We can be victorious! With the Lord’s help, I would like to share a message with you of hope. Jesus is our Friend, our Lord and Redeemer. The Bible is crystal clear that we can be victorious.   We read that, in Jesus, by Jesus, and through Jesus, we can overcome the world with its attractions. John, the beloved disciple of Jesus, experienced that in his own life and therefore tells us, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4

When we are born again we have a new and personal experience with the Master. We go forward, fully trusting His promises and believing that “the just shall live by faith.” Galatians 3:11. When Martin Luther discovered this passage in the Bible he, himself, started a new and fresh experience with Jesus. Many times we read, or we hear from other people, about what Jesus has done in their lives. While there is nothing wrong with that, we must have our own personal experience with Jesus so we can share with others about what He has done for us in our lives. We should be able to tell others how Jesus has transformed us and how He can transform anyone’s life who is willing. King David did not say “The Lord is Israel’s Shepherd;” he said, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Psalm 23:1 (emphasis mine). Jesus must be my personal Shepherd and I must have a personal experience with Him.

It is important for us to begin each new day with confidence, declaring our faith in Jesus as Job did when he said, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” Job 19:25. We should face the day with courage and optimism, asserting that “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24. Faith must be put into action. When we sit down and dwell upon our trials and difficulties they grow larger with each passing moment. If we roll up our sleeves and go to work the troubles become smaller, and if we pray while we work we shall have strength to triumph over every difficulty.

Faith in God’s saving grace will sustain us in the hours of temptation and affliction. Faith in Christ’s power to save us from sin will make us overcomers. Jesus proved that we can overcome. That is why He said in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

Our life can be long and uphill. In order to successfully pass through it, we need the constant presence of Jesus. Have you ever felt alone? Do you have any needs in your life? Is there something in your life which prevents you from following Jesus unreservedly? Like Paul we must admit, “For the good that I would I do not.” Romans 7:19. It is then that we hear a voice saying, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33. Remember that there is possiblity for failure with Christ. The Saviour stands before us today, saying, “I am come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

Christ came to win that which man had lost. Nothing is more hopeless than a sinner who rejects salvation. The Saviour wept when He saw the lost condition of His people. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,” (Matthew 23:37) He cried, as He beheld the city that was rejecting His message. This was an expression of His deep sorrow, not only for Jerusalem but for all who are lost; all who will not surrender to Him and accept the salvation He offers. Jesus can die to save men; He can conquer the grave and come forth the risen Prince of Peace. He can plead before His Father for those who confess and forsake their sins. Yet He cannot save men who are determined to be lost.

Do you have some “besetting sin,” some point of weakness, perhaps secret, that you have been unable to overcome? Have you ever met temptation, struggled with it, only to wake up a little later to the remorseful fact that you had slipped, and failed to overcome? Or perhaps you are struggling with some habit that holds you as its slave. You are struggling, wrestling, always fighting it, but somehow never able to conquer it. These things are serious. We must overcome these sins, these habits, and these sudden temptations.  We must be cleansed of them thoroughly if we expect to inherit eternal life. The Bible has a lot to say about being an overcomer. The term “overcomer” is especially prominent in the book of Revelation, where Jesus encourages His people to remain steadfast through trials. In the book of Revelation, Jesus promises a great reward to those who overcome. Overcomers are promised that they will eat from the Tree of Life (2:7), be unharmed by the second death (2:11), eat from hidden manna and be given a new name (2:17), have authority over the nations (2:26), be clothed in white garments (3:5), be made a permanent pillar in the house of God (3:12), and sit with Jesus on His throne (3:21). Jesus warned that holding fast to Him would not be easy, but it would be well worth it.

Overcomers are followers of Christ who successfully resist the power and temptation of the world’s deceptions. An overcomer may not be sinless yet, but holds fast to faith in Christ until the end. He accepts Christ’s righteousness in place of his own righteousness. In Christ, he can overcome every sin. He does not turn away and apostatize when times get difficult. Overcoming requires complete dependence upon God for direction, purpose, fulfillment, and strength to follow His plan for our lives. To overcome, in Scripture, means to hear God’s voice, then to follow it in obedience and perseverance. If an army does not have a clear vision about what it is fighting for, it is doomed to be defeated. In the same way, if a Christian does not have a vision and goal, he will soon lose focus and be overwhelmed by the circumstances and temptations of the world.

We can thank the Lord that we can have victory through the life of Christ. The Apostle Paul said, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the Savour of His knowledge by us in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14. It meant something to be a Christian in the early days of the Church. The truth about Jesus spread quickly everywhere and Christians were added to the church daily. In the first century many men and women were faithful to Christ and His word. In the 21st century today, God has a remnant people who faithfully keep all His commandments through the Holy Spirit’s help. They also have the faith of Jesus. Satan is trying to destroy them but as they connect with the Jesus, He always wins and Satan loses.

Let us be faithful until the end because there is laid up a great reward for the overcomers and that reward is eternal life. It is my wish and prayer that no one will miss that glorious day when Jesus will return in the clouds of heaven, calling His faithful children home.

Hold on unto Jesus, brothers and sisters, dear friends, because Jesus is coming soon!

Amen!

Nicholas Anca