Overcoming...

I've been reading in Revelation recently for my devotions, and I just finished chapters 2-3 yesterday. I have been doing a chapter or so a day, which is unusual for me. I tend to have a voracious appetite for Scripture, 6-10 chapters a day. (which is not a bad thing, I think!) For Revelation (and here on out, if I can help it) I have really been spending a lot of time studying and meditating on each chapter. Why? Well, the introduction to the book reads like this:

"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, ²who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. ³Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." (Scripture in NIV unless otherwise marked...)

When you read that, it becomes obvious that there is some important things to see and learn in this book. So, I have been spending a lot of time meditating on each chapter as I go.

All this to say is that as I read Revelation 2-3, one big theme really stuck out to me, and has been something that I have been spending some time thinking on, the idea of overcoming. In each letter to each of the churches in the two chapters, Christ closes the letter with a mention about "he who overcomes..." Take a look:

Rev 2:7: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

Rev 2:11: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death."

Rev 2:17: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it."

Rev 2:26: "To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—"

Rev 3:5: "He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels."

Rev 3:12: "Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name."

Rev 3:21: "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne."

It doesn't take a Bible student to realize that there is a theme here! =) Obviously, overcoming is very important and there is great reward for those who do. The fact that this is repeated with each letter implies to me that this promise is applicable to everyone. The logical question, then, is:"What does it mean to overcome?"

Merriam-Webster Online defines "overcome" as : "to get the better of : surmount " A synonym is "conquer". It means to prevail. This brings the next question of "what are we overcoming or prevailing against?"

Romans 12:21 says this:"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (KJV) Elsewhere in 1 John 5:4-5, John says, "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (ESV) We are in a battle. A battle against temptations and sin, and a battle against ourselves, our flesh. The Christian life is not a walk in the park after we accept Christ! We need to "be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." (Eph 6:10-13)

We are exhorted to overcome. But how? We are helpless to do it on our own. It is by His grace that we can overcome. He has already overcome the World, and is ready to give us strength to hold fast, to overcome.

We need to stand in Him, and overcome. It means we need to endure and hold strong to the end. Devote your life to Christ. Overcome your Flesh! Paul exhorts Timothy to "But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. ⁶For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:5-7, NASB) Paul was one who overcame, who endured, and he exhorted Timothy to do the same. We, too, need to hold on to the end, and overcome. Christ will come again. We need to remain strong in our fight. We need to endure in living the life He has set before us.

There is great reward for "he who overcomes", who endures to the end, who stays faithful.
Remember what 1 John 5:4-5 says, "For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (ESV) If we endure in our faith, we will overcome.

Now, I doubt I've even scratched the surface of this grand topic, but it has given me a deep-seated desire to be one who overcomes, who remains faithful to the end, no matter what! Who will stand and overcome with me? I want to stand for my King.

For Christ's Glory!