43 – To him who overcomes

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. [5] Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

1 John 5:4-5 NKJV

The idea of overcoming is indicative of the presence of opposition or an adversary. To overcome therefore means to subdue an adversary and obtain Victory. In 1 John 5:4-5, one of the major enemies to overcome is the World, the Kosmos. This means an orderly arrangement or a structure that has been set. Overcoming, therefore, implies “going against the tide” or this structure that has been established many years prior. The bible says a strong man keeps His goods, but it takes one who is stronger than Him to bind this strong man and take his goods, Luke 11:21-22. Who is this adversary or strong man and what is this ‘world’ we are to overcome?

The bible teaches of an ancient adversary who by deceit stole what rightfully belonged to man. Man was created and given dominion to rule and subdue the earth. He was to govern this earth according to the laws of God, to create a Kosmos or a structure that supported righteousness (according to God’s pattern). However, when man was faced with opposition, he failed, Genesis 3. He that was to subdue all things and have dominion became subdued and a slave, according to the principle that that which you obey becomes your master, Romans 6:16. Man became the goods of this strong man, Satan, who set up an anti-God system and structure that is designed to keep man bound. This is the world or Kosmos we are to overcome.

The Bible says in 1 John 2:15-17 that all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. This was the test Adam and Eve faced in Genesis 3 and this is the same test that all men have to face. God gave a simple command to Adam to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but to rather choose life and live. When the adversary came to Adam’s wife, she saw that the tree was good for the eyes (lust of the eyes), good for food (lust of the flesh), and desirable to make one wise (pride of life), she ate and gave to her husband who was with her, Genesis 3:6. It was after the both of them disobeyed God that their eyes were open and they knew they were naked. This same failure became the failure of all sons of Adam since they were sold to the strong man as his goods with their father. This same temptation, however, was brought to the last Adam, Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11. The same serpent tempted Jesus to turn stone to bread to satisfy his hunger (lust of the flesh), bow and worship him in order to have all the world (lust of the eyes), and jump down to prove He was the Son of God and so angels will attend to Him (the pride of life). Here, Jesus proved to be mightier than the strong man and He overcame the system of the world by the Word of God and sealed this overcoming by His death on the cross.

After Jesus overcame the World, He received again, dominion for man and the right to rule and govern, since He is an Adam. However, His Kingdom is not of this World ( Kosmos). He came to destroy this order of things and obtain a new Kingdom wherein dwells righteousness, peace, and Joy, Romans 14:17. Those who overcome therefore do so by faith in the Son of God, who is the Last Adam. This faith is based on the finished work of Christ and in His bringing of a world which is different from all they see around them. This faith comes by hearing, this is why Jesus spoke to the individual in Revelations 2 and 3 saying, He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says. To overcome, one needs to first hear that there is something outside of this world and there is one Jesus who overcame the world and is creating a new world. He also needs to understand that as Adam, who was also a Son of God, fell and put all men in bondage, Christ as the Son of God, by overcoming destroyed the hold of the Strong man who kept all men bound, giving man freedom and right standing before God. This was obtained by the death of this Jesus, whose blood became our justification. Since this man is still in the World, though his eyes are set on another Kingdom, he must also overcome the kosmos just like Jesus did, by despising the World and using the Word of God as his testimony against the adversary. Finally, he is to recognize that this world is passing away and to hate it so much as to lay down his life to receive a more excellent world and Kingdom.

Final thoughts. It is important to note that the word “overcometh” is a verb and is also in the present participle. This means it is not for the sweet by and by, but something we do every day until this world is destroyed completely and the Kingdom is fully established on earth. So keep this truth in your heart: that you are not of this world and that you have overcome by believing in the finished work of the Son of God. Remember His blood as proof of the destruction of the strong man who held you captive, Hebrews 2:14-16 and proof of your right to partake of the world to come. Use His words as your weapon against the enemy who is an accuser. Finally take on the posture of a Pilgrim, the posture of one who hates this world so much that he is willing to lay down his life in this world for life in the world to come. The overcomers not only get to partake of the World to come, but they also inherit it as sons of God, Revelations 21:7.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your blood. Thank you because in your death, you destroyed him that had power over death and set me free to live a life of liberty. Lord I believe that You are the Son of God, the Last Adam who has made me free. Therefore I declare that I hate this world and that I am not of this World. In you, I have overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. I will not love my life in the World, but gladly lay all down for that which is to come. Amen.