Fletcher Faith Ministries

*"Go...and teach all nations..." Matthew 28:19*

ESSENTIALS FOR OVERCOMERS Part 1
"Born To Overcome"
By Rev. Kenneth A. Fletcher

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5: 4-5

When I was newly born again at the age of nineteen, I thought that since I was now saved there would no more problems. Of course, it didn't take me very long to find out how wrong my thinking was. At the time, I remember that I was somewhat bewildered and confused about it. For years, when problems and trouble came my way, I did not know how to deal with them properly. Lasting victory seemed to elude me. So many times I experienced defeat and was underneath the circumstances. Because of the situations, at times I became very discouraged and downcast about being a Christian. I began to view myself as a total failure at living for God.

After being a Christian for many years and after many defeats, ups and downs, and being whipped around by the devil, God began to do a wonderful work in my life. I began hearing sound teaching from God's Word showing me who I was in Christ. For the first time, I really began to understand some important truths about my new birth in Christ. The light of the Word began shinning in the darkness of my confusion. These powerful truths have changed my life!

In this issue, and the next issue of THE ROAD OF FAITH, I am moved to share with you a few basic and very important Essentials For Overcomers. What should every overcomer know? Because he is in Christ: 1) he knows that he is born an overcomer and, 2) he knows that he is righteous. Of course, "he", here means "she" as well. It includes all of mankind who are in Christ.

Webster's Dictionary defines the word "overcome" to mean: "to get the better of, overpower, overwhelm, to gain the superiority...to win". In our main text, 1 John 5:4, we see that everyone who is born of God overcomes the world. How is that possible? In John 16:33 Jesus said: "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." We can become world overcomers ONLY because Jesus overcame the world. Jesus said as long as we are in this world, there will be trouble coming our way. Yes, Jesus told us in advance that there would be obstacles to gain superiority over in life. He also said that even though trouble was here - we can have peace and a cheerful attitude because he had overcome the world. How can we, who have had a past filled with failures and defeats, actually become overcomers like Jesus?

In 1 Corinthians 5:17, the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul said: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." This new creation of God is born with the very nature of Jesus Christ. In Romans 8:16-17, believers are referred to as "children of God", "heirs of God", and "Joint heirs with Christ". What powerful descriptions these are; children, heirs, joint heirs (co-heirs) with God! Oh my, it is certainly difficult for us to wrap our minds around the awesome reality of these wonderful truths.

Perhaps you may have thought all people are children of God, or doing enough good deeds will get you into heaven. If you have not been BORN AGAIN - there will be no heaven for you. If you have not received Jesus into your heart in this earthly life, you are still separated from God and you are lost. Receive the life of God today - right now!

Pray this simple prayer. Say it with your mouth from your sincere heart to the Lord. "Dear God, I come to you as a sinner in need of salvation. I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for my lost condition. I believe in my heart that you, God, raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day to justify me. I now receive Jesus and all that He did for me. I boldly confess that Jesus is now the Lord of my life." (If you just prayed this prayer, go now and look up Romans chapter 10, verses 9-10, and 13 in the Bible. Also, please write to us so we can send you a free cassette tape and literature to help you get started in your new life with God.)

What really happened to you who just prayed this prayer and to us who have accepted Jesus before? Colossians 2: 12- 15 shows us that, by faith, we actually went back and identified with Jesus when He died on the cross and was raised in power and victory by the Holy Spirit. We were there together with Him! Jesus did it all for us so we could identify with His victory and actually become overcomers with Him!

Our old man died with Christ and we were raised with Him in newness of life. We now share the Lord's very own nature. It is a nature of power and victory! You are not an ol' sinner saved by grace - but a new creature in Christ who used to be an ol' lost sinner that was saved by God's grace. YOU ARE A NEW CREATION! If you are in Christ, you have the nature of an overcomer now in your spirit. You are a born overcomer! You are born to win!

In John 15, Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches. Now, when we look at a tree we realize that the trunk and the branches are connected together. It is one. The branches are made of the same material as the trunk, and the same life that flows in the trunk also flows in the branch. Jesus said that you are made of the same stuff God is made of! You are His child. You are a chip off the ol' block!

