You’re
an Overcomer
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.
AMPC
I have
told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have
tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer
[take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the
world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
My Experience, Strength & Hope
Do you see yourself as an overcomer? According
to the word of God, that’s what we are called to be. But we have a part to play
in it. We must see ourselves as overcomers in order to become overcomers. We
must have the faith that will cause us to arrive at our destination of victory.
The morning I wrote this, I woke after a not so
good night of sleep. I really needed to get up and just sit with the Lord.
Instead I tried to sleep, but it never really came. It was a waste of my time.
In my time with the Lord, I fell to the floor in tears needing a touch from
Him. As I turned on my worship music, I allowed Holy Spirit to choose the
songs. After I picked the first one – He took it from there. The second song
said it all. It was “You’re an Overcomer.” It is a great song and I encourage
you to pull it up on You Tube and check it out. The words are pretty good –
most of them at least. Some we do not agree with, but the overall meaning is
wonderful and encouraging.
I sat and listened to the words, knowing that my
Father in heaven was encouraging me when I needed it the most. Then the next
song was, “Jesus at the Center.” I was amazed once again by the sovereignty of
God and His loving encouragement to me.
I needed to be reminded this morning that I am
an overcomer. I needed to remember to keep Jesus at the center of my focus, not
how I feel. The next song that played was “The Potter’s Hand.” God is so
awesome. He then reminded me that He is the one working on me, like a potter
forms a piece of clay. Day by day we need to be reminded that He is molding us
into something so beautiful that we will clearly reflect His glory, His face
and His characteristics. Hallelujah! I found this to be extremely comforting.
The last song was this, “I Will Bless the Lord.”
This song picked me up off the floor and got me really singing, in spite of how
I was feeling. I wanted to bless God. I wanted to focus on Him and trust Him to
make me into the woman He imagined me to be when He formed me in my mother’s
womb. I agreed that I am an overcomer. I do not agree like the song says that I
am “down for a moment.” I will only agree that I have hope, a hope that will
never disappoint, and I will overcome.
As a minister of the gospel, I have to spend
time with the Lord and enjoy our relationship. And we are all ministers of the
gospel in one way or another – so the relationship for each of us is of the
utmost importance! We must be filled up and lifted up by Him before we can
offer anything to anyone else. If we don’t, we will fail. We cannot give what
we have not received.
The day prior to this writing I had enjoyed a
good day with eating, praise the Lord! In the evening, after leaving a
children’s birthday party and not partaking of any of the pizza, chips, soda or
cake, I went home and fixed myself a healthy meal. On the way to the house, the
devil came and made a suggestion. He whispered in my mind, “Why not have a
carrot and just two cashews?” I thought, “That sounds good.” I needed something
to curb the hunger, and fast since it was already past dinner time.
When I got in the kitchen and opened the pantry
door, my attention was drawn to a can of artichoke hearts. I grabbed them and
opened them, thanking the Lord that I had them. They are a good low carb and
quick snack for times like these. I knew I had met my protein and nut quota for
the day, and I passed on the cashews.
The punchline for this story is this. The Lord
showed me that the devil, as deceiving as he always is, tried to get me to eat
just two cashews and he tried to make it sound like it would be alright. Just
two. He knows I really like them. He also knew that I was very hungry and it
would be easy to just keep eating them if I would just start with two.
The Lord showed me how He would never encourage
me to eat something that would throw me off track like that, even a little. He
was pleased that I had followed the leading of Holy Spirit by choosing the
artichokes instead. I share my heart and my experience with you along with how
the Lord has strengthened me with a sincere desire to give you what I have been
given.
May this, and especially the scriptures in this
lesson be a great encouragement to you in Jesus name! (Speak them out loud over
yourself because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God – (Rom. 10:17)
Scriptures from This Message…
1 John 5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the
world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Jeremiah 18:1-6
The word which came to Jeremiah
from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's
house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the
potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
And the vessel that he made of clay was marred
in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good
to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house
of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the
potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due
season we shall reap, if we faint not.
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.
1 John 4:4
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome
them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
Revelation 2:7
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
saith unto the churches; To him
that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst
of the paradise of God.
Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb,
and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the
death.
Brought to you by: Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.
Hanny Lynn Stearns
For more information, please email us at: The3rdJohn2Program@yahoo.com
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