Becoming an overcomer is essential to living a successful Christian life. It is our calling and our inheritance. “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. ” (1 John 5:4–5, NIV84) When we overcome life’s challenges, we walk in the purpose and destiny we were created for. “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ” (Revelation 21:7, NIV84)
Paul speaks of the treasure of the Gospel. It is light and it is power. It is God in us. Is the Kingdom of God dwelling is us. It is us establishing the Kingdom wherever we are. “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ” (2 Corinthians 4:6–7, NIV84)
And Paul reminds us who we are. We are clay. We are fashioned by God. Our lives are to reveal God’s glory. As we live surrendered to God and overcoming the world, we testify to the greatness, the goodness, the loving-kindness of God. That is living for God’s glory.
Paul understood the challenges. “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. ” (2 Corinthians 4:8–11, NIV84) Paul was stoned, flogged, imprisoned, chased out of town, jeered, shipwrecked and more. Paul understood the pressure of life.
Paul also understood the power of the Gospel. The pressure did not crush him. The questions did not create despair. He knew Jesus was right next to him always. Paul understood that how he walked through the challenges demonstrated the power of the life of Jesus.
I think of times that I felt overwhelmed by challenges. I did not understand that the despair I felt was merely God’s light showing me where my heart did not yet trust Him. I did not understand that as I overcame I would become a light to others. In the times I felt overwhelmed, my eyes were off of Jesus and I felt very alone.
When crisis comes, keep your eyes on Jesus. Every promise of God is true. The heart of God is faithful. As you overcome, the world around you will see hope, promise, destiny. The world will see Jesus in you. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV84)
Paul’s key in the difficult time was simple. “It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, ” (2 Corinthians 4:13, NIV84) Paul believed the word of God and then he spoke the word of God. Paul never quit in speaking and declaring the promises of God over every circumstance and every situation. Paul reminded himself of this truth. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. ” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18, NIV84)
