Overcome

"He who overcomes..."

Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:26, 3:5, 3:12, 3:21

Lord Jesus, seven times you repeat this phrase along with a promise.    In your Word, repetition usually means, 'Hey!  Pay attention!".  OK, Lord, I get it.  I'm all ears.  The dictionary says 'overcome' means to succeed in dealing with a problem.   As Beth Moore says,' if we go through nothing, we have nothing to overcome.'  By definition, if I'm going to be an overcomer, I've got to have a problem to deal with.  So I'll quit wishing  and praying for  ease and safety so much.  As Dory, in Disney's Nemo points out, 'If nothing ever happens to him, then nothing will ever happen to him.' No growth, no victory, no change.  Yikes!   


Crummy things happen, sometimes.  Lord, help me to boldly face difficulties rather than shy away from them.   Help me allow my kids this same opportunity.  You are with us.  You make good come from trouble.  You promise it.  I've seen it.  


Gracious Father, the other piece of this is that you love your people.  You don't want me or anyone else to be mastered by anything - not addictions, not pride, not greed, not fear, not anger, not bitterness.  Your will is clearly that we are - in this life here and now - conquerors.  Even Yoda teaches, 'Do or do not.  There is no try.'    God's children are overcomers.  


Thank you that your victory over death, your power, your presence and your strength equip us to overcome.

Revelation 2:7

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in theParadise of God.’

Revelation 2:11

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Revelation 2:17

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’

Revelation 2:26

He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;

Revelation 3:5

He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:12

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.

Revelation 3:21
He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.


By the way, Lord, even though I can't figure out what every one of these Revelation promises means, I do know they sound pretty cool!