Courage over fear, repentance over sin, love over bitterness, Christ over death, Hades, this world and evil intent.  Being an over comer, what does that really mean in practical terms?  I look around the room and I see the questioning faces, trying to make sense of something they know will make them powerful, but never quite grasping the intrinsic meaning.  Fear, sin, bitterness, unforgiveness, death, evil and everlasting separation from God for making the wrong life choice.  These are our enemies in this world, not this person or that person but these spirits, these moods, these dire conditions that capture our hearts and our deeds, freezing us, prohibiting us, limiting us from experiencing abundance and joy.  Which one has specific authority in your life?

Afraid of men.  This is a fear of death and lack of reverence for God’s authority.  It demonstrates a lack of wisdom and discernment for it is written that “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”.  If I walk through life without a full comprehension of God’s authority, sovereignty, majesty and control of this universe which He created then I will always fear the actions of men, never fully comprehending God’s Peace.  If you belong to the Lord and believe His promises then nothing may touch you without first going through His protection.  If you fear men then you need to get to know God and that fear will fade.  Try Proverbs 2, which is a recipe to find and grasp wisdom.  This is a great place to begin the relationship with Almighty God, for to become His friend you must first understand and accept His Lordship over your life.

Unrepentant sin.  When you go into a hospital ICU, surgery room you must first be decontaminated as the microbes, bacteria and filth that have collected on your skin and clothes may kill the individual upon whom the operation is being conducted.  I know this is a simplistic analogy, but still reasonably effective in explaining what must first be done in advance of entering God’s presence.  Isaiah was so ashamed when He saw God and fell to his face proclaiming that he did not deserve to be near God because he was a man of unclean lips.  He understood the contamination of this world, he understood his own sin and overall he revered God’s Holiness to the point where he cried out for cleansing.  We are only made clean through the BLOOD of CHRIST.  We may not enter into relationship with A ENTIRELY HOLY GOD without having been decontaminated of our sin by faith in Jesus.  If you continue to find yourself in the same old sins then you need to go to the cross and throw yourself upon the cornerstone, crying out to be cleansed of unrighteousness or you will never meet God.  Praise God that Jesus Christ provides that cleansing and it is a choice that will change eternity for each of us.

Love over bitterness, unforgiveness and hate.  These are the worlds contaminates, which darken our hearts to the things of God, blinding us to the light and opening the door to fear and misfortune.  Learn Love from God.  If you love Him enough to ask Him for wisdom, He will first teach you of Love.  The Love He holds for this world, for people, for you.  When you see the depth of His Love for you then you will understand your own value and begin to love yourself.  This self valuation and care will allow you to “Love your neighbor as yourself”, for this portends that we must understand how we wish to be loved before we may properly love others.  The Love of Christ as He went to the cross, subjecting Himself to something that He did not deserve, BY CHOICE, shows us how much He loved us.  Accepting that Love of God will cover you to the effects of unforgiveness, bitterness and hate.  Instead of choosing the worlds reactions to circumstance, you will see beyond the pain of the present and choose to forgive, be thankful, nurture, love and care for people, even when they show you their worst.

Choosing Christ and the things of God makes you an over comer.  Loving when there is no visible reason for love is the way of God.  Being at peace when the circumstances show no cause for calm is being impervious to the chaos of this world.  Forgiving those who mean you harm is evidence of Spirit’s presence for this is heavenly behavior that each of us found in Christ.  Over coming this world is a choice when one makes a decision for Christ.  Eternity is the perfect equal-opportunity event for each of us gets to choose.  Praise God for His Fairness and Love.  In Jesus’ Name.