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Overcome the World
October 13, 2012

We recently concluded the celebration of the Holy Days listed in the Bible that culminated with the Last Great Day of the Feast of Tabernacles picturing the victory over the final enemy of death and the establishment of God's throne at the New Jerusalem. How we become part of this event involves an action on our part; we must overcome evil rather than be overcome by evil. This message is clear in the Bible and stated in a variety of places, and for today's study, let's look at the Book of Revelation to start.

Revelation 3:1-13
And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

These greetings to the churches at Sardis and Philadelphia contain separate items of praise and concern for both congregations, and both have an admonition to overcome. Those in Sardis are reminded that if they overcome they will be clothed in white clothes; they will be given immortal life. Those in Philadelphia are reminded that if they overcome they will be what supports the future temple of God in New Jerusalem. The greetings to the other churches in Revelation contain similar praise and concern for each, and all are admonished to overcome. Those at Ephesus were admonished to overcome so that they could eat of the tree of life. Those who overcame from Smyrna were told the second death would not hurt them. Those who overcome from Pergamos would be given the hidden manna and a new name. In the longest greeting, to the church at Thyatira, those who overcame would be given power over the nations. And those who overcame from Laodicea would be given the opportunity to sit with God as he rules. And despite the changing circumstances of the world unique to each group, the churches were told to overcome. And through these Holy Days, we have been reminded of our personal need to overcome evil, or, we will be overcome by evil. Even Jesus had to overcome, and some of the evil we overcome stares us in the face, and other types of evil we overcome, is harder to see. Jesus went face to face with Satan, and overcame Satan.

Matthew 4:1-11
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their

hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

When we read this account from the life of Jesus, we can see the face-to-face encounter with Satan. Jesus had other challenges in his life that required him to overcome. At the very least his teachings were challenged by the Scribes and thePharisees. Each time Jesus had his teachings challenged, he had a choice. He could give in to these groups and be overcome by them, or he could choose to overcome them. Sometimes overcoming does not occur in a conquest that is meaningful for any to see. Sometimes overcoming is a process of outlasting the enemy, because when your enemy gives up before you do, you win. In each of our lives we have struggles that never seem to go away, and maybe these are the struggles that God wants us to have for the long haul for whatever purpose he knows will be best for us. Jesus had to struggle with the Scribes and Pharisees his entire life and he never gave up. We should never give up in our struggles, and when we stick to doing what is right and come to the end of our life, perhaps we can share a message that Jesus shared with his disciples after his resurrection.

John 16:28-33
I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

As we return to our lives after the Feast of Tabernacles we will return to all that is evil in the world. We can either be overcome by that evil, or we can choose to overcome all that is evil around us. If Jesus overcame the world, so can we. If Jesus overcame evil, so can we, and we can overcome what is evil by celebrating what is good, embracing what is good, and doing what is good.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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