How Faith Is the Victory That Overcomes the World

Opening

Few things bring more joy than opening God’s Word with someone and watching the implications of the gospel begin to come alive in their life. If you haven’t yet, get into the Foundations Course or let John know you’re ready to study with someone. You’ll never regret learning what a victorious Christian life actually looks like.

Today we’re talking about something we often sing but rarely live—victory.

Bible Reading: 1 John 5:1-12

Introduction

I heard an old, old story, how a Savior came from glory How He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me I heard about His groaning, of His precious blood's atoning Then I repented of my sins, and won the victory, yeah

There is something I have to admit. I have spent a lot of my Christian life singing about victory while quietly wondering why I did not feel victorious at all.

As Christians we love to sing about victory.

Would you over evil a victory win?

See the foe advancing, victory is nigh!

He arose a victor from the dark domain

I’m gonna see a victory…

Victory today is mine…

You became my victory.

When all I see is the battle, You see my victory

Faith is the victory (1 John 5:4)

Faith is the victory… We Sing It, But Do We Believe It?

And I do not think I am alone. We all know the feeling of singing victory on Sunday and struggling on Monday.

Eugene Bartlett wrote Victory in Jesus in 1939 after a stroke left him nearly paralyzed. He couldn’t travel or sing. Yet in weakness, he wrote one of the most confident hymns of all time: “O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever.”

He knew victory wasn’t about what he could do—it was about what Jesus had already done.

John wrote this letter because too many believers were losing peace in a fight that had already been finished.

My grandfather, Johnnie Albert Nelson was in the 393rd Infantry Regiment (part of the 99th Infantry Division) was in southern Germany (Bavaria) at the end of WW2.

Before we answer the question, we need to define the battlefield.

John uses the word “world” (kosmos) thirty-nine times in this letter. He doesn’t mean: • the planet • the people • the culture • or the government

He means: the organized system of desires, lies, identities, values, and temptations that pull you away from God.

1 John 2:15–17 “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

The “world” is:

the lust that promises satisfaction but leaves you emptier

the pride that whispers you’re not enough

the identity the world tries to hand you

the shame that says you can’t change

the fear that says God won’t come through

the temptation that says disobedience is harmless

The world is not neutral. It is a discipler of your desires. Everyone is being discipled—either by Christ or by the world.

You overcome only one way: by union with the One who already overcame the world.

This is the heartbeat of the passage. This is the answer to the question.

John’s message answers all of that with one truth that changes everything:

Faith overcomes the world by uniting us to the One who already overcame it in every way imaginable.

1. Faith begins with new birth not new effort so the world loses its old grip.

John begins by showing that overcoming starts with identity, not effort.

A. Faith starts when we trust who Jesus is, not what we can do.

1 John 5:1 “1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.”

You don’t behave your way into God’s family; you’re born into it.

Union with Christ begins with new birth, not behavior.

Nicodemus had religion, but Jesus said he needed rebirth, not reform (John 3:3).

Faith doesn’t say, “Give me another chance I’ll try harder.” Faith says, “It’s done”

If you love God you will love Jesus, and in this you are born of God.

There are not two types of Christians; regular and born again

You are either born again or you do not believe

That is why a Christian testimony never properly starts with, “I have always been a Christian.”

B. Faith creates love for the people and things God loves.

1 John 5:2 “2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.”

When we’re united to Christ, we’re united to His family.

“He that loveth Him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of Him.”

Love for God spills naturally into love for others born of Him.

Song He loves me like I am his only child. Nice thought - but that is not the case. Don’t tell me you love me if you don’t love my kids.

This starts with a love for the “only begotten son of God.”

Faith unites us to God’s heart, so we love His commands instead of resisting them.

when we love God, and keep his commandments.

C. Faith obeys because it wants to, not because it has to.

1 John 5: “2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” The world says God’s commands restrict life.

Union with Christ changes our desires—we begin to love what He loves.

Obedience becomes victory—freedom from sin’s pull.

Transition: New birth gives you a power the world didn’t give you and a power the world cannot defeat.

2. Faith stands in Christ’s victory not our own strength so the world cannot defeat us.

Faith unites you to Christ’s triumph over sin, death, and the world.

A. Faith overcomes because Jesus already overcame.

1 John 5:4 “4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

“Overcome”—means to conquer or prevail.

At the cross: • sin fell • death broke • Satan lost • and the world’s power was shattered

He didn’t overcome as our example but as our substitute.

The decisive war—the one that truly mattered—was finished at Calvary.

Every victory in your life is just an echo of His.

Friend Scott Cramer’s daughter, Callie, has cancer. He wakes up everyday with that thought and wishes it was not true. He cannot make that truth go away, but what he does is waits until a far more surpassing and glorious truth comes over Him. She is safe in Christ.

Many believers fail to live in victory because they underrate what God is actually doing through union with Christ.

Philippians 4:13 “13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Scott needs this right now, more than Tim Tebow needed it before the game.

B. Faith overcomes by trusting in what Jesus has finished not what we can produce.

1 John 5:4 “4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

In fact, this faith of ours is the only way in which the world has been conquered.

When Satan accuses, faith points to the cross and says, “It is finished.”

The “world” here isn’t people; it’s the system of rebellion that resists God (1 John 2:15–17).

Union with Him means we never fight alone He’s fighting for us even today.

Even now, Jesus serves as our Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1), applying His victory to our weakness.

Funny video of parents coming into the home saying, “I have to fight the neighbor and they have a kid your age.. you coming?”

Jesus doesn’t drag you into His battle. He steps into yours and brings His victory with Him.

C. Faith overcomes by believing Jesus is the Son of God.

“Who is he that overcometh… but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”1.

