Faith

And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
(1 John 5:4 – ESV)

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The reason why God’s commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3) is because of the power we have received from God upon being born again, attested to by our faith. We can continue to keep the righteousness of God and His commands to us in view, in focus, and stay on target, because even when then world would try and drag us back, the power of God brings us through. That is the power of the faith that God gives us to overcome the world. Faith is more about being a martyr than it is moving a mountain. The mountains moved might be when they have fallen on top of you, yet they hold no eternal weight to truly crush you. They have been moved, they are light as a feather compared to the weight of glory (Romans 8:17-18).

Faith is not the power to zap problems out of existence; it is the power to trust in God even when they are trying to zap you out of existence. Faith is not “I now have enough so I don’t have to go through those things again”; it is “look, even though I have gone through these things my faith in God is intact, and even stronger”. It is not, “I won’t be beat down again”, it is, “Pressed but not crushed, struck down but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Overcoming doesn’t mean overpowering the natural, it means being able to survive spiritually despite being overwhelmed in the natural. We overcome even when we die (Romans 8:35-39). We overcome the devil and the world by Jesus, loving Him more than life itself, and sometimes having to die to prove it (Revelation 12:11). We have overcome Satan’s accusations because we count on the blood of Christ as our righteousness.

This isn’t about living some successful, victorious, abundant, physically rich and healthy life, it is about things that money cannot buy, and the devil cannot steal. The abundant life that Jesus says Satan is trying to steal, kill, and destroy, he can’t, because it is spiritual abundance (John 10:10). Our faith is what teaches us that (1 John 5:4). The victory that overcomes the world even our faith doesn’t mean our faith gets us out of the problems it means we remain faithful even while we are in them! We have been granted the faith and the power to endure suffering not to remove it. It isn’t the more faith you have the less suffering and trials you will have but the more faith you have the more faithful you will be during them! We keep on conquering what the world would try and have us do, turn our backs on God, and instead, our faith turns us back to God, crying Abba Father (Romans 8:15)!

When the rest of the world would fear, Jesus says fear not, because even though you will have trials, troubles, and tribulation in this world He has overcome it (John 16:33). THAT is how we identify with Christ, even while we are being shot at with flaming arrows from the enemy. Overcoming is not, “I can avoid all falls”, but “nothing can keep me down”. Not, “I will never have any bruises”, but “I will continue to fight on”. Not, “There will be no more pain”, but “I can see the redeeming power of Christ through it”.

I don’t want you to feel guilty for feeling good, and if things are good rejoice. But when things aren’t so good, rejoice, because they will be eventually, and that for eternity (James 1:2 / Philippians 4:4). That is the eye of faith. Faith isn’t, “I can take control in Jesus’ name, and I can do what I will”, it is “I give God control in Jesus’ name, and He can do what He will”. Amen.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©