Some of us long to be true overcomers but first, what is an overcomer?
Jesus urges us to be overcomers when He spoke in Revelation chapter 2:
7 The one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is saying now to all the churches. To the one who overcomes I will give access to feast on the fruit of the Tree of Life that is found in the paradise of God.
11 The one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is presently saying to all the churches. The one who conquers will not be harmed by the second death.
17 But the one whose heart is open, let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is presently saying to all the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will let him feast on the hidden manna and give him a shining white stone. And written upon the white stone is inscribed his new name, known only to the one who receives it.
26 To everyone who is victorious and continues to do My works to the very end I will give you authority over the nations
27 to shepherd them with a royal scepter. And the rebellious will be shattered as clay pots—
28 even as I also received authority from the Presence of my Father. I will give the morning star to the one who experiences victory.
29 So the one whose heart is open let him listen carefully to what the Spirit is presently saying to all the churches.
Jesus describes an overcomer who listens carefully to what The Holy Spirit is saying, the one who conquers, the one who is victorious (in battles), the one who does His works, and the one who ultimately experiences victory (in the war).
Many if not most Christians have been taught that if we are believers, we are automatically overcomers. Sadly, this is not true. Of those seven churches mentioned in Revelations chapters 2 & 3, none survived and are not in existence today.
Positionally, it’s absolutely true that we are overcomers the moment we believe, because Jesus Christ is in us and He is the True Overcomer.
Jesus spoke in John chapter 16:
31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?
32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.“
But experientially, in fact, how many of us are actually overcoming in our everyday lives? In truth, most of us haven’t the slightest idea how to really gain victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The Greek word for overcome is nikao (Strong’s #3528), which means “to subdue, conquer, or gain the victory over something.” It occurs almost fifteen times in Revelation alone and means “to have victory over hostile powers.”
Overcomers are those believers who have learned how to refuse the world, forbid the flesh, and bind the enemy. They have learned how to deny themselves, relinquish their self-life regardless of how they feel, what they think, or what they want, and have chosen by faith to trust God’s indwelling dunamis power. They are the genuine conquerors because they have learned how to depend upon Christ’s power to bring about His will.
These are the believers who have survived the furnace of affliction and have come forth as pure gold. They are not perfect, but they are always willing to try again. That’s why they are called overcomers. They know that God will be faithful to cleanse and wipe away their sin and self, and give them a new, fresh start.
John wrote in 1st John chapter 1:
9 But if we freely admit our sins when His light uncovers them, He will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and He will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
The definition of overcoming is simply “freedom from the world”— our circumstances and other’s responses; “freedom from our flesh”—our natural thoughts and emotions; and “freedom from the enemy”—Satan and all his hordes. FATHER has given believers the authority and the power to overcome all three of these hostile powers.