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
Talk about a curve ball, I never saw it coming. I tried to look it up in more than twenty English versions, but the word “overcomer” doesn’t appear in the Bible. To me, that was strange since I’ve heard dozens of sermons, (not just a few of them being my own), with the central theme being Overcomers. However, preconceived ideas don’t die easily, so I’m going to write on this title anyway.
For the most part scripture commands Christians to “overcome the world” (I John 5:4-5). This is an expression of faith inherent in the act of believing in Jesus and not the optional choice for the spiritually mature.
Paul instructed believers to “not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). That is not how to become a Christian; that’s just what Christians do.
Christ admonishes all seven of the Churches of Revelation to be overcomers. To the persecuted church of Smyrna, the glorified Lord states, “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” (Revelation 2:11). Don’t misinterpret this verse. It is not saying that a Christian must overcome tribulation to be saved, but that all the saved will overcome everything Satan and the world throws at them because that’s what believers do.
To the lukewarm church at Laodicea, the Savior writes, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21) This is the kicker. We are able to overcome because Christ already overcame sin, death, and hell (not to mention conventional wisdom, popular opinion and political correctness). We stand alongside the Conqueror on the winning side.
The bottom line is that true Christians are, in fact, overcomers because their Lord is the ultimate Overcomer.
April 30
