On Becoming Over-comers

Revelation 2:11 (New King James Version)
11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’
Revelation 2:26 (New King James Version)
26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—

Revelation 3:5 (New King James Version)
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
As you can see from these scriptures it is very important to be an over-comer rather than to be overcome by the things of the world. For many who call themselves Christian this is a very difficult matter. The Bible states that we are entangled in a spiritual battle and that the flesh is fighting against the Spirit.
Galatians 5:17 (New King James Version)
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
I don’t know anyone who would not agree that this is true though some would argue that it’s not a real issue because God only sees us through the blood of Jesus so our sin doesn’t really matter too much because there is forgiveness there for us. This is nothing short of blasphemy and does great disservice to the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf. God declares that Christ is coming back for a bride that is pure and spotless and that doesn’t sound much like the Church of today.
I haven’t written anything for quite some time and there’s been good reason for it for I have been in the school of the Spirit and He’s been teaching me some very vital truths and now I am about to share them and I hope there are hungry hearts out there that desire to grow in their life with Christ for if you get these truths deep into your heart I can assure you that your life will change for the good and you will stop spinning your wheels.
It will take several chapters to lay it all out and we must begin at the very beginning because the story of salvation must be laid out all over again. The matter has been condensed down to a few facts that while true leave huge gaps and leave the believer to work out his own salvation so to speak without any tools. No wonder we have so much sin and disorder in the Church. So before I really begin I suggest that the reader stop reading and pray that God would open the eyes of your heart and reveal truth to you and give you a discerning mind to separate truth form falsehood. Jesus said “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” So the most vital thing that we can do is ask Him to guide us into all truth and nothing but the truth. He will honor that if you are willing to open your heart and give up your pre conceive ideas and seek only the truth that can be verified by scripture.
I will be using a lot more scripture than I normally do and expect that you will get your bible out and check to make sure that it actually says what I am saying that it says.
For those who want to know, I use the New King James Version and the reason being that it is very close to the original King James but without all the difficult words that are no longer part of the English language. I do not approve of most of the newer translation because they tend to lose much of the real deep meanings of the scriptures and if you are trying to get the mind of God we cannot modify His word. I’m sure that many would argue with me on this point but I would answer back that if all these new translations are so helpful then why is the Church in worse shape than it’s ever been?
So to begin let me share with you a new understanding that the Spirit gave me just this past week. We all know that when we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior that He gives us a new life and that new life is His life or at least we should know that. However our experience often reveals something else in reality and we are disappointed and some even turn away.
Here’s the secret that I was shown and it has been right there in plain sight all along.
Colossians 3:3 (New King James Version)
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
We look here and there and everywhere for that new life. We pray and ask Him for things we need, money, patience, strength, love, forgiveness, power and on and on. The struggle goes on and on and we do not achieve any or very little of the life that we desire.
What we are missing is the fact that this new life in hidden and must be sought after with diligence like no other. We must not be asking Him for things but to reveal His life in us. Here’s another scripture to verify the truth that what I’m trying to say, namely that our life is Christ and nothing else and when we get a hold of that in reality everything will change.
Colossians 3:4 (New King James Version)
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Please note that is says “Christ is our life” literally there is no life apart from Christ. That is why Jesus said to the man who He told to follow Him and the man answered “I need to bury my father” and Jesus answered him “let the dead bury the dead”. I will explain this further later but suffice it to say right now that in reality that anyone who is not in Christ is dead even though they may be breathing and walking around. They are the walking dead.
Another scripture verifying that Christ is everything to the Christian.
2 Peter 1:3 (New King James Version)
3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
This verse states that He has given us everything that is needed for life and godliness. What is most important to note is the means by which we obtain all of this.
It is through our knowledge of Him. Diligent seeking after Him, seeking to know Him and understand Him and understand what He has done and is doing yet today and will continue until the second coming. We are not talking about head knowledge but heart knowledge for there is a huge difference between the two. Head knowledge may make you proud and boastful but heart knowledge will make you a different person for you don’t just know it but you live it.
Jeremiah 29:13 (New King James Version)
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.
I don’t think many today even understand what it means to seek Him with all their heart.
Friends it must become a driving force and a passion that motivates you more than anything else in life. If that’s how you feel, if that is what you want then I can promise that you will find Him and you will find a life that is more abundant than you could ever imagine.
So in closing let me say that when you find Christ in reality and truth you will also find your life for it is hidden in Him.
In my next article we will trace the history of salvation and grace beginning with Adam and Eve. To fully understand we must begin at the Beginning.
Grace, Mercy and Peace to you all,
john Martin
justjohn@eoni.com Web. www.acts2216.blogspot.com