Born to Overcome

1. Born to Overcome I JOHN 4:3-5 3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

2. HOW.CAN.I.OVERCOME 63-0825 41 I was crossing an old log the other day, down a--a wash, or what is called a hollow. And I jumped up on this log. On the outside, it looked good, looked like a big old beech log. But when I jumped on it, oh, a great chunk of it fell off. It was real rotten and dotty. I said, "That's the way the Christians are becoming." They been dead in sin and trespasses, so long, till become doty. They can hold no weight, at all. They--they don't know what the overcoming means. I begin to think of this text, then. Overcome, keep Life in you. When life went out, that's what brought that log to that condition. See? And it made it worse than ever when it laid in the branch where the water was.

3. 42 And then, there, you take a Christian, that's supposed to be a Christian, let the Life of God go from him, and the experience, the joy of serving Christ; and, living in a church where such is going on, he rottens twice as quick, right, living right under. 43 So, if we are trying to follow the Message of the hour, or at least this part of the Message, we should live constantly in the Life of Christ. Cause, if it don't, you lay around, and know That, these things that you're supposed to do, and don't do it. The Bible said, "He that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it's sin." Then you become doty, rotten, when you're separated from the Life of God. So, strive with all that's in you, to stay in the Life of Christ, that you be fruit-bearing.

4. (LOT’S WIFE)80 In the days of Lot, Jesus referred to it, there were only three that overcome, Lot and his two daughters. Not even his wife; didn't overcome. She--she started out. She's a type. Wish we had time. My thirty minutes is up right now. See? See? She, she done all right, she left. 81 Now I've got to give this to you, just a moment. Many of you has left, too. Many of you left these things, to take your stand, after you search It through the Scripture and find It's right. You seen the vindication of Almighty God; not by some, what somebody said was a vindication. What the Bible said would be, and here It is doing it. You saw It was the Truth. So, you've set out, to leave Sodom, leave the denomination, leave the things that bind you to a creed; and to follow Christ, by the Holy Spirit vindicating Himself by the written Word of God. Other words, you took the Bible instead of the creed. You've set out, to follow.

5. 82 Well, Lot's wife did the same thing, you know. She set out, to go with Lot, follow her husband, her children, her loved ones, but It wasn't in her heart. She still loved the world. So it's possible you can make a start, and still be the world in you. See? She never overcome. And even though she was well on the road, it finally overthrowed her. She had to take that one big, long, last look. There's where she got caught. Don't even look back. Don't have no desires. Keep going. Put your mind on Calvary and keep moving towards Christ.

6. 83 She started out, as an overcomer, but she never did overcome. Oh, she left the denomination. She did. She walked out of Sodom, with Lot. But she wanted to go back and have her hair cut. You know what I mean. See? She had to go back. She just couldn't stand the--the test. She had to look back again, to see what the rest of them was doing. "Oh, you know, I had some good friends down there, after all. And, after all, this might be just a little--a little move. I don't know whether it could be right or not. I--I've only got this man's word for it, though he's my husband. But yet..." Your pastor is your husband, spiritually speaking, you see. "Now, whether it could be right or not, I don't know. Maybe his revelation wasn't right."

7. 84 You know, Israel started out, I could say the same thing and bring it in here. They started out, two million strong, and ended up with two men. Right. They saw the works of God. They saw the manifestation of the Spirit. They saw great, mighty miracles being done there in Egypt, and everything, and started out. But it--it wasn't in their heart. They didn't overcome. They just come out. And Jesus said, "And they perished in the wilderness," and are Eternally dead. "Every one of them is dead," that means Eternal separation. Every one of them rotted in the wilderness.

8. 85 But there was two men, Joshua and Caleb. And when it come to the showdown, the obstacles was so great till they looked like grasshoppers side of them. Joshua screamed out with Caleb, and said, "We are more than able to do it." Why? "God said so." And they were overcomers. They overcome.

9. HOW.CAN.I.OVERCOME 63-0825 75 In the days of Daniel's time, there was four overcomers that could stand the test of fire and lion. Now, we're expected to be tested……. "He that cometh to God must first be tested." Tested (what?) with the Word. That's God's test. Do you believe it? "He that cometh to God must be tested." That only shows a true child, then, see, be tested, and when the test comes on. You can't overcome 'less there's a test give to you. And when test is given, it's to see whether you can overcome or not. And Jesus said, "To him that overcometh," the test. The test is the greatest thing that ever happened to you. I believe it's written in the Scripture, Peter said, that, "Our trials are worth more to us than precious gold." It's a testing time. It's one good evidence to us that God is with us, when we're tested, for all children of God are tested and tried.

