The West Hamilton Overcomers
The Brantford Overcomers
Intro: The 7 churches of Asia are interesting to read. We see us in them. They had problems and victories as
do we. The devil tempted them and us. God was with them and is with us today. We can follow Ephesus from 62 on. Their future hangs in the balance as does ours. Only one thing is identical in all letters. Again, a lesson for us. All needed to overcome.
νικάω /nikaho/] 28 times “overcome” 24 times, “conquer” twice, “prevail” once, and “get the victory” once. 1 to conquer. 1a to carry off the victory, come off victorious. 1a1 of Christ, victorious over all His foes. 1a2 of Christians, that hold fast their faith even unto death against the power of their foes, and temptations and persecutions. 1a3 when one is arraigned or goes to law, to win the case, maintain one’s cause.
For us, Rev. 2:10 gives us the best definition of overcome. Jesus said, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved”. Words like steadfastness, endurance and perseverance should be thought of as synonyms in this case.
I. YOU WILL OVERCOME BY KEEPING ON KEEPING ON
A. Keep Meeting Together In Jesus’s Name
1. Many do this at a sacrifice- distance, gas, time..
2. Some are here just because you were here.
a. At lease 2 cases of dropping in and staying
b. They are members because we were here.
B. Never Fail To Be Christlike In All Situations Of Life
1. Keep the 2 greatest commandments
2. Practice the golden rule
3. Go the second mile.
4. Probably the street offers more opportunities
C. Don’t Become Discouraged And Quit
1. Numbers, lack of influence, unfaithful members, no evangelist are causes
2. ILLUST: The Devil’s Best Tool
3. ILLUST: One Last Try Did It. Keep on regardless of results.
4. Luther said, “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my little apple tree and pay my debts.”
5. POEM: Don’t You Quit
6. Triumph is just TRY with UMPH added!
7. The job of the church is to just be the church! The family! The body!
II. TRUE OVERCOMERS MAKE NECESSARY CHANGES
A. Change Is Not Easy For God-Followers
1. “We have the truth” “God ming be angry”
2. Insanity= “Doing the same thing repeatedly in the same way and expecting a different result.”
3.
B. See Some Of The Changes Necessary To The Seven Churches
C. Don’t Be Afraid Of Trying New Methods: ILLUST:High Jump
D. Be Completely Controlled By The Holy Spirit
1. Eph. 5:18
2. ILLUST: Fill Up The Glass
3. Rom. 8:4-9
CONCLUSION
Keep on keeping on doing what you have always done. Stand for the good, shun evil. Be kind when others are hateful. Look for the best in people. Do not be judgmental. Be a friend of sinners.
Have vision for the future. What can we do to attract young people? How do we reach out to sinners in need? How can I be more spiritual in my everyday life? ILLUST:Busy Bee
ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS LESSON
Devil’s Best Tool
The devil, according to legend, once advertised his tools for sale at public auction. When the prospective buyers assembled, there was one oddly-shaped tool which was labeled “Not for sale.” Asked to explain why this was, the devil answered, “I can spare my other tools, but I cannot spare this one. It is the most useful implement that I have. It is called Discouragement, and with it I can work my way into hearts otherwise inaccessible. When I get this tool into a man’s heart, the way is open to plant anything there I may desire.”
One (Last) Try Did It
A discouraged minister once dreamed that he was standing on the top of a great granite rock, trying to break it with a pickaxe. Hour after hour he worked on with no result. At last he said; “It is useless; I will stop.”
Suddenly a man stood by him and asked, “Were you not allotted this task? and if so, why are you going to abandon it?”
“My work is in vain; I can make no impression on the granite,” was the minister’s reply.
Then the stranger solemnly replied, “That is nothing to you; your duty is to pick, whether the rock yields or no. The work is yours, the results are in other hands; work on.”
In his dream the minister saw himself setting out anew his labor, and at his first blow the rock flew into hundreds of pieces
Changing for the Better
High Jump has gone through changes
Scissors- record =5'10"
Straddle- record =6'8"
West Roll-record=7'6"
Fosbry Flop- record 8"+
Fill Up The Glass
Moody used to say, “the only way to keep a broken vessel full is to keep it always under the tap.” On another occasion he was teaching a bible class and asked how to get the air out of the glass he held in his hand. Some suggested a vacuum. He agreed but said this would break the glass. He took the glass to the tap and filled it with water. Air gone. Point? Saturate your minds with good, godly things and there is no room for evil thoughts or scheming
The Busy Bee
The bee has been aptly described as “busy.” To produce one pound of honey, the bee must visit 56,000 clover heads. Since each head has 60 flower tubes, a total of 3,360,000 visits are necessary to give us that pound of honey for the breakfast table. Meanwhile, that worker bee has flown the equivalent of three times around the world.
To produce one tablespoon of honey for our toast, the little bee makes 4,200 trips to flowers. He makes about ten trips a day to the fields, each trip lasting twenty minutes average and four hundred flowers. A worker bee will fly as far as eight miles if he cannot find a nectar flow that is nearer.
Therefore, when you feel that persistence is a difficult task think of the bee.
Go On!
One step won’t take you very far;
You’ve got to keep on walking;
One word won’t tell folks who you are;
You’ve got to keep on talking;
One inch won’t make you very tall;
You’ve got to keep on growing;
One deed won’t do it all;
You’ve got to keep on going.
“OVERCOMING” IN JOHN’S WRITINGS
I have overcome the world.” Jn 16:33
you have overcome the evil one. 1Jn 2:13
and you have overcome the evil one. 1Jn 2:14
little children, and have overcome them; 1Jn 4:4
this is the victory that has overcome the world 1Jn 5:4
has overcome so as to open the book and Rv5:5
them, and overcome them and kill them. Rv 11:7
war with the saints and to overcome them, Rv 13:7
Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, Rv 17:14
Who is the one who overcomes the world, 1Jn 5:5
He who overcomes will not be hurt by the Rv 2:11
To him who overcomes, to him I will give Rv 2:17 ‘
He who overcomes, and he who keeps My Rv 2:26
‘He who overcomes will thus be clothed in Rv 3:5‘
He who overcomes, I will make him a Rv 3:12 “OVERCOMING” IN JOHN’S WRITINGS
I have overcome the world. Jn 16:33
you have overcome the evil one. 1Jn 2:13
and you have overcome the evil one. 1Jn 2:14
little children, and have overcome them 1Jn 4:4
this is the victory that has overcome the world 1Jn 5:4
Who is the one who overcomes the world 1Jn 5:5
He who overcomes will not be hurt by the Rv 2:11
To him who overcomes, to him I will give Rv 2:17
He who overcomes, and he who keeps My Rv 2:26
He who overcomes will thus be clothed in Rv 3:5
He who overcomes, I will make him a Rv 3:12
He who overcomes, I will grant to him to Rv 3:21
has overcome so as to open the book and Rv 5:5
them, and overcome them and kill them. Rv 11:7
war with the saints and to overcome them Rv 13:7
and the Lamb will overcome them, Rv 17:14
He who overcomes will inherit these things Rv 21:7