A Conquering Faith

"Faith never knows where it is being led, but it loves and knows the One who is leading."  - Oswald Chambers

The apostle John, in his first epistle, explains how to victoriously overcome the world, "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 the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God" (1 John 5:4-5).

The "world" that John is referring to are those things in the world that would come between us and God, such as: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17). Together, these can be categorized as sin.

Of course, there are many other things in the world which can cause a rift in our relationship with God, too. Things, such as: anxiety, boredom, depression, loneliness, fear, and grief, can be troublesome. 

If we pay attention to John, victory over the world requires faith in Jesus. But what exactly is the faith that he talks about..? Faith, in a general sense is defined as "the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true;" its primary idea being: trust.

We may understand this to mean that it is a strong conviction or trust in something (Hebrews 11:1). Such a strong faith impels you to respond accordingly. As this pertains to faith in Jesus as the Son of God, it is truly a strong conviction of trust in Him.

Thus, we can trust that Jesus is what He claimed; the Son of the living God. We can trust that Jesus died on the cross for our sins; His death is a worthy propitiation (sacrifice) for our sins; and that He intercedes for us in heaven.

When we have such faith in Jesus, we look to Him for the answer to any problem we face. We have trust and confidence that what He says is the correct solution or response. Therefore, we are willing to act with trust/confidence on His word (Luke 6:46).

Even though this is the type of faith that overcomes the world, a problem still remains. The problem lies with obedience. Many obviously hear or listen to Jesus, yet they still lack sufficient faith to obey (do) what He says.

If we want the kind of faith in Jesus that will assist us in overcoming the world, we need to develop it. How is this accomplished? It's really not all that complicated, as you shall see.

There are those who believe that faith is blind, in other words, "you just have to believe." And while it's true that faith is often a strong belief in "things unseen" (Hebrews 11:1), there are some valid reasons for believing what you cannot see. Also, faith, as some might believe, is not some gift from God given to a chosen few.

Although it may be true that in one sense faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 12:3), and owes its ultimate source to God, it is available to everyone (1 Timothy 2:3-6; Romans 1:16; 16:25-26). Indeed, faith comes from evidence that is provided by God Himself (John 5:36; 10:36-37; 14:10-11).

But, faith is not only derived from evidence, it also comes from the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Faith (trust/conviction) is based upon what the Word of God reveals. This is particularly true regarding faith in Jesus (John 20:30-31).

The Word of God produces faith in Jesus by the evidence it provides, such as the Messianic prophesies in the O.T.; His signs and wonders as documented in Gospels, and the eyewitness testimonies in Acts and the Epistles.

Consequently, the reason that many do not live victorious lives is due to a lack of faith. There faith is compromised because of a lack of reading and studying the Word of God. In addition to this, they lack an understanding of the teachings of Jesus that can help them subdue the world.

Therefore, in closing, I affirm that faith in Jesus provides us with what we need to successfully overcome the world. This applies to overcoming sin that separates us from God, or overcoming sinful thinking that frustrates our relationship with God.

There is only one source of victorious faith in Jesus, and that comes from the Word of God. This is why it is vitally important that we are nourished by it on a daily basis (Hosea 4:6; Amos 8:11-14; Matthew 4:4, 7, 11). Don't rob yourself of the way that God has provided you to create saving faith in your life (James 1:21).

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:6-7; Luke 17:6; Genesis 15:6; Romans 14:1; John 11:25-26

Prayer: Dear Lord, You are the light of the world. Let us never deprive ourselves from either the light and life that You give to us, or from the good and positive influence that others have on us, amen.

May the Lord bless,

Shawna