Be An Overcomer

UV 1269/10,000 Be an Overcomer
And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Revelation 2 v 26


Once I was feeling despondent while I was recuperating from my injuries in the assassination of Mr Rajiv Gandhi. I told my father-in- law, “ I think I am a failure.” He replied quite wisely that “ Only at the end or after our life ends can one say if a person is a failure or a success.” In order to determine the winner in a race, it is the one who touches the finishing line first who is the winner. But in the race of grace, the one who endures, the one who keeps the word and patiently bears fruit is the winner. While running the race, we should say, “ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” At the end of the race, we should be able to say, “ I have fought the good fight. I have run the race.” A soldier defends his position. The athlete runs forward with an eye on the finishing line. We can finish well by reason of our focus on Jesus. Jesus is an overcomer. He overcame sin, temptation and death. He expects us to be overcomers and more than conquerors. Conquerors overcame their adversaries by virtue of their more powerful armies or weapons or strategies. But we overcome by the power of the Lord.

The winner is the one who finishes well, the one who overcomes all temptations and troubles and seeks after eternal life, glory, honour and immortality. The one who lives a testimonial or faithful life till the very end is the winner. The one who overcomes receives the crown of life. His name will be written in the Lamb’s book of the Living. He will be given a new name of significance given by God as a mark of reward and honour. He will sit with Christ on a heavenly throne. There is a saying in quite another context that says, “ winner takes all.” When we overcome, we will receive every blessing of every promise of God. We will inherit every spiritual blessing in heaven and on earth. The tragedy and reality is that only one out of three leaders finish well as they fall to temptation of money or pride. They are either overcome by the world or lured by their own weaknesses. We cannot rely on our own moral or emotional or intellectual or even spiritual strength. But we need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. He enables us to overcome and protects us from being overcome sometimes by providing us with a way of escape. Sometimes, He enables us to overcome by letting us go through the storm.


Life is not a short hundred meters dash but a long marathon. Our spiritual stamina counts a lot. We must remember the Word and do the work of God. We need to do good works for the glory of God. We should avoid compromises that can take us on a detour from the path the Lord wants us to take. As we grow older in the Lord, we must retain our first love or the passion with which we first sought and cherished the Lord. We must not become complacent or comfortable but be ready to face any hardship for the sake of our faith. The Lord will help us by giving us grace to overcome. He promises us that once we overcome, He will give us power over the nations. It implies that He will give us power or authority to rule over the spiritual powers over the nations.



Prateep V Philip