The victory that overcomes the world

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the
victory that overcomes the world, our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

We are not of this world
The born-again believers are not of the world; however, they live in the
world that is hostile to the cause of Jesus Christ and His followers.

The world (the mass of the ungodly) is hostile to the followers of Christ
because the world is under the dominion, control, or influence of the devil,
the wicked one (1 John 5:19).

The Lord Jesus explained this truth in clear words to His disciples in
John 15:
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated
you.
19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you
are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world
hates you. (NKJV).

Not only is the world hostile or unfriendly to the followers of Christ,
the world is also constantly seeking to distract, discourage or dissuade them
from following Jesus Christ on His own terms.

The world is always seeking to defile or corrupt the minds of the
believers through its lust, fashion, style, mode, or music. Therefore, it is
absolutely impossible for anyone to love, worship, follow and serve the Lord
Jesus Christ faithfully without confronting and overcoming the world and its
lusts.

The word “overcome” in the New Testament is from the Greek word
“nikao”
This word is a verb which denotes an action, occurrence, or a state of
existence.

The word “nikao” literally means “to subdue, to conquer, to
overcome, to prevail or get victory.” It implies “carrying off the
victory, coming off victorious, or maintaining one’s cause.”

It is used of Christ as victorious over all His foes. It is also used of
Christians that hold fast to their faith even unto death against the power of
their foes, tribulations and temptations.

From the understanding of the Greek word “nikao” that was translated
“overcome” in the New Testament, it is clear that overcoming the world is
not a passive thing, but an active, dynamic or on-going experience or
exercise.

Overcoming the world implies not seeking after or pursuing the earthly
things, like the children of this world (the unbelievers) do.

The Lord Jesus commands His disciples in Matthew 6:
31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we
drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father
knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these
things shall be added to you. (NKJV).

Overcoming the world also implies not loving, pursuing, hoarding, or
living for the temporary things of this world as the ungodly do.

Apostle John warns us in 1 John 2:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the
will of God abides forever. (NKJV).
Beloved, though the world is full of darkness, you are the light of the
world and you have overcome the darkness of this world through your faith in
Christ. Like Christ, you are now the light that shines in the darkness and
the darkness of this world cannot comprehend, apprehend, defeat, dominate or
prevail against you.
The believer who overcomes the world is the one who though living in the
world is not conforming to the world in any way, or living according to the
modes, standards, maxims, precepts, customs, principles, or fashions of this
evil world (Rom. 12:2, Col. 2:20-22).

The believer who overcomes the world is the one who still maintains his
focus, allegiance, loyalty, dedication or commitment to Jesus Christ and His
cause in spite of the abounding distractions, temptations, tribulations or
persecutions he faces or encounters in the world (Heb. 6:10-12).

Overcoming the world connotes not allowing the pressures and cares of this
world to dampen, suppress or quench your first love for Christ.

In a nutshell, as Apostle Paul puts it, overcoming the world is to be dead
or crucified to the world and the world to you.

Paul writes, “But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our
Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the
world.” (Gal. 6:14 RSV).

How can anyone overcome the world?
Through faith in Jesus Christ, who has overcome the world!

It is impossible to overcome the world and its lusts without a
confrontation or battle with the devil, the god or ruler of this world (2
Cor. 4:4, Eph. 2:2, John 12:31, 14:30).

Unfortunately, there is no natural man who is strong or wise enough to
defeat the devil (the god of this world) and thus overcome the world and all
its lusts.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the only man who has ever confronted and defeated
the devil, thereby becoming the only One to ever truly and completely
overcome the world.

The Lord Jesus clearly announced, “I have overcome the world." (John
16:33 NKJV).

Anyone who puts his faith in the person of Jesus Christ and His finished
redemptive work becomes a partaker in Christ’s victory over the world and
its lusts.

The Scripture states this truth in 1 John 5:
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory
that has overcome the world--our faith.
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the
Son of God? (NKJV).

It is only through experiencing the New Birth that Christ’s victory over
the world can become a reality in your life or your personal experience.

When you experience the New Birth through faith in Jesus Christ and His
finished work, you become a new creation in Christ and spiritually joined to
the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul testifies to this truth in 1 Corinthians 6:
17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. (NKJV).

What are the spiritual implications or benefits of your spiritual union
with Christ?

First, by reason of your spiritual union with Christ, you died with Christ
and also rose up with Him:

Paul queries, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with
Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of
life.” (Rom. 6:3-4 NKJV).

He further states, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I
who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
(Gal. 2:20 NKJV).

The believers in Christ are dead to the world and all its lusts and
enticements, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. And because the world cannot
defile, discourage, distract, influence or control a dead man, the believers
have overcome the world.

The Scripture amply affirms this truth.

Romans 6:
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. (NKJV).

Colossians 3:
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (NKJV).

Galatians 6:
14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
(NKJV).

Second, because you are now one with Christ, all that Christ has done,
achieved or accomplished through His death and His resurrection is now
imputed to you or credited to your account (1 Cor. 6:17).

Therefore, Christ’s victory over the world (its god and lusts) is now
your own victory!

Third, by virtue of your union with Christ all that Christ has is now
credited to your account.

Therefore, you are now heir of God and joint heir with Christ!

Paul aptly states this truth in Romans 8
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of
God,
17 and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if
indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
(NKJV).

As a joint heir with Christ, you now share or possess His authority, power
or dominion over the god of this world.

The Lord Jesus said, "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on
serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing
shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19 NKJV).

Fourth, by the reason of your spiritual union with Christ you have been
raised up together with Christ and made to sit in the heavenly places in
Christ Jesus, “far above all principality and power and might and dominion,
and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is
to come.” (Eph. 1:21 NKJV).

Even though you are physically living and walking about in the world, you
are spiritually operating from the heavenly realm, far above the god of this
world.

Lastly, because of your spiritual union with Christ, you are now all that
Christ is.

The Scripture testifies that “as He is, so are we in this world.” (1
John 4:17 NKJV).

Like Christ, you are now the light that shines in the darkness and the
darkness of this world cannot comprehend, apprehend, defeat, dominate or
prevail against you (John 1:5). Hallelujah!

Paul writes, “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not
of the night nor of darkness.” (1 Thess. 5:5 NKJV).

Beloved, though the world is full of darkness, you are the light of the
world and you have overcome the darkness of this world through your faith in
Christ.

The Lord Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set
on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matt. 5:14 NKJV).

Therefore, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your
good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16 NKJV).

“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become
blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the
world.” (Philip. 2:14-15 NKJV).

Prayer:
My Dear Heavenly Father, I acknowledge and declare today my victory over the
world by reason of my spiritual union with Christ. I am the light of the
world and I shine in the darkness of this world, and the darkness of this
world cannot comprehend me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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