Focus: The Believer's Victory

Text: 1Jh.5:4

"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

John associates God with victory. God wins anywhere and everywhere. God is never known for losing battles. It is not possible for the God of all power, of all-knowing, and of universal presence, to lose a single battle.

John tells us that whatever is born of God overcomes the world. The word 'whatever' is a neuter gender, meaning that anything whatsoever that is generated and animated by God can never know defeat nor failure. John says in the following verse that "who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" John changes from the neuter gender to the masculine gender. 

Whoever believes in Christ as the Son of God is indeed the only person who has all it takes to overcome the world. The believer in Christ is superior to the world's evil system.

The nature of God in the believer makes it impossible for him to ultimately fail or lose. An idea born of God will surely win. A dream born of God cannot be stopped by the forces behind the world's system. A project that is born of God will always see the light of day, regardless of all the odds against it. Any human being who is born of God will certainly triumph over the world. God's DNA in anything that concerns Him makes that thing superior to contrary circumstances.

The believer is where he can never lose and Satan is where he can never win. We may suffer temporary setbacks or defeats, but ultimately we are condemned to victory.

John declares that our faith is the victory that overcomes. This faith has to do with our belief in Christ as the God-incarnate and as the Savior of the world. By faith the believer embraces Christ as the Lamb of God and the Son of God. By faith in Christ we are born into the family of God and possess in us the DNA of God.

The word 'victory' implies military conquest. It means in its verbal form, to prevail, to subdue, to overpower, or to overthrow. Our faith in Christ is our secret of victory. Our faith is a conquering faith.

• We win because we believe in Christ. 
• We win because we possess the nature of God in us through the process of spiritual rebirth. 
• We win because the greater one (Christ) lives in us. 
• We win because we are identified with Christ. 
• We win because we have been equipped and empowered by the Holy Spirit to surmount all of life's challenges and difficulties. 
• We win because we have a sure hope of tomorrow - the eternal hope promised us by God.

We overcome with the authority of the word of God. We overcome with the power of the Holy Spirit. We prevail with the blood of Jesus Christ. We win with the name of Jesus Christ. In Christ's name knees bow and tongues confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord. We win with our faith and patience. We win by persistently resisting the devil, knowing fully well that he will flee from us.

Child of God, you are born of God and destined to win. You are empowered to win. You are appointed and anointed to win. The world cannot withstand your faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is the victory that overcomes. Child of God, you are an overcomer in the Lord Jesus Christ! You overcome unbelief, doubt, and fear with faith. You overcome hate with love. You overcome sin with the righteousness of Christ. You are the victor, not the victim. You are the conqueror, not the conquered. You are the winner, not the wimp nor the loser. Hallelujah!

by Bishop Moses E. Peter