• Becoming an over-comer (life more abundantly!)

they overcame (the accuser of the brethren) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death (Rev. 12:11)
nikaō (nik-ah’-o) means to overcome, to carry off the victory

Apostle Paul told the Philippeans ‘I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus’ (Phil. 3:14). There is a prize to the victor, one that overcomes.

It is normally assumed that the accuser of the brethren is one who accuses Jewish and Christian believers on earth before God. We can see this in the book of Job. The LORD himself said that Job was blameless and upright.

Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” (Job 1:9-11)

We see after a long and arduous tribulation that Job comes out in the end twice as blessed. The expression Job got double for his trouble has become a way to express rewards for suffering. Have you suffered? Have you done without blessings and no fault of your own? We can endure years of doing without having. If we have patience and endurance we can finally reap blessings from the Spirit. This is a common theme for those who live righteously but do not immediately get rewards. Even if not in this lifetime, it will occur in the age to come. Listen to the book of James:

My beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? (James 2:5)

I know this can be of little consolation if you are living in poverty and have little or no hope of getting ahead. Yet this is hope.

In Hebrew the expression “L’Chaim” means to life. It is like cheers in English but so much more. It includes our health, happiness, and good fortune. We might be healthy one season and not the next. We might be cheerful one day and not the next. Happiness can depend upon our current circumstances and change in an instant.

Our word of testimony cannot by itself bring about an overcoming situation but it can help with our attitudes. Having a poverty mindset, for instance, might make one rigid and frozen even when an opportunity of a lifetime is presented before you. Life is a struggle and the strongest survive:

Luke 11:22:: when a stronger person (than the owner of the house) comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoils.

Christ says in John 16:33 to have peace because he has overcome the world. The world brings tribulation (trouble).

1 John 2:14:: I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the wicked one.

poponēros (pon-ay-ros’) normally means the wicked one but can also mean one full of labors, annoyances, or hardships. We need to overcome evil but also what buffets us like annoyances and hardships.

1 John 4:4:: You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

The ‘them’ in verse 4 is speaking about every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (vs. 3). This is the spirit of the Antichrist who is now already in the world. He needs overcoming. It is the internal kingdom of God thru Christ which is the overcomer.

1 John 5:4-5:: For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our[your] faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The world many times judges us. We are condemned as evildoers even when trying to do good. God can also judge us for our evil.

Rom. 3:4:: You may be justified in Your words, and may overcome when You are judged.”[Ps. 51:4]
That You may be found just when You speak, and blameless (made clear/pure/clean) when You judge (Ps. 51:4 Masoritic texts)

The Septuigint clears up who is judging in Psalm 51. It is us who is judged by God. That is what happened to King David. He was judged by God for his wrong doing in the case of Uriah and Bathsheba yet he overcame (did not die). It also clears up the idea of being blameless and says we prevail when being judged. Remember Satan is also called the accuser of the Brethren so make sure you are not hearing lies!

— Overcoming churches: models for us to consider

In Revelation the seven churches were in different cities. They also represent 7 models for us to follow.

The Ephesus church left their first love but they have labor and patience, and cannot bear those who do evil.
Rev. 2:7:: to him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.

The Smyrna church has works, tribulation, and poverty. There is no criticism from the Lord.
Rev. 2:11:: He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

The Pergamos church tolerates the doctrine of Baalam (sacrifice to idols and to commit sexual immorality) and the doctrine of the Nicolation (ecclesiastic pride). Yet they did have works and had at least one martyr.
Rev. 2:17:: To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. I will give him a white stone with only the recipient knowing the name written on it.

The Thiyatira church tolerates the false prophetess Jezebel who seduces those there to commit sexual immorality and eat things offered to idols but they have works, love, service, faith, and patience
Rev. 2:26:: he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nation

The church at Sardis has works but they are not perfect and the church is spiritually dead. Most have defiled garments.
Rev. 3:5:: He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life

The church in Philadelphia gets no criticism. They are to be kept from the tribulation that comes upon the whole world.
Rev. 3:12:: He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God

To the church in Laodicea is criticised for being lukewarm. They are rich and wealthy but really miserable, poor, blind and naked.
Rev. 3:21:: “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne

Overall, the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia got no real criticism. But even in the worst churches there are those that are overcomers. Overcomers will eat of the tree of life. That means life more abundantly. Ultimatly eternal life. The second death will not touch those with works, tribulation, and poverty. Hidden manna is reserved for overcomers in a godless society, even a clean stone to start anew. Manna sustains when there is no food, no kind words, no good news available. Christ said ‘my food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish his work’ so that is our goal too: good works. We must not give into false prophesies and sexual temptations. Idolotry is worship of fleshly things. We can get defiled garments (our body) and become spiritually dead like the prodigal son. But it we have love unfeigned especially of The Truth then we are an overcomers in the temple of God which is within. But don’t become complacent and lazy. Keep up the Spirit, light the torch and burn brightly.

— The final cosmic battle

Let us allegorize the Book of Revelation for the purpose of being an overcomer so we can see ourselves as needy.

Christ himself::
Rev. 5:5:: Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals

Rev. 6:2:: I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering (overcoming) and to conquer (overcome).

Rev. 17:14:: (The scarlet woman and the beast she sits upon) will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them

The overcoming savior opens the scroll with seven seals indicating the judgements to come. A crown (wreath) was given him and a bow. He was upon a horse so the idea is war, war with the scarlet woman and the beast. He shall overcome our enemies, but the worst can be within: ego, pride, avarice. Much of what is called the trumpet and seal judgments are mankind fighting ourselves.

The beast she sits upon had seven heads and ten horns as does the beast from the sea. The battle outcome here is different than with the saints. The Lamb overcomes whereas the saints are conquored by the beast. Notice here that the Lamb is over the saints and the Scarlet Woman over the Beast. In this cosmic battle the leaders square off (Lamb against the Scarlet Woman). If we ever think we can win against evil on our own strength then we deceive ourselves.

Let’s go back and pick up how this final cosmic battle unfolds. First the beast overcomes the saints but when the Lamb and his redeemed of the 12 tribes gets involved they overcome the beast. There is more detail but I am trying to do an abbreviated version here.

Forces of evil::
Rev. 13:7:: (The beast from the sea) was able to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation

The beast from the sea overcomes the saints for a time and gets all authority over peoples. Remember, no matter how hard you fight if you do not have the Lord on your side, evil prevails. We can lose authority over evil if we focus only on carnal warfare. We do not battle against flesh and blood and we never should forget that.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12)

We can see actual warfare with guns and bullets but it can also represent human nature.

Col. 2:21-23:: Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Did you hear that? When we battle with our own willpower we do not satisfy the flesh. We need supernatural strength.

Overcoming people::
Rev. 15:2:: I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory (overcoming) over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.

Rev. 21:7:: He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

The sea of glass mixed with fire represents the waters above the firmament in the heavenlies. The sands of the seashore melt into molten glass as the heat of battle consumes earthly things before the LORD. The fire of God burns up the chaff and the wheat is stored into barns (Matt. 3:12, Luke 3:17) yet the heavens and the earth … are reserved for fire (2 Pet. 3:7). When we are wheat the Lord stores us in barns. It is a saving principle. Being an overcomer means being spared judgement just like the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia. Be the overcomer. Rise above the flesh and find power within.