Friday 11 May 2018

Overcomers


Scriptures: Romans 8 v 36 - 39: "As it is written, “For your sake we are being put to death all day long. We are thought of as sheep headed for slaughter.”
 37  In all these things we are triumphantly victorious due to the one who loved us.
 38  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
 39  nor anything above, nor anything below, nor anything else in all creation can separate us from the love of God that is ours in union with the Messiah Jesus, our Lord."

There are men in the Bible who have done brave and outstanding deeds and been honoured in scripture. Moses the stutterer who rebuked Pharoah and led Israel to freedom; King David who defeated the giant Goliath and won the respect of a nation; Joshua who overcame all obstacles to prevent Israel coming into the Promised Land.  These are those who would be labelled "Overcomers".

In Judges 6 we meet a man favoured by the Lord called Gideon. In verse 12 we read "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him (Gideon), and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour."

Gideon complained to the angel that the children of Israel were under attack from the Midianites. He said also I am the youngest child of a poor family how can I do anything. He must have wondered why the angel saw any valour in him.

The angel said The Lord will fight for you and deliver the Midianites into your hand. Gideon was not convinced and asked for a sign. He got one when he was cooking food under the angel's direction and the angel put forth his staff and the food was consumed by a flame of fire.

This caused the man of valour to panic because he had seen an angel and would now die. God Himself reassured him that he would live so Gideon immediately built an altar to worship the Lord. He was then instructed to destroy the altar that had been built to Baal, which he and his servants did.

This Baal worship CAUSED Israel to be victims of attack because the Lord does not protect those who worship demons. The ones who had built the altar now wanted to kill Gideon. His father, Joash, said let the god speak and fight for himself.

After this the Midianites gathered to do battle and Gideon blew a trumpet which summoned all the armies of the 3 tribes of Israel nearest to him. He then laid a fleece of wool on the ground and asked the Lord to show him if he really would win this battle through the power of God that He would wet the fleece and the ground around it stay dry.  The fleece got wet the ground did not! If you want to know the out come of the battle read chapter 7.

Gideon is like so many of us. Not really that brave when it comes to trusting God when the chips are down and defeat is staring us in the face. God can tell us face to face that we will win because He is with us and we still seek a sign, a confirmation, a word from scripture or a prophecy and we still panic. This is human nature but how our faith grows when we trust the Lord and see that He is true to His Word. Not just once but every time, every day, every battle He brings us through.  Gideon was an overcomer and we should be as well.

So don't tempt the Lord, don't fall prey to doubts and fears, but believe and see that YOU are that mighty man or woman of valour and you will triumph over all adversity because of the power of Jesus in your life. Of all who have been born on this Earth He is the truest Man of Valour you will ever know.

Revelation 2 v 17: "‘Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone. On the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the person who receives it.’”

In the last book of the Bible Jesus instructs the Angel over each of the seven churches to reveal their errors and show the reward for those who repent and overcome Satan's invasion into doctrines, behaviour, and perceptions.  Where there is nobody discerning and dealing with these deceptions in the church, apostasy is growing and causing many to fall.   We must overcome all this to avoid our names being removed from the Lambs Book of Life!

Revelation 3 v 5: "The person who conquers in this way will wear white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and his angels."

Prayer: Father God, You have made a way for us to be Victorious in every situation. His name is Jesus Christ. When we are alive in Him who can be against us? Show us how our faith can be strengthened, Father. In Jesus' name. Amen.