There is a spiritual war going on within us and around us. Ephesians 6:10-12 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” This spiritual war shows itself in many different ways. It may be in a discussion we have with an unbeliever. It may be in the governments that wish to authorize unholy practices. It may be in the entertainment that is offered to us. It may be within ourselves as we are tempted to follow the lusts of the flesh. The battle is between truth and falsehood, between right and wrong, and between God and the devil. As a Christian, you are automatically enlisted as a soldier of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:3 “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Sometimes we are allied with other Christian soldiers in a united front against the enemy. But other times it is a personal battle that we fight with God’s help.
It is our duty to overcome the enemy. When Jesus instructed John to write to the seven churches in Asia, to each church He gave a blessing to those who overcome. For example, to the church in Ephesus He wrote in Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” And to the church in Sardis He wrote in Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” It should clearly be our desire to overcome in the spiritual war.
We are told that faith is the victory that has overcome the world. 1 John 5:4-5 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Clearly, God and Jesus Christ are with us to help us overcome. But our faith appears to be the greatest element that we have that gives us the victory. Ephesians 6:13-16 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” When the wicked one sends fiery darts, our shield of faith quenches them and makes them ineffective. The fiery darts may be darts of doubt, or darts of fear, or darts of falsehoods. We must rely upon our faith in God and Jesus Christ to extinguish these fiery darts. We know whom we have believed; we won’t listen to the fiery darts that are sent our way.
David was a youth that was sent by his father to see the welfare of his brothers. While at the battlefront, he heard the challenge given by the giant Goliath. When he made inquiries about what would be done to the one who defeated Goliath, he was taken before King Saul. 1 Samuel 17:32-33 “Then David said to Saul, ‘Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.’” These were fiery darts that were sent at David: you are an unskilled youth; you don’t have the ability or strength to overcome. But David had faith. Verse 34-37 “But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.’ Moreover David said, ‘The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.’ And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you!’” David knew he had ability and experience, but he wasn’t depending upon himself alone. He had faith that the Lord was with him and that the Lord would deliver him from the hand of Goliath. We know the rest of the story, that David used his sling to throw a stone into the forehead of the giant and then he cut off his head. David overcame Goliath; his faith gave him the victory.
Even Jesus had to overcome the world. John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus had many tribulations. He withstood the temptations from the devil, part of which we can read about in Matthew 4:1-11. He withstood the trials from his disciples. He withstood the trials from those who didn’t believe and wanted to destroy Him. He wanted the “cup” of His crucifixion to pass but He instead was obedient to His Father. Jesus overcame the world and we too can overcome the world.
Our faith is vital in overcoming. We each will experience trials of our faith. James 1:2-4 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” When our faith is tested by trials and we don’t lose our faith but endure, our faith becomes stronger and we are better able to overcome at the next trial. The apostle Paul overcame through His faith. 2 Timothy 1:12 “For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” Overcomers have confidence, assurance, boldness, fearlessness, and know for certain what they believe is absolutely true.
I encourage you to overcome; through faith you have the victory. Revelation 21:7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”