You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4
If you are a follower of Christ, be encouraged by these words today. You have overcome. Whatever it is that you are facing in life, you have overcome. Notice that this is in past tense. It’s already decided. You may feel like you’re still in the middle of the fight, but the winner has already been decided and, spoiler alert, it’s you.
I understand that it doesn’t always feel that way. I understand that maybe even most of the time it doesn’t feel that way. I’m not here to invalidate the pain, suffering, hardship, or trials that you’re walking through. They’re real and they’re hard and my message today is not in any way intended to gloss over it or brush it under the rug. My message today is to give you hope in the midst of these things.
The sin that you’re facing – it’s already been defeated. The death that you’re mourning – it’s been defeated. The sickness that you’re fighting – it’s been defeated.
Jesus Christ has overcome the world and everything in it. He lived perfectly and died without sin so that he could be the perfect sacrifice, the propitiation for all of our sin. He was mocked, tortured, and crucified, but even death could not hold him. He rose from the grave three days later. He walked among us again, flesh and blood risen from the dead. He returned to his Father and our Father in heaven to prepare a place for us, those whom he has chosen, to bring us with him one day.
The Spirit of God that lived in Jesus Christ now lives in you if you have believed in him. The Spirit that raised him from death will raise you too. No sickness, no death, no sin can have any power over you anymore. All authority on heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus and he lives in you. Nothing in this world can compare. Nothing in this world can defeat him, destroy him, or even get in his way.
Let him fight your battles. The victory is already won.
Prayer:
God,
I praise and thank you for the power of Jesus Christ. Thank you for choosing me as one of your own. Thank you for the victory that I have in this life and the next through Jesus’ sacrifice.
In His Holy Name,
Amen.
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