now is that time. Living IN SYNC with heaven will mean that you are living off a different reality, and believe me, this is exactly how you want to live. Jesus died so we could live this way!
2. We overcome when we exercise faith in Jesus’ finished work because He already overcame.
John said, “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 John 5:4,5)
a) It’s not that you are the overcomer. It’s just that you overcome because Jesus already overcame.
b) Jesus was in this world, but He was not of it. In John 17:16 Jesus prayed for us to live the same way. Once you are Born-Again, you are born from above. Heaven is your reality. Paul told us to literally SET OUR MIND on heaven (Col 3:2). If we do, we can live in this world, right next to those who are not Born-Again, but we won’t live the same way. We can be surrounded by the things they are surrounded by, but we don’t respond the same way. Why? Because we have a different reality. We know that Jesus already overcame the world. We now get to enjoy what He already provided.
c) Enter into this day knowing that you don’t have to overcome. You are not the actual overcomer. Jesus overcame for us! Once you are in Christ and Christ is in you, you are given the authority to operate in this world IN HIS NAME. Therefore, in Jesus, you get to enjoy OVERCOMER STATUS! Not because of anything you did. But because of everything, He did for you!
d) Your job is not to strive to ATTAIN victory. Your job is to release your faith. By faith, you RECEIVE and MAINTAIN the victory Jesus already OBTAINED for you! If you remember that as you enter this day, you will rest in Jesus’ finished work and you will enjoy what He has already provided!
That’s enough for today.
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I am IN this world, but I am not OF it. I was born into this world. But I was Born-Again. I am born from above. I set my mind on HEAVEN and I refuse to move from that setting. I meditate and medicate on Your Word day and night. I read and think about what You SAID back then, so I can be in position to hear what you are SAYING to me today. I do not live by bread only. I live by every Word You speak to me. I live IN SYNC with heaven. This means I can be surrounded by the same challenges the people of this world are surrounded by, but I don’t respond the same way. They live off of the reports of this world. I believe a different report. I believe and receive what Jesus already provided. I overcome because He overcame! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
