Statements of Faith - Overcomer

 

1 JOHN 4:4

You, little children, are from God and have overcome them, because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

   {Just when I think I am done with this series and believe I am waiting for another to begin, I get another study on my Statements of Faith. And it's a good one.}

 1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. 

    You want to be an overcomer? Overcoming temptations, overcoming hate, overcoming bitterness, overcoming regrets, overcoming depression, overcoming loneliness, overcoming discouragement, overcoming pain, overcoming prejudices, overcoming every single thing that threatens your soul, your sanity, your existence? You need Jesus. I know this because I need Jesus. Every. Single. Day. Of. My. Life. 

    When you accept Christ into your heart, you are saying, I believe that Jesus Christ Is Lord, that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God who came for the sole purpose of being The Living Gospel which saves the person who believes in Christ for their salvation. 

    Having this salvation saves my soul. He saves me from the condemnation which is set aside for those who do not believe on The Name of The Only Begotten Son of God. Salvation cloaks me with the righteousness of Christ. I am Covered by The Lamb of God who died on the cross for my sins. I am an overcomer because Christ lives in me, having conquered death, hell and the grave, the risen Savior not only is able to intercede for me with His Father, but live in me and I get to live in Him. Home Sweet Home. 

    Why do I take the time to tell you about my Savior? I am able through Christ in me and The Holy Spirit upon me to love you with the love of The Lord. I am able to forgive the wrongs done to me for the sake of the cross. I am filled with the peace that passes understanding, calming my spirit and my soul. 

    I am filled with the desire to have you walk this journey with me: traversing every valley, where shadows are kept at bay by the Light of God's Love in me; scaling the mountains to meet with my Savior. It is good to walk together to reach our destination. We are able to lift each other up, when we begin to falter.. For the journey is long and treacherous and home seems so far away. 

    But we have a Living Hope that keeps us upright, for though it may appear that we are alone in this world, appearances are deceiving. Each Christian who faithfully walks in God's Way of Holiness walks with God, with Christ and with The Holy Spirit. It is a walk of Faith: faith in the promises of God; faith in The Christ Who died for me and rose from the grave and intercedes even now on my behalf with His Father; faith that I will see God and live. 

    I am an Overcome for Christ lives in me. I have nothing to fear. The words and actions of this world cannot destroy me, nor can they hurt me or kill me. For I have The Living Word living in me. And when I leave this body, I will live forever with Him. 

    Come to Jesus. Today could be your day of salvation. O Happy Day. 

OVERCOMER - Mandisa 

I SPEAK JESUS - Charity Gayle 

SAY HIS NAME - Crowder & Maverick City

O COME TO THE ALTAR - Elevation Worship

GOODNESS OF GOD - Bethel Music

A Crucified Life - - Comprehends Mercy

 

    Romans 10:19

But I ask, did Israel not know? First, Moses says: "I will provoke you to jealousy by those not a nation; I will anger you by a nation without understanding."

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 801

Without Understanding: unintelligent, unwise, undiscerning

From the Greek word 'asunetos' (pronounced as-oon'-ay-tos): without comprehension, foolish, illogical because unwilling to use good reason.

    Deuteronomy 32:21

They have provoked My jealousy by that which is not God; they have enraged Me with their worthless idols. So I will make them jealous by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation without understanding.

    Romans 11:11

I ask then, did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Certainly not! However, because of their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel jealous.

    1 Peter 2:10

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

    The prophecy against Israel goes all the way back to Moses' time. It is beginning to be fulfilled in Acts 2, when the Spirit-filled disciples go out into the city and preach the gospel. But because persecution was swift, many left the city and went out to other countries, other nations, sharing the gospel message as they went. 

    Very thankful for that. Where would I be without God's mercy? I'd be dead and in hell. For I was without understanding. I was foolish and ignorant of God's lovingkindness. I knew nothing and in the darkness of this world, I sought that which I knew not, but where I looked for it, I found it nought. 

    Cocaine, marijuana, 'ludes, LSD and liquor brought me neither joy nor lasting happiness. I had no peace, no hope, no awareness that I was living/dying in the darkness of sin. Death tried to have its way with me. Until Jesus found me and called my name. And I began to make my way to His cross.

    God's grace and mercy are found at the cross of Christ, where the blood of His Lamb washes away the stain of sin on my life. At the cross I found the only God I would ever need again. He found me first and brought me to the place of forgiveness and hope, for I had no hope. I didn't know joy until I gave my heart to Jesus Christ. 

    At the cross I was grafted into the Vine. In order to be grafted one must first be cut from one rootstock and grafted into another. There is a separation from the old and a twisting into the new. 

