The Constant Church of God presents clear answers to your questions, directly from the Bible!

The Bible records a special group of individuals — ordinary people — who did extraordinary things.

Heroic men and women who lived at an extremely high spiritual level.

Men like Noah, Abraham, Moses.

The prophets of the Old Testament.

The New Testament apostles Peter and Paul.

Valiant, courageous women like Rahab, Ruth and Esther.

The Bible identifies these men and women as overcomers.

What is an overcomer?

The Bible says an overcomer is one who prevails over, one who is victorious over his enemy.

Who must an overcomer overcome?

Mere hours before His arrest and execution on the stake, Jesus Christ gave His disciples this sobering yet encouraging farewell message in John chapter 16 and verse 33.

In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, [or have courage] I have overcome the world.

Just as Jesus overcame, the overcomer must overcome the world.

Why?

What’s wrong with the world?

This world is Satan’s world. This entire civilization; this entire society today is under the sway, influence and control of Satan the devil.

He is the god, the ruler of this world who has replaced the true with the false.

Succeeded in turning right into wrong and wrong into right.

In a practical way, HOW does a Christian overcome this world?

The early New Testament Church of God was characterized as those of THIS way or those of THAT way.

And THIS way or THAT way was THE way of God.

And God’s way was the way of GIVE. The GIVE way is a recurring theme in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation.

Jesus Christ Himself said that giving — more than receiving — results in the blessing of a happier, more satisfying, more fulfilling life.

Satan’s way is the way of GET. Competition instead of cooperation. Which produces envy and jealousy. Which leads to confrontation and strife.

And God expects us — His overcomers — to live a different lifestyle.

Returning good for evil. Even though we’re laughed at. Ridiculed and insulted as weak and foolish.

It takes more strength and more courage to pursue peace with all men. To walk away from confrontation. To resist the urge to retaliate and get even which only leads to resentment.

Instead, God urges the overcomer to patiently continue in well-doing and never grow weary in well-doing.

THIS is graduate-level Christianity.

This is tough.

This is hard.

This is not going to be easy.

We struggle against formidable spiritual forces much too powerful for us — of our own abilities and resources — to overcome.

But we can emerge victorious through the help of God’s Holy Spirit.

And upon genuine repentance, our sins washed away by the waters of baptism and hands laid on us by God’s true ministers, the overcomer receives the gift of God’s Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit of love, of power and of a sound mind. Through His Holy Spirit, God empowers us to resist ALL that is in Satan’s world: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.

What then is the extraordinary, remarkable promise Jesus Christ offers to the overcomer?

You will find the answer in Revelation chapter 2.

It is an incredible, utterly astounding, totally incomprehensible, awesome reward.

Revelation chapter 2 and verse 26.

26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations —

Revelation chapter 3 and verse 21.

21 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.

One more.

Revelation chapter 21 and verse 7.

7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

God promises that the overcomer will sit and rule with Jesus Christ; will receive power over the nations; will inherit the entire universe; and, here’s what’s really and truly amazing: the overcomer will become a member of God’s divine Family!

Consider, what happened on his life-changing trip to Damascus: blinded by a light, with his face to the ground, a chastened Paul said, “Lord, what will you have me to do?”

And for the rest of his life he devoted himself to doing exactly what God told him to do.

He resolved to live a life of overcoming.

Please turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 4.

Awaiting his execution in Rome, Paul wrote this to Timothy.

Notice verse 7.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day . . .

Now, notice this.

. . .and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Those who eagerly await His return.

That same reward — a crown of righteousness as an immortal God-being ruling as a king and teaching as a priest — can be yours as well.

IF you will overcome.

This is Ross Abasolo with the Constant Church of God.

Join us again next time to hear more about what the Bible actually says!