10. (359-2) CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.9 Oh elect of God, beware. Study closely. Be careful. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Rely upon God and be strong in His might. Your adversary, the devil, is even now going about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Watch unto prayer and be steadfast. This is the end time. Both the true and false vine are coming into maturity, but before the wheat matures, those ripened tares must be bound for the burning. See, they are all joining the World Council Of Churches. That is the binding. Soon the garnering of the wheat will come. But right now the two spirits are at work in two vines. Come out from among the tares. Start to overcome that you may be considered praiseworthy for your Lord, and fit to reign and rule with Him.

11. II PETER 2:19 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

12. JOHN 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

13. HOW.CAN.I.OVERCOME 63-0825 140 He come and suffered, and took the hard, rugged route. He took the route of persecution. He took the route of death. Are we, this morning, willing to do, take that same route that He taken? Are we willing to die. Are we willing to give ourselves up to God, forfeit all the world and the things, to serve for Him? 141 …Though Jesus was tempted, He overcome for us. He endured all temptations for me and for you. He could have took it right then. But what did he take the other route for? So that we could come, be with Him. And if He paid such a price as that, then how little would we be not to take it? When, remember, there's nothing here, anyhow.

14. 360-3 CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.9 A quick look at those Scriptures which involve the Lord Jesus overcoming will bring out the truth of this proposition. In Matthew 4, wherein Jesus is tempted of the devil, He overcame the personal temptations of Satan by the Word, and by the Word only. In each of the three major trials that corresponded exactly to the temptation of the Garden of Eden, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, Jesus overcame by the Word. Eve fell to the personal temptation of Satan by failing to use the Word.

15. Adam fell in direct disobedience to the Word. But Jesus overcame by the Word. And right now, let me say that this is the only way to be an overcomer, also it is the only way that you can know if you are overcoming, because that Word CAN'T fail.

16. HOW.CAN.I.OVERCOME 63-0825 104 Look. Temptation was for Him. You know that? The Bible said, "He was tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin." He was tempted by--by drinking. He was tempted by women. He was tempted by everything that could be tempted by. He was tempted by everything that we are. He was a Man, and yet you couldn't put a mark on Him. Yes, sir.

17. THE.DEITY.OF.JESUS.CHRIST 60 …God had to suffer temptation; He couldn't suffer temptation. He had to suffer sexual temptation. He had to suffer all kinds of temptation, to be tempted by the devil, in riches and powers and--and dominions, and so forth. He had to suffer all of that. In order to do it, He couldn't be as God in Spirit; He had to be God in flesh…... 49-1225

18. HEBREWS 2:14-18 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

19. HEBREWS 4:14 14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

20. 360-2 CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.9 Now what are we to overcome? That is the normal question to ask here. But that is not the actual thought of this verse for it is not so much WHAT we are to overcome but HOW we are to overcome. Now this is logical, for does it matter much WHAT we are to overcome as long as we know HOW we can overcome?

21. THE.LAODICEAN.CHURCH.AGE 314 And they have been convinced that they need You, that they need sweetness of the Holy Spirit in their life to give them overcoming power. And they will receive power from on high, receive the power to live a Christian life, to receive power to overcome temptation. As the song we was just singing, "They gathered in the upper room and was praying in His Name, they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and power for service came." That's what they want, power for service to come upon them. 60-1211

22. FROM.THAT.TIME 81 Today we got the wrong conception of power. Power is overcoming, returning good for evil, that's real power. That can love your enemy, do good to those that do evil to you. That's real power; that's God power. Yes. Maniacs can break chains. But it takes a real man to return good for evil, from his heart, not because of religious duty, but from his heart. 61-0520

23. THE.FLASHING.RED.LIGHT 65…man today is like it was in the days of Noah, they bow to the shrine of pretty women. That's right. Oh, my! 66 How it must have been awful in that day, worship as they, females, flashing themself in such an attractive way. And if they were any better on doing it then, than they are now, I'm glad I didn't live then. Think of it, of how that they only... how that women has got to acting the same as they do now……. 63-0623

24. THE.GOD.OF.THIS.EVIL.AGE 118 Notice, "The sons of God saw the daughters of men," not daughters of God, "the daughters of men, that they were beautiful," and it caused the sons of God to fall into this delusion. "And took them kind of women and married them," and it brought a age of prostitution, just like it is today; like it was in Sodom, like it's predicted to be today. That, when men and women of this day swap wives. If they don't like this wife, they--they go over to Reno, Nevada, and get married; and, or get a divorce, that one, and marry again in fifteen minutes. And women so pretty that they're almost irresistible. And what is it? The devil! See Satan still in beauty? 65-0801