We live in the last days. This means the days after Christ and before His second coming. You have probably noticed that in all societies there is an increase in evil people, hate, occultism, hostility towards Christianity. These verses sum it all up:
And thou, O Daniel, hide the things, and seal the book till the time of the end, many do go to and fro, and knowledge is multiplied. (Dan 12:4)
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. (2 Tim 3:1-5)
Knowledge increases, more and more people travel all over the world, and they are lovers of themselves and of money, boastful and hateful. Sounds like the 21st century to a T.
So how do you overcome?
- How do you grow in godliness?
- How do you shine as a light and witness to people?
- How do you stay away from sin, worldly influences and crooked people?
- How do you get a reward in heaven?
Here are practical ways to be an overcomer, from the book of Revelation, the book about the end times. These practical steps are in the verses in the passage to the church in Philadelphia. God doesn’t just throw us out there in an evil world and then says “okay, get out there and overcome! You’re on your own!”. No, He provides everything we