3)
For this is the love of God, that we keep his
commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4)
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5)
Who is he that overcometh
the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
6)
This is he that came by water and blood, even
Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit
that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
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many of the saints of God have a problem with what they must face from the
World. Too many believe that what the World thinks,
does and say, matters. This leads to a fascination with staying a part of it
and all that this entails.
Only
one without understanding of the things of God would still hunger after the
ungodly. It is impossible to understand anything about Him without the Holy
Ghost. After receiving the Holy Ghost, it is still impossible to comprehend Him
if one will not submit himself to the influence of the Spirit.
A
successful walk with the Lord necessitates appreciating the
"treasures" that come through serving Him. One cannot love the Lord
by dealing with Him on a "surface" level, only. Searching the deep,
hidden mysteries of God requires honesty on our part. You see, in order for Him
to be able to reveal Himself to use, we must let Him in! This is a process of
honesty, for we must let Him close enough to us to allow Him to commune with
us.
Because
of our inability to see ourselves in a "place" different from that to
which we are accustomed, we remain "uncomfortable" with the
spiritual. There is no victory possible for the believer without overcoming the
influence that the Word exerts upon him.
Victory
is a right of every believer and is due us! After all of the evil and sorrow
that we were powerless to resist before salvation, once we have been redeemed,
we have no obligation to an oppressor. The concept is likened to one who
engages in a premarital relationship and then enters into marriage with
another. That individual is under no obligation to his previous partner.
Indeed, though he could never be forced in any way to stay attached, if he
entertains mental pressure, he will find himself yoked through consent!
We
will never be free of the influence of the World unless we become willing to
accept the full responsibility given to us by God. You see, we remain
"bound" by choice. Once we have been delivered, we owe the World
nothing. In fact, the devil goes on to more "fertile" ground until he
realizes that we still feel "obligated" to him. You see, he knows
that we fail to understand: that once we "come back" to him we do so
because we believe that we have to.
How
said that we are so "taken" with that which will shortly come to an
end. The reality of the life of Man is that the world is temporal. All that is
connected with it is temporal, also. The only thing that gives substance to
life is the Spirit of God, for it is only He Who is eternal. Therefore, it
makes absolutely no sense for anyone to concern himself with the World. In that
life is now and always has been sustained by Jesus, it only makes sense to
consult Him about how He will be pleased. After all, He is the
"administrator" of the eternal life to come.
"The
victory that overcometh the world ... our faith"
is worth keeping at all costs. Now is not the time to become weak or
faint-hearted. Now is not the time to simply "give in" to what we
know is not of God, but is what we hope will please us. If anyone is going to
be saved, now is the time to walk in humility. This is a "battle" for
the soul and to the death.
Some
of our biggest problems come from what we think other people are
"doing" to us. We should be respected, we should be loved, we should be validated. After all, my opinion is important,
my voice should be heard, I am somebody! Aside from
the fact that none of this was done for Jesus or applied to Him, there is more
serious issue, here. The issue is that God is in the blessing
"business." Therefore, everything that He does is for the purpose of
blessing. The end of all that He allows is to bless. This does not mean that we
will always readily recognize the blessing, but it does mean that we must
always exercise faith in God that will allow us to look past what the devil
tries to show us in the flesh-and that we will maintain our victory.
We
are involved in a battle to preserve our very souls. When something of this
magnitude is at stake, we must be "about business" and exercise a
measure of responsibility and solemnity. It is time to stop hanging out with
people out to deceive you! If we ever intend to accept the Lord, now is the
time. Some of us have been given chance-after-chance by the Lord, yet still
have no personal relationship with Him. The fact is, that one never needs to
beg, plead or "bargain" with one with whom he has a
"relationship." The amount of "selling" we do with the Lord
will be indicative to only of what our spiritual life is like, but of where we
will choose to spend eternity, as well.
For
what the Lord has already done, He deserves praise. Because He has paid the
price for all things, we can have victory in them. If you're tired of "falling"
for everything, try "standing" for something other than yourself.