Overcoming
More than any other New Year, which I can recall, I am hearing comments like, “I feel I am not in control going into 2021; I am really glad to kick 2020 to the curb; I am feeling anxious and I so need hope; the vaccine is what I am waiting on so I can return to normal like it was before.”
Charles Spurgeon wrote an editorial in which he compared life to a maze, indicating that life is confusing, yet there is a key. It is one word “Faith.” In the way of life, if we are to prosper, we must walk by faith, for things are not what they appear.
Our church sermon series to begin the year is, “Reboot.” Every so often we need to “reset" (Denise’s word for 2021) and focus on renewal, to be reminded we need to trust God with our daily needs and burdens and exercise the key of faith.
In the Bible, the Greek word for renewed is “Ananeoo,” which means to be changed by an inward reformation. We need this to be resilient, which by the way, is the Google word for 2021.
A friend recently directed me to a series by David Jeremiah entitled, “Overcomer” and I have just started to go through it. If ever we need One who can empower us to be renewed over the emotional and physical and be spiritually realigned, it is now.
People are trying to make sense of all the chaos - what the US is experiencing, the differing political opinions on the rollout of the vaccine, restrictions now extended to February 5th here in BC, etc.
So how do we renew and be “overcomers?”
• To overcome weakness with strength
• To overcome what is false, with what is truth
• To overcome evil, which we face with good, which God stands for
• To overcome our anxieties with peace
• To overcome experiencing fear with the key of faith
• To overcome confusion with wisdom
I could go on and on. Over the next few devotionals, I am going to share with you what I am learning about being an overcomer - to experience renewal and transformation, to have inward reformation. I want 2021 to be positively more than I ever could have imagined it to be.
To begin this series of devotionals I have to believe that God has created you and I not to live in defeat, rather, He has given us the supernatural tools to go on the offense. We can then interchange the 6 phrases above as, “We have strength that overcomes weakness, we have truth which overcomes that which is false, etc.”
Ephesians 6: 10 says “ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
The word “final” or “finally” is the Greek word, tou loipou and it means in conclusion or in summation. It is such a powerful word and so important in the Greek language that it is used at the end of a letter or manuscript to depict something extremely important. The author is saying, “Pay attention!”
The book of Ephesians contains some of the deepest theological teachings in the New Testament. Teaching on the work of the Holy Spirit, the power available to us as a believer, the grace of God, the eternal plan of God, turning the key of faith to unlock the answers, etc.
When Paul comes to the end of his letter, he writes “tou loipou.” Take special note, for if you miss this point, you will have huge challenges with all of what I have just told you about.
Are you experiencing victory or feeling defeated? My friends, come with me on a journey of renewal to be the overcomer which God has designed you to be. I know that I need this.
My next devotional will be on, “Overcoming weakness with strength.” So, let’s together turn our keys, for my God though unseen, is ever near. His promises are sure and through the Holy Spirit we will be guided and transformed as we journey through the maze.
In the words of Bishop Robert Barron, “No one comes to Christ and goes back the same way.”
~Bruce
