Every true child of God has within his heart a desire to live wholly unto the Lord, but Satan is constantly at work to lure him away from his happy fellowship in Christ and lead him into worldly or fleshly pursuits. In this age, especially, the allurements of the devil are so many and varied, and seemingly so harmless to the young and inexperienced Christian. The path of separation from all doubtful pleasures is the only one a true believer may safely take. He will find that if he wholly separates himself from the world, that a whole new world in Christ will lie open before him. In it he will find joys and privileges and pleasures which far excel his highest expectations. In his heart there will be established such peace, calmness and perfect satisfaction in the Lord, that it will seem to him that the Lord has graciously-vouchsafed to him a foretaste of heaven.
If the child of God feels discouraged at times in his conflict with the world, the flesh and the devil, let him turn to the Word of God for comfort and encouragement. There has been only One who could truly say, "I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). When He was on earth He prayed the Father that He would keep His own from evil (John 17:IS). His infinite grace has provided us with abundant means to overcome if we are only willing to use them, and faithful in availing ourselves of them. A knowledge of His Word is a wonderful protection against Satan's wiles. It is called the Sword of the Spirit in Ephesians 6:17. We all know how our Saviour silenced the devil with God's Word, as it is recorded in Matthew 4:4, 7,10.
Prayer is another necessary means of grace in the overcomer's life. We are exhorted to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). If our hearts and minds are filled with His precious Word, prayer will rise spontaneously to our lips and we will be continually worshiping and praising Him. One who is thus occupied will have no time for indulging in fleshly desires or worldly pursuits.
Finally, we have the blessed Holy Spirit of God in our hearts. He is with and in us, and if we yield ourselves wholly to Him our lives will be completely filled with His blessed Presence. A life wholly yielded to the Spirit of God will always be an overcoming life.
We read these exhortations in the Word:-"That ye put off concerning the former manner of life, the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Eph. 4:22-24). "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith" (Eph. 3:17). We know that "they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Gal. 5. 24). "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting" (Gal. 6:8). "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Let not sin reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof" (Rom. 6:11,12). "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord" (Rom. 6:23). "Therefore, brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh, for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live" (Rom. 8:12,13). "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Rom. 8:6). "The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all … to the end He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints" (1 Thess. 3:12,13).
We, whose hearts are filled with love for the Lord Jesus Christ, desire not to be overcome of evil but to overcome evil with good (Rom. 12:21). We have put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and we would make no provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof (Rom. 13:14). We want to count all things but loss that we may win Christ (Phil. 3:8). We know that "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds; casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4, 5). Our Lord has left exceedingly precious promises to encourage and strengthen our hearts in our warfare against sin. As we meditate upon these promises surely our desire to live well-pleasing to our Lord will be strengthened, and we will renew our efforts to make use of His means of grace to the end that we may glorify Him in all things.
In Rev. 2:7 our risen, glorified Lord promises eternal life to all who overcome. An eternity spent with Him! Such a thought is too infinitely blessed for us to entirely comprehend, but we accept it in faith, looking forward to the inexpressible joys that await us there.
In Rev. 2:17 the Lord Jesus Christ promises to give all who have overcome a new name. We will individually have the Lord's approval and receive a new name from Him. The thought of such unmerited favor and love bestowed by the King of kings and Lord of lords upon us, surely cannot help but lead us to a high resolve to live so that we will not be ashamed when we stand in His holy presence. "And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming" (1 John 2:28).
In Rev. 2:26 He promises to give us power over the nations. We know that we will reign with Him (Rev. 5:10). Even now He may be preparing us for places of responsibility in His kingdom.
In Rev. 3:5 we read that he who overcomes will be clothed in white raiment and that the Lord Jesus will confess his name before the Father. The clean, white linen is the righteousnesses of the saints (Rev. 19:8). We know that this can only be the fruit of the righteousness of God imputed to us. Christ Jesus our Lord is the righteousness of God. We shall be clothed in Him! When He confesses our name before the Father He will be fulfilling His promise in Matt. 10:32:"Whosoever, therefore, shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."
Then we have the wonderful promise in Rev. 3:12 that him that overcometh "will I make a pillar in the temple of My God." Who would not desire to live a life so approved by God that He would make him a pillar in His temple! This is a high destiny set before every one of us.
Then, the most glorious word is, "To him that over-» cometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with My Father in His throne" (Rev. 3:21).
With such a picture of future glory and blessedness before us we will continue with renewed courage to fight the good fight, finish our course, and keep the faith (2 Tim. 4:7). We will remember the Holy Spirit's words; "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you than he that ,is in the world" (1 John 4:4). "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev. 12:11). "He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be My son" (Rev. 21:7). "Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor of His knowledge by us in every place, for we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ" (2 Cor. 2:14, 15).