    At the cross I saw the light of God's love. It was both beautiful to me and a horror to look upon. For the Lamb of God was tortured, and beaten and had heavy nails pounded into His hands and feet (to hold Him onto the cross). He was a bloody mess.

    Blood ran down His face from the crown of thorns that was pushed forcefully into His head. Rivulets of blood ran down His chest from the whip lashings He endured for my sake. Pain coursed through His body until His heart broke and He died. For me, for you: for a foolish, ignorant people that we might be restored to a right relationship with God. 

    At the cross we see Jesus. In the garden we see Jesus. Both times He is unrecognizable. Until He speaks. On the cross He speaks forgiveness for the ignorant. In the garden He speaks Life to the seeker. 

    Mercy is mine because I am forgiven. And because I want to be where He is, I went to the garden, too, seeking Jesus. And He spoke to me. He speaks Life because He is Life Eternal. He speaks Love because He is the representation of God's Love to a broken world, a lost people, an ignorant nation. I'm so thankful I made my way to the cross. It's the wisest, smartest decision I ever made. 

MERCY IS MINE, PRAISE IS YOURS 

A Thousand Hallelujahs 

God Be Merciful To Me

Holy Forever

River of Life

At The Cross

Greater

Flawless

Redeemed

Broken Things

Forgiven

Heart of God

Different

    

    

A Crucified Life - - Is Received By The Lord

 

2 Corinthians 6:17

"Therefore come out from among them and be separate," says the Lord. "Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 873

Separate: set apart

From the Greek word 'aphorizó' (pronounced af-or-id'-zo): separate from a boundary (a previous condition/situation).

    Being saved and filled with the Spirit isn't enough to remain untouched by the world. We have to make that hard and sometimes difficult decision to set ourselves apart from the unrighteousness that is in our churches. Our testimony should stand out so much that they who practice wicked living are drawn to us so they can have what we have: a strong relationship with Jesus Christ and a faith-filled lifestyle in the Holy Spirit.

    We are commanded by our Lord and Savior to "come out from among" the unclean. Our lives are to be living witnesses of Christ in us. We are to reflect His image and shine His Light and His Love into the sinful world around us. This includes our family members who are not walking with Christ. 

    As it was when Jesus began His ministry, so it is with us. His own town at first rejected Him. The city of Nazareth recognized Him only as a homeboy, not as the Savior they so desperately needed. They tried to kill Him. Luke 4:16-30. 

    We need to step up and make a firm decision to live for God in Christ. Though we are becoming holy people we are not 'holier than thou people' nor are we 'better than you' people. We are sinners who have been changed into saints because of our faith in Christ. The people around us need to see the change in us. Be amazed. Wonder. This change needs to be so self-evident that it makes people hungry for the Word we have in us. 

    Though many will come against us, we can't let that have a negative effect on our relationship with Christ. We are a set apart and being sanctified people. Our actions need to reflect our relationship. We will set ourselves apart. 

    I used to drink. But when I got filled with the Holy Spirit, I couldn't stand the smell of alcohol: it made me sick, physically sick and nauseous. I still can't stand it. I am filled with new wine. 

    When we make that decision and stand by it, the Lord receives into Himself and unto Himself. We are grafted into the Tree (Romans 11:24). He prayed in the garden for this to be so: John 17:22,23 "I have given them the glory You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one—I in them and You in Me—that they may be perfectly united, so that the world may know that You sent Me and have loved them just as You have loved Me."

    Stop playing with sin in your church and your life and kick it out the door! There is no room for the works of Satan in the House of God. Knowing that our hearts are the dwellingplace of God when we believe, this doesn't leave room for discussion now, does it? 

    No longer should the born again Holy Spirit filled believer want to have anything to do with that which they have been delivered from. But when they do, they will be worse off than they were before. Peter refers to it as a 'dog returns to its own vomit'. 2 Peter 2:21-22. Proverbs 26:11. 

    I urge you. Come out from the wickedness around you. Set yourselves apart and follow Jesus Christ. Be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Seek His face. Worship in His Presence. Rejoice in your victory! and glorify God with your lives. 

    A crucified life turns its back on worldly living and lives only to please God and serve Him. Let us do so.

RECEIVED BY CHRIST

Just To Be With You - Paul Baloche

Seekers of Your Heart - Sandy Patti, Larnelle Harris, Steve Green

New Wine - Hillsong Worship

Hungry - Kathryn Scott

In The Garden - Jim Reeves

Just A Closer Walk With Thee - Randy Travis

Better Than Life - Phil Wickham

I Know Whom I Have Believed