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How to Overcome

by Tonja Taylor
1/23/2021 / Christian Living

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good, says Romans 12:21 (NIV).

Great! That's what all true Believers in Jesus want, right? But how do we DO that? How do we NOT be overcome with evil?

What does it mean to "overcome" anyway?

We can only truly overcome by the help of God. "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." --Revelation 12:11, NASB

To overcome means, in its best sense of the word, to resist temptation to do something against the Word of God. That covers a lot of categories! It also requires that we know what the Word says, and that we choose to agree with and abide by it.

A second meaning of "overcome" means that, once we've made a wrong decision, we realize it and take action to correct it. This could mean repenting to God, repenting to others, and doing whatever else we need to do to make things right.

A third meaning of "overcome," that's actually related to the first point about resisting temptation (which does not mean just in sexuality or sensuality, but about gossip, judging, bitterness, lying, cheating, stealing, destruction, deception, etc.), is doing something nice on purpose to change negative feelings about someone and be able to walk in love.

God is Love (I John 4:8), and only He can cause love to flower in and flow from our hearts. Left to ourselves, we humans are very selfish, arrogant, impatient, uncaring, and even murderous! But that's another writing.

His Holy Spirit is the One Who helps us overcome. In a way, I think the third type of "overcoming" is the hardest. My husband has found that to be true as well--like when the LORD counseled him to sow $200 to a woman that he just despised, and had to be around at least once a week. It took God a few months, but my husband obeyed and had a breakthrough. He overcame, with God's help, and learned to pray for the woman and truly wish her well.

Overcoming is not easy. However, it is certainly worth it, for it brings great healing and freedom!

One example I have experienced of the third way to overcome is to deliberately pray blessings upon others who have hurt me--even openly doing something to snub me, judge or harass me--knowing that it would hurt me--or even flirt in front and me and others with my husband.

So praying good things for others is a good way to overcome.

A few times, the LORD has instructed me to ask them to forgive me! This was actually even harder than praying for those whom I knew had hurt me, even on purpose. (It's good if we can remember that we I resisted doing this for months in some cases, not understanding why in the world the LORD would ask me to do this--when they were the ones who had hurt me, and even deliberately and openly! UGH! I wouldn't even know why--except that this was a practice of humility and obedience on my part to trust the LORD and know that, somehow, He was going to use this to strengthen me, and hopefully, to convict and deliver them from wrong behavior!

(Yes, if you're wondering, this needs to occur often in marriage! Ask me how I know! Sometimes, you will never understand why God asks you to do something--only that, if you obey, you will overcome and be blessed!)

Still another way the LORD has led me to overcome is by purposefully giving nice things to other people that I don't like or who have hurt me in some way. (Sometimes, these people are not aware of hurts and offenses they have caused, but many times they are; they just don't care, or they are so oppressed they are blinded to the truth and unaware that they should repent to God and you!). I much prefer to give things to people I like, especially if I know they will appreciate my gifts.

The act of giving ("sowing") is powerful--especially when it's hard. As the Bible says, we may sow (give) in tears, but we will reap in joy (Psalm 126:3), because the LORD our God is faithful. I have heard more than one internationally-known and respected minister say that God never forgets a seed.

These are practical ways to overcome, such as "using your endeavors to heal yourself," as stated in Proverbs (Proverbs 18:9: He who is loose and slack in his work is brother to him who is a destroyer and he who does not use his endeavors to heal himself is brother to him who commits suicide. So use your "endeavors"-- your talents, your skills, your gifts, and do something helpful with them! Change the world! Be a positive force!

This may be painting or building something as a gift to someone; or growing fruits and veggies and sharing them; or tutoring someone; or babysitting to give a young mother a break; or pulling weeds from a widow's garden; or doing some typing or sewing or fixing for a friend who can't afford it; or praying with someone; or throwing them a surprise party; or taking them on a hike with you; or cleaning their house, or any number of things!

Ask the LORD to reveal to you how to help others! When you help others, you forget about yourself, and your challenges diminishh; they become smaller. Sometimes, after you spend enough time helping others, they can disappear!

Another way to overcome is do what the LORD commands us: Let peace rule in your heart and be thankful! (Colossians 3:15) This will bring joy, one of the most sublime of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

How do you do that? You ask the LORD to help you focus on Him and bring to your memory many good things He's done for you. Then you start rehearsing them out loud. (This is the opposite of "rehearsing past disappointments," which the devil wants you to do and, when repeated in one's mind and out of one's mouth long enough, can open the door for depressions and self-pity and bitterness and anger and other wrong emotions--and can badly twist one's perspective about God and oneself and others. This is the enemy's plan by the way; to steal and kill and destroy and deceive one from seeing and enjoying the wonderful things God has done and will do.)

These are practical ways to overcome, but I'll tell you a secret: The easiest and most pleasant way to overcome is to worship the LORD, speak the Word of God (the Sword of the Spirit), and pray in the Holy Ghost. Actually, the more we do these things, the easier it is to overcome in life, no matter what. He often, of course, leads us to do the things I've listed in the first several points of this writing because we are in this world and must interact with other people to serve as His Ambassadors, so He will often lead us to do one of these things, or even a combination. He knows us and all people completely, for He created us and gives us every breath (Psalm 139:13-16)!

Drawing closer to the LORD in these ways and remembering that, as true Believers in Christ, He is with us always and working all things together for our best and His glory helps us keep our minds on the truth--that we are more than conquerers through Christ Who loves us, and that we are forever, as born-again Believers in Christ Jesus as Savior and LORD, seated with Him in Heavenly places, ruling and reigning! Hallelujah!

When we keep this perspective, the things of earth diminish in their power to influence and hurt us.

LORD, help us remember who we are, Whose we are, and that we are eternally reigning as kings in life--overcoming--through the one Man, Jesus Christ! Amen!

Through books, courses, presentations, service, prayer, worship, and more, Tonja and her husband live to exalt God. Her series for girls, P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES, is now out (books I-V), along with LEGACY; YOUR HOLY HEALTH: VISIONS OF THE KING, and more. See the "River Rain Creative" YT channel.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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