Believing is allegiance — choosing Jesus over ourselves.

The world says, “Believe in yourself.” The gospel says, “Believe in the Son.”

Belief isn’t mere agreement; it’s loyalty. It says, “My victory isn’t in me. It’s in Him.”

2. Believing is confidence — resting in His victory, not our effort.

Victory begins when faith abandons self-reliance and trusts the One who already conquered.

3rd grace coach told us to all sit for the last couple seconds of the game. The game has already been one, we could only mess things up.

Believing Jesus is the Son of God means sitting in the victory He already secured. Our job isn’t to earn it; it’s to stop getting in the way of it.

Transition: You don’t overcome because you’re strong— you overcome because your Savior already crushed the world beneath His feet.

3. Faith rests on God’s testimony not human opinion so the world cannot deceive us.

Victory requires truth—and God supplies truth the world cannot overturn.

A. The Father declares that Jesus is the Christ in life and death, so we can trust Him in life and death.

1 John 5:6 “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.”

False teachers claimed Jesus only “became” the Christ at His baptism and lost that identity at His death.

John corrects them: He was the Christ in both life and death.

B. The Spirit carries that testimony into our hearts.

1 John 5:7–8 “7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”

Heaven is not confused about Jesus.

The Father testifies that Jesus is His Son.

At Jesus’ baptism He spoke: “This is My beloved Son.”

On the Mount of Transfiguration He spoke again: “This is My beloved Son — listen to Him.”

The Word (the Son) testifies by His life, death, and resurrection.

Jesus Himself declared who He was: “Before Abraham was, I AM.”

His miracles, His sinless life, His authority, and His resurrection testify that He is the Christ.

The Holy Spirit testifies from eternity and in time.

He descended on Jesus at baptism.

He empowered Jesus’ ministry.

And He is the One who now convinces hearts of who Jesus truly is.

We on earth should not be confused either.

His baptism announces Him.

His death accomplishes His mission.

The Spirit assures us that both are true.

God’s testimony anchors our faith in something outside ourselves.

Your victory isn’t built on your performance; it’s built on God’s declaration of His Son.

Heaven is unanimous: Jesus is the Christ.

Victory doesn’t come from what you think about you — it comes from what God declares about Jesus.

C. God’s testimony is greater than every other voice.

1 John 5:9 “9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.”

We trust experts for temporary truths, why not trust God for eternal ones?

The gospel isn’t opinion; it’s divine revelation.

To doubt your salvation when God has testified about His Son isn’t humility—it’s disagreement with heaven.

Transition: The Father planned it, the Son achieved it, the Spirit assures it. Faith rests on divine testimony, not human speculation. Union with Christ is anchored in what God has declared finished.

4. Faith rejoices in the life we already have in Jesus so the world cannot drain us.

“The Christian life isn’t up and down—it’s in and out: Christ in you, you in Christ.” — Wiersbe

A. Faith rejoices because Christ lives in us.

1 John 5:10 “10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.”

The Holy Spirit confirms within us that we belong to God (Romans 8:16).

Union means Christ’s presence isn’t beside us—it’s within us.

Doubt says, “You might not be His.” Faith says, “He lives in me.”

B. Faith rejoices because eternal life is already ours.

1 John 5:11 “11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”

Eternal life isn’t future—it’s present. It began the day you were united to Christ.

Life isn’t a reward for good performance—it’s participation in Christ Himself.

The life you live now is His life lived through you (Galatians 2:20).

C. Faith rejoices because eternal life is already ours.

1 John 5:12 “12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”

“He that hath the Son hath life…”

Victory isn’t a state of mind—it’s a shared life with a risen Savior.

You don’t fight to gain Him; you rejoice because He already has you.

Faith conquers the world because Christ’s victorious life is now pulsing in yours.

Transition: The Spirit witnesses within us, the Father gives life to us, and the Son lives through us. Victory isn’t a concept to chase—it’s a Person to abide in. Faith overcomes because it’s united to the Overcomer.

Practical Ways to Rest in What Jesus Has Already Finished

Resting sounds like an odd way to win a war—but that’s exactly how faith fights. The world strives; believers abide.

These four practices mirror the four truths we’ve seen:

1. Be born again through faith in Jesus.

Victory starts with new birth, not new effort.

Trust who Jesus is before you try to do what He says.

2. Remember who you are every morning.

You wake up a new creation, not a project under construction.

Let Christ tell you who you are before the world tells you who you’re not.

3. Answer every lie with what Jesus already finished.

When fear speaks, point to the cross.

When shame rises, point to the blood.

When temptation presses, point to the empty tomb.

Faith wins by resting in truth that’s already settled.

4. Live your day as someone Christ lives in.

Pray honest, simple prayers throughout the day.

Let Scripture shape your reactions.

Choose one act of obedience your old self would avoid.

Closing

Imagine what happens in this church if we stop fighting for victory and start living from it. Imagine families marked by confidence instead of fear. Marriages marked by grace instead of pride. Students who refuse to let the world disciple their desires. Men and women who face temptation with truth instead of shame. A community that looks like people who belong to Someone who already won.

Victory is not a feeling. Victory is not a personality type. Victory is not a season.

Victory is a Person. And His name is Jesus.

Faith wins because Jesus won.

We are not strong. But we are united to the One who overcame the world.

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

Beloved, the world lost to Christ before it ever met you.

Grant is coming to lead us in Victory in Jesus. We are going to sing a verse you may have never heard before. It will go like this

I’ll tell the old, old story

Till my Savior comes from glory

I’ll tell of all the Lord has done

To set this sinner free

That all who will believe him

By Faith can still receive him

And share in that redemption song

“Christ won the victory!”

Let’s not just sing it loud and clear, lets live it out the same way.