A bird is born to fly, a bunny rabit is born to hop, a thoroughbred horse is born to run, and you, because you are in Christ, are born of God to overcome! Eph. 2:10 says: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. We are to imitate our Father. "Be ye therefore followers (or imitators) of God, as dear children;" Eph. 5:1.

When a problems or trials come, ask yourself, "How would Jesus approach this problem?" You would have to say that Jesus would approach any problem from a standpoint of victory. He would look at it as an overcomer! You are to look at problems the same way!You are joined together with Jesus by the Holy Spirit and you share the same overcoming nature. Because of the mighty power of the Holy Spirit residing in your spirit, you are born again to win in life. Hallelujah! What an awesome truth - to be united with the great, mighty, Holy Spirit. He is the One who raised Jesus from the dead in the greatest display of overcoming power ever known. That same mighty power is in you right now!

Yes friend, according to 1 John 5:4-5, ALL CHRISTIANS ARE BORN WORLD OVERCOMERS. If this is true, why aren't all Christians living as overcomers in this life? There are so many precious Christians today who are living in defeat like I was. Though they are actually born again overcomers in their spirits, they have not learned these vital Bible facts I am writing about in these newsletters. They do not KNOW they are born overcomers!

Whether this is the first time you have ever considered yourself as an overcomer, or if this is a truth that you knew before and have let slip, begin today meditating in this truth. Renew your mind to God's way of thinking. Start being who you really are. Live out on the outside the person you are on the inside. Approach life's problems from the standpoint of victory - as an overcomer! Allow the Holy Ghost to rise up in you to help you overcome every adversity. Oh, what a difference it makes! Stand fast in your new nature!

Now dear friend, it is a fact that the devil wants to keep you under the circumstances and defeated in your life. He wants to deceive you in to thinking wrong about yourself and the problems that may be facing you. But oh, if you get hold of this truth and practice it in your everyday life, you will walk different, talk different, act different, pray different, and your whole life will change. It will happen from the inside out. As you go from glory to glory in Christ, you will also go from victory to victory. You become dangerous to the devil!

"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) Here, the Holy Spirit is saying through John that YOU ARE GOD'S OFFSPRING, and because of that fact, you have already overcome them (the devil and all wicked spirits). Notice, you do not TRY to overcome the devil and demons. You HAVE overcome them! Because you are born of God, YOU HAVE ALREADY overcome the devil and all demons! Jesus has already done it for you. The Greater One is in you now! That victory is in you now! Hallelujah!

You are to resist the devil from a position of victory, not a position of trying to get the victory. You already have the victory! Now enforce your victory! Make the devil go! The Bible says in James 4:7 to submit to God, and RESIST the devil. It goes on to say when you resist him that he will flee from you. You resist him from the standpoint of victory - as an overcomer! HE WILL FLEE - RUN AWAY IN TERROR - FROM YOU! Praise God!

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." You have divine resources. You have unlimited potential in your spirit, RIGHT NOW. You are hooked up to an "all things are possible" God. Since you are in Christ, all things are now possible to you! Praise God forever!

Remember, you cannot determine if you are an overcomer by looking at your circumstances. You must go by the unchanging truth of who God says you are in His Word. Live your life by who and what God says you are. Don't be moved away by the devil or circumstances. Believe the Word of God. Believe in the fact that you are what God says you are - a born overcomer! BELIEVE THAT! Your faith is the victory that brings it out into the natural realm.

I am so excited to tell you that no matter what you may have experienced in the past, it can be different after today! You can begin living this earthly life as the winner you are created to be. God created it in you! You are His workmanship! (Eph.2:10) Does God create undergoers and losers? Are the children of God created to live defeated by trials, adverse circumstances, sickness, disease, and the devil? No! Of course not. HE HAS CREATED US WORLD OVERCOMERS AND DEVIL OVERCOMERS. Yes, it's true! It is wonderful to live this way. Hallelujah!

Now, in light of this tremendous reality, stand up and walk in this life as the overcomer God created you to be. Things will be different as you learn not to live from the circumstances on the outside, but to live by the Word out of your spirit on the inside. My precious friend, it is my prayer that you will practice in your life these important essentials for overcomers. I know that your life will never be the same! K.A.F.

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