Overcoming the World

1 John 5:4-5

There are so many things happening around us it is really confusing to say the least. Nobody seems to know what to do. Evil, sin, drugs, Ebola outbreak, terror groups, be-headings and the like are everyday news. It seems like the devil is on a rampage in this world on a scope not before known in its magnitude. What should be our attitude toward these things? How do we overcome the world and all its problems? The bible has the answer!

I. Who overcomes the world?  1 John 5:4 (NKJV)  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.

  a. The person who is born of God overcomes the world.

  b. The victory that overcomes the world? It is our faith. 1 John 5:5 (NKJV)  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

  d. Definition of faith? "Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality—faith perceiving as a real fact what is not revealed to the senses" (Hebrews 11:1, Amplified New Testament).

Faith starts with believing in God’s character, that He is who He says He is. Faith culminates with believing in God’s promises that He will do what he says He will do.

Faith is complete trust, confidence, and belief in God and His word. For believers, the word “hope” is a desire based on assurance, and the assurance is based on God’s character and His word.

 II. Faith that overcomes.  1 John 5:5 (NKJV)  He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  Overcoming faith is based in Jesus Christ. Victory is gained over the world by faith in Jesus Christ, by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Anointed One, Savior and Lord of all.

The world is ruled by Satan and the people who belong to the world cannot overcome the world because they are enslaved to Satan and their sinful desires. Eventually, unbelievers lose everything at the end of their lives because death is the end of everything gained on earth. In the competitive world everybody is a loser. Money, fame, or power cannot save them. Fighting over religion will not solve anything! But Christians are victors because Jesus won the victory on the cross by saying, “It is finished.” (John 19:30b) Jesus defeated our enemy Satan, sin, death and ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of God. The world is controlled by the law of the jungle; the stronger prey on the weaker. To survive this world, people cannot help but become selfish and greedy because they’re control by Satan. Then, how can we overcome such a tough world? By faith in Jesus Christ we can be victors. In the sinful world there are only losers but in Jesus we all are victors.  It is faith in Jesus Christ that saves us, and it is faith that keeps us.

Faith is the only way in which you and I will be able to overcome this world around us.

III. Where does faith come from (Romans10:17)

We are to read this word daily for the direction, strength, comfort and the wisdom we need to make wise choices in this world. We are to congregate with the saints who encourage our faith to grow.

IV. We live by faith and not by sight. Hebrews 10:38 (NKJV) Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."

  a. We are to exercise our faith. Faith without works is dead.

      James 2:20 (NKJV) But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?

 b. What faith will do.

   Mark 11:23 (NKJV)  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

V. What faith makes us.  Romans 8:37-39 (NKJV) ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. No matter what goes on in this world God is in control!
a. We are more than conquerors through the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Invitation: Are you an overcomer in Jesus Christ? Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and asked Him to forgive you and save you for Heaven? Have you invited Him into your life to take charge of you? Have you been baptized since you were saved? If the answer is no to any of these questions, come down the aisle during the invitation and let me pray for you!