OVERCOME by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson, NC

Introduction:  The last line of the song “Psalm 90” says: “Before our hearts give up, Spirit fill us. Satisfy us with Your love…” 

• Do you feel like your heart is on the verge of giving up? 
• Are you going through some trials that have brought you to the breaking point?
• Have you come to the place that you feel that all hope is lost?
• Do you feel disillusioned and discouraged?

Today’s message is to help you “overcome.” This is the last weekend of the year. It is God’s way of reminding you that he is sending a new season in your life. Also, in a couple of weeks, we will be starting our new series on end-times prophecy. The next few messages will set the tone for the series. Learning to overcome is one of the major goals and benefits of studying prophecy. Turn to Revelation 21:1 (page #1898).

Let me say a word about the prophecy series coming up. This will not be your average series on prophecy. Our series will probably go on for several years, but we will take breaks in between and have different series during Christmas, Easter, and Summer. This series will be a comprehensive and systematic look at end-times prophecy, laying one block down at a time. One thing you will find is that it is a great blessing to study prophecy, as it says in Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” There are several reasons why it is blessed to study prophecy:

• It will grow your trust in the authority of the Word of God.
• It will remind you of the sovereignty and power of God.
• It will help you to live boldly in this crazy world.
• It will lead you to live holy in this sinful world.
• It will give you hope for the future.
• It will make you more evangelistic.
• It will deepen your prayer life.
• It will draw you closer to your church family.
• It will motivate you to overcome rather than be overwhelmed, live the victorious life instead of feeling defeated by life (we will focus on this today).

Revelation 21 (page #1898) 1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” 6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, 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.” Keep in mind that per Revelation 20:10 “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

Context: Listen again to verse 7 “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” The word “overcome” is the Greek word “nikao.” The meaning of this word is “to conquer,” “to prevail,” and “to be victorious.” This is the word that gives us the word “nike” meaning “victory.” This can be in the context of battle or sports. In the book of Revelation, it is more in the context of battle. It is found in different forms about 17 times in the Book of Revelation. This is much more than just “hupomone,” which is “endurance.” In fact, “Hupomone” (endurance) is found in the Book of Revelation but not as many times as “overcome.” This is also much more than just “makrothumia,” which is “patience,” not found at all in Revelation. Although, those words are important, the word we are focused on is “nikao” (overcome). 

What does that mean to overcome? What does that mean to fail to overcome? There are several views on this (Taken from Schreiner and Caneday, The Race Set Before Us):

1. Losing Salvation – if you don’t overcome, then you will lose your salvation.

2. Losing Rewards – if you don’t overcome, then you will lose your rewards in heaven.

3. Test of Salvation – if you don’t overcome, then you were never saved to begin with.

4. Hypothetical Warnings – warnings are given to help you overcome, but may be like parental threats.

5. Already and Not Yet – warnings are given to call for faith which will help confirm salvation at the final judgment.

I agree with some of these views here and there, but the more I study the Book of Revelation in its context, I believe the focus is different. It is not just about knowing what you may get or lose in the life to come. It’s not just enduring now so you can enjoy later. It is about learning to live differently in this world based on what you know about the world to come. Since we are already citizens of the world to come, we live according to the value systems of that world rather than the value systems of this world. It is about becoming an instrument of God’s work in this world now while keeping your eyes on what God has prepared for us in the world to come. Revelation 14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” It’s about learning to overcome through the trials and sufferings of life. You can get through trials, or you can let God teach you, mature you, and prepare you through trials. It is not just about passing through trials, but it is about passing through trials with flying colors, because there is a reward day coming. Revelation 22        12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”

1. Ephesus – Lost their first love.

Revelation 2:4 “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

Revelation 2:7 “…To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” It is a reference to the life of daily communion with God that Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden.

2. Smyrna – Fearful in the face of suffering.

Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Revelation 2:11 “…He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” It is a reference to living without the fear of the grave.

3. Pergamos – Accommodating to false doctrine.

Revelation 2       14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam…15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.”

Revelation 2:17 “…To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” It is a reference to God’s people feeding daily upon the manna from heaven and receiving a new identity.

4. Thyatira – Listening to false voices.

Revelation 2:20 “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.”

Revelation 2:26  “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations. 27…—as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star.” It is a reference to living without fear of the nightly news or waking up to another breaking news. 

5. Sardis – Became lifeless in spiritual fervor.

Revelation 3:1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, “These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.’”

Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” This is not about to removing names of believers. This is about asking you – “Why are you living as if dead when your name is in the Book of Life?”

6. Philadelphia – Wandering without a Church Family.

Revelation 3:8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

Revelation 3:12 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” If you will be a pillar in the temple of God in heaven, shouldn’t you be a pillar in the temple of God here?

7. Laodicea – Become Unprofitable.

Revelation 3       15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

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.” If the hardworking and profitable worker sits down only when the work is done, why are you living now as if your work is done?

The 2 main ingredients of the Overcomer:

Revelation 12.        10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

Victory is when the world says of me what this book has said of me.

Are you Saved?

Are you an Overcomer?