“You’re an Overcomer”

Do you believe that? That you’re an overcomer? That you have everything you need to come out of this fight victoriously? That the battle has already been won?

Some of you read this title and said to yourselves, “I sure don’t feel like an overcomer”. Or maybe a few of you thought that you actually do NOT have what you need to be victorious. Others concluded that if the battle has already been won, why don’t you see it?

Allow me to convince you by sharing a bit from the life of Gideon. His story is found in Judges 6-8. Reading though Judges 6 (specifically verses 11, 15, 27, and 36-39) gives us a snapshot of Gideon’s personality:

-“Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites”

-“’my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.’”

-“But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night”.

Reading through Judges 6, it is easy to conclude that Gideon was a man full of fear, insecurity and doubt. Yet when an angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon in Judges 6:12, He did not address him as “Scaredy cat”, “Weakling” or “Loser”. He said, “The Lordis with you, O mighty man of valor.”

Leave it to Gideon to pay no mind to the fact that a heavenly being is right in front of him calling him a mighty man of valor! He immediately disputed the angel’s statement by listing all of the reasons why that could not be true: “And Gideon said to him, ‘Please, sir, if the Lordis with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us…But now the Lordhas forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.’” (Judges 6:13)

Because Gideon didn’t see it, he could not believe it. The Gideon in the first half of his story is one man, but the Gideon of the second half is very different.

-“And [Gideon] returned to the camp of Israel and said, ‘Arise, for the Lordhas given the host of Midian into your hand.” (Judges 7:15)

-“’Well then, when the Lordhas given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will flail your flesh…’” (Judges 8:7)

-“…and he pursued them and captured the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and he threw all the army into a panic.” (Judges 8:12)

            Whoa! Where did this bold, faith-filled, strong man of God come from? What happened in between Judges 6 and Judges 7:15 to bring about such a dramatic shift? One minute he is quivering in fear, the next he is touting about how he will destroy those who come against him? Did he get a lobotomy? Nope. The only thing that changed was that Gideon started to actually believe what God said about him. One step of faith led to another, and before we know it, Gideon was walking in the authority the Lord said he had back in Judges 6. God saw Gideon as a “mighty man of valor” before Gideon saw it himself. Once he started to believe it, He began to see it.

In the same way, if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and have placed your life in His hands, God calls you an overcomer!

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5)

 

When we walk by faith (not by sight) we are overcomers. When we believe what our Heavenly Father says about us, what Jesus says we can do, and what the Holy Spirit Himself will do through us, we are overcomers. Like God said to Gideon, “Do you understand that I am the One sending you?” (Judges 6:14 The Voice) We don’t have to rely on our strength alone. Our mighty Deliverer fights our battles. Our job is to stay close to Him and let Him do what only He can.

            I encourage you to read through Judges 6-8 today. Learn from Gideon. And whenever you hear my song “Overcomer”, I want you to take God at His word and believe it! Though you may not feel like an overcomer, God says that you are! Walk by faith, trust what He says, and let your Father fight your battles!

 

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

 

*All passages taken from ESV unless otherwise noted

 

Mandisa - Overcomer (Official Lyric Video) from mandisa on GodTube.