August 2, 2016 - The Spirit of overcoming:
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33
Our Lord Jesus tells us all we need to know to help us through the hard times we may have.
In this world, all persons will find themselves overcome with tribulations, they will be attacked from time to time from many directions.
Yet, the born again Christian, has an advantage over those who are lost, struggling in darkness. He has the Lord.
Jesus' death on the cross reconciled every believer to the Father God. As long as he stays strong in his faith in Christ, nothing can mar his relationship with God.
Yes, the Christian will have tribulations, but as our scripture says; "but, be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
Jesus tells us not to worry for even though we will suffer through tribulations. the dictionary calls them; (grievous troubles, severe trials or sufferings) we can take heart that Jesus has already paved the way for us. We can have joy knowing that He has defeated the world and He is at home in heaven preparing a place for each of us.
A lost person may overcome habits and addictions, he can even hold off the devil for a time, but, he has no one to help him and eventually he will fall back into his worldly habits and addictions and sooner or later the devil will claim him for his own, if he does not first accept Jesus as his Lord.
While the lost have no support, the saved receive the the free gift of the Holy Spirit when they accept Jesus as Lord and Master.
It is much easier for the believer to overcome temptation, for he has the "comforter" the Holy Spirit indwelling him.
Warfare between the Spirit and the flesh will last as long as the believer lives on earth and he will find himself doing things he ought not to do and failing to do things that he should. However, with each victory over the lusts of the flesh it becomes easier to overcome the next one.
All believers must face an unfriendly world, and will find that the closer one lives with the Lord, the less friendly the world becomes.
We must learn to overcome the world through our faith, as Jesus overcame the world, so too can we, through Him.
Let us be steadfast in our faith, unmovable, always busy in the work of the Lord.
For by our faith we will know that our labor is not in vain, and one day we will be able to personally thank the Lord for the victory over the world gained through the Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen...
Please feel welcome to join us on Wednesday evenings at 6:00PM for our Bible study and learn with us how we are to live as Christians in America today. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because thou has rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee" (Hosea 4:6) Come and learn what the Bible says, don't let this be you in Hosea 4:6.
