Overcoming

There is no formula for walking the narrow path that leads to overcoming the world.  We each must find our way through trial and error, learning from our mistakes as we go along.  The Lord is not searching for perfect people - just willing vessels.  If we have a willing heart, He will perfect that which is carnal, freeing us from the bondage of sin.  “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

The battles that we face are fought in the mind, and it is subduing the mind that is the key to victory.  The mind must come into submission to our spirit if we are to be led of the Holy Spirit, otherwise we will continue to be influenced by the flesh via the mind.  Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”.  Peter gives revelation of the meaning of the word “heart” in I Peter 3:4, “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price”.  The heart consists of our soul and our spirit.  God wants to bring about a “release” of the spirit that enables the spirit to have dominion over the soul instead of being influenced by it. 

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).  The first 11 verses of chapter 4 discuss “entering into His rest” – the place of overcoming the world.  Think not that the “word of God” mentioned here is speaking of the bible.  The bible is not capable in and of itself to produce this dividing of the soul and spirit.  The word of God is that which God speaks into existence, the same way Hebrews 1:3 says He upholds all things by the “word of His power” and Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”.  God will declare and bring forth our transformation if we will only follow Him obediently to the crucifying of our flesh, the end of “self” in us.

“So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth; it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.  For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.  Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (Isaiah 55:11-13).  This scripture in Isaiah is speaking of the manifestation of the sons of God.  The sons going forth in joy and peace and all creation celebrating; the mountains, hills, and the trees of the field rejoicing in their deliverance from the bondage of corruption.  The thorn becomes the fir tree and the brier becomes the myrtle tree.  This speaks of the transformation from the old man that was crucified to the new man that is raised up in the “power of His resurrection”.  “For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now.  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Romans 8:19-23)

In order for God to bring about this marvelous transformation, He must first bring us to the “release of the spirit” so that our minds are in concert with our spirits.  He must bring us through a process that trains us to not look at the external circumstances or difficulties but to look inward to focus upon and agree with that which is of the truth.  The truth is that the Lord has plans to prosper us and not harm us, He rejoices in our prosperity, and He does not allow anything that He has not already provided the strength to endure (I Corinthians 10:13).  God is good – and He has our best interest at heart – always.  He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).  He tells us that we will endure tribulation and suffering in this world, but He also declares that these things shall not overtake us.  “But now thus saith the Lord that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon you” (Isaiah 43:1-2).  “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave nor forsake you.  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me.” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

Yet we murmur, we complain, and we question why God has allowed such and such in our lives.  This attitude comes from carnal thinking – considering how things affect us instead of seeing the greater purpose God has in allowing these things as tools to shape and to conform us to His image.  Our minds need to be renewed.  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). 

The renewing of the mind is a process that requires our cooperation.  The Lord knows how to bring us to liberty, but we must make choices each step along the way concerning whether to trust Him or depend upon our understanding.  If we try to figure things out we will surely be deceived, for the Lord allows such things that look so unfair and unjust.  In His brilliance, He does this – not to punish us, God forbid – but to cause us to die to our understanding, our carnal mind, and experience the glorious liberty of walking by faith and not by sight.  It is as we grow in faith and trust in Him there is less room to have faith and trust in anything or anyone else.  We decrease as He increases.

There are three words that are invaluable to helping us through this process and into a victorious and overcoming lifestyle.  “Thank you, Lord” should be our response in every situation and circumstance.  These words bring proper perspective to every situation and circumstance.  It turns what looks negative into a positive and enables us to rise up and rejoice in the midst of enduring that which causes suffering and may even seem like certain defeat.  The pain we experience; the fear, the doubt, even the hopeless feelings that accompany such trials are actually things which, if we see from a perspective of truth, are things which we can rejoice that our sovereign, omniscient, ever loving Heavenly Father has chosen to allow in our lives to bring forth revelation of our carnality in a certain area, bring it to the surface, and then deal with it to bring forth change in us.  From this perspective, we should be thankful in every situation – receiving all circumstance as coming from the hand of the Lord and thereby looking upon the situation with the eyes of faith and the perspective of gratitude.  From this perspective, we are agreeing with truth – which dispels the lie.  The enemy comes but to kill, steal, and destroy – and he does this through deception.  The truth is that the enemy is nothing but a pawn in the hands of the Lord and can only do that which the Lord allows him to do, which is the will of the Lord.  This makes no sense to the carnal mind and is foolishness to those who perish, but those whose eyes of understanding have been enlightened by the Spirit of Christ see the brilliance of God’s ways. 

The cross of Christ, which those who follow Jesus must take up daily, is a place of suffering and death.  It is a wonderful place, for it is the place where we “fellowship with His sufferings” and are “baptized into His death”.  “For the joy set before Him” Jesus endured the cross.  That joy was the making of the way that we could have “life and that more abundant”.   The abundant life is to be found on the other side of the cross where we manifest as sons of God and overcome the world – the devil no longer having any place in us for we have overcome sin.  Is there any price too great to obtain such a great and precious promise?  He is most worthy of all our praise and thanksgiving.  “The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.  The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.  The right hand of the Lord is exalted: the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.  I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.  The Lord has chastened me sore: but he has not given me over to death.  Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord.  This gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter.  I will praise you; for you have heard me, and are become my salvation.  The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.  This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.  This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:14-24).

THANK YOU, LORD !!