By:     Godwin Eyiangho

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INTRODUCTION 

For anyone to be referred to as an overcomer means he has fought and won a battle.

Christians have a lot of battles to fight and their battle field is the heart since their warfare is not carnal.

Ephesians 6:12: 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.          2 Corinthians 10:3-5: For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Christians must therefore realize that they are engaged daily in spiritual battle.

Luke 9:23:  Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

Definition: To Overcome means to defeat someone/something to successfully deal with or gain control of someone/something.

There are three Greek words translated “to overcome” but Heltnamai which is relevant to this lesson denotes to be made inferior or to be enslaved.

2 Peter 2:19-20: While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

Thus, to overcome means to defeat, conquer, enslave, subdue or prevail against someone or something and overcomers are those who have conquered, victors, winners or victorious people.

Discussion: Milor Hadwin titled the book of revelation “The Overcomer” because the word overcome is used severally to portray that the persecuted Christians then were victorious in Christ. (Rev. 2:1-19, 26, 27, 7:14).

Revelation 3:21: To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

Christians are overcomers because their Master, Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ has already overcome for them.

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.”

Based on this, they are;

• Overcomers of Sin: At baptism and after baptism, Christians are given the power (The Holy Spirit and the Word respectively) to enable them live above sin. 

1 John 3:9-10: Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother                                  (cf. Acts 2:38).

Christians do not practice or live in sin, they overcome sin by living daily according to the word of God                         (Psalm 119:9-11). We are dead to and separated from sin (Rom. 6:1,2,18) and thus we overcome it through Christ.

• Overcomers of Satan: The Holy Spirit through Apostle John stated twice that Christians have overcome the Devil, the evil (wicked) one (I John 2:13,14). The property and power of Satan is sin but we are free from sin and since HE who is in us is greater than Satan, we overcome him absolutely (I John 3:8; Rom. 6:18, James 4:7; I John 4:4).
• Overcomers of Fear: Brethren have you wondered why the fearful will not make heaven? 

Rev. 21:8: But the cowardly [fearful], unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. 

This is because fear is lack of faith in God’s ability and capability to protect, provide and care for us and a respect for demons and evil.

The righteous, God’s faithful people, are bold as lion but wicked people, sinners fear (Prov. 28:1). We are of uncountable number of angels (Psalm 34:7). 

Hebrews 12:22 – But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels.

• Overcomers of Problems of life: This is the irony of the overcomers’ life – we must understand that though we are overcomers, we are still confronted with a lot of problems on earth but one thing is sure, victory over trials of life through Christ as in all things (God is working for the good of Christians (John 16:33; I Cor. 10:13; Psalms 34:19; II Tim. 3:11; I John 5:4). 

Rom. 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 

• Overcomers of evil conscience: The heart is the centre of the Christian battle occupied by the Holy Spirit and hence it must be kept pure and free of evil thoughts.

Heb. 10:22 – let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water 

We must be caring, forgiving and kind to one another and to all men (Eph. 4:32; Rom. 12:9; 8:8). 

In fact, the overcomers’ living implies that we must overcome evil with good always (Rom. 12:21). 

CONCLUSION 

The New Testament says…in all these, we are more than conquerors or overcomers through Christ. Romans 8:37 – Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Correspondingly, Christians must see themselves as overcomers in line with the word of God and they will surely run the eternal race carefully to the end, no matter the challenges of life that may come their way as they live and put on the whole armour of God (Eph. 6:10-18).

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