OVERCOMING- LESSON 1

Rising above life’s toughest problems

John 16:33 (ESV)

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Note: Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world: In this, Jesus proclaims the truth of His victory. It’s an amazing statement from a man about to be arrested, forsaken, rejected, mocked, tortured and executed. Judas, the religious authorities, Pilate, the crowd, the soldiers or even death and the grave cannot overcome Him. Instead, Jesus can truly say, “I have overcome the world.”

comment: Jesus had what would look like an Insurmountable problem! To those that only see through natural eyes!

2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV 1900)

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

“In the world you will have tribulation”: “ NIV says “In this world you will have trouble”, Jesus made the promise of tribulation. Peace is offered to us; [Jn 14:27] but tribulation is promised!

John 14:27 (NASB 95)

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

Romans 8:37 (RSV)

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Comment: We often only quote “all things work for good.”, but there are conditions to meet for “things to work for good” ; #1 we must love God’ #2 we must be called according to his purpose!

Comment: how can we have the same level of confidence and assurance the the Apostle had? because of V.38,39. Rom 8:38

Romans 8:38–39 (KJV 1900)

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Comment: the ESV V. 38 says; “for i am sure”

FIRST, TO DIRECT US!

Psalm 119:67 (RSV)

“Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now I keep thy word.”

“I went astray” - 2 Chronicles 33:9 (ESV)

“Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the people of Israel.”

Galatians 6:11 (NLT)

“Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting.”

Holman New Testament Commentary; “In Koine (common) Greek quotation marks were not used. So emphasis was conveyed by enlarging the letters of the words written. Paul personally picks up the pen and writes with large letters to emphasize his concluding words and to validate that the letter was genuine.”

Commentary: The NEB translates this verse: “You see these big letters? I am now writing to you in my own hand.” It was a common convention of Hellenistic letter writing that a secretary or “amanuensis” [one who takes dictation]would prepare the main body of the letter while the sender would append his signature and perhaps a few closing words of benediction as a way of attesting the contents of the letter and assuring the reader of his full endorsement. We follow much the same practice today when an attorney or legal secretary draws up an official document that requires the signature of a client for validation. We gather from other comments in Paul’s letters that it was customary for him to dictate his letters orally to an amanuensis and then add a personal postscript and signature in his own hand at the end of the epistle

Timothy George, Galatians, vol. 30, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 430.

2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV)

“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Illustration:

A man found a cocoon of the emperor moth and took it home to watch it emerge. One day a small opening appeared, and for several hours the moth struggled but couldn’t seem to force its body past a certain point.

Deciding something was wrong, the man took scissors and snipped the remaining bit of cocoon. The moth emerged easily, its body large and swollen, the wings small and shriveled.

He expected that in a few hours the wings would spread out in their natural beauty, but they did not. Instead of developing into a creature free to fly, the moth spent its life dragging around a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The constricting cocoon and the struggle necessary to pass through the tiny opening are God’s way of forcing fluid from the body into the wings. The “merciful” snip was, in reality, cruel. Sometimes the struggle is exactly what we need.

Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Practical Illustrations: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2001), 53–54.

SECOND, TO INSPECT US!

1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)

“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”

BREAKING NEWS!! HOW DOES GOD INSPECT US TO SHOW US WHATS REALLY GOING ON IN US?

Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV 1900)

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Genesis 6:5 (NASB 95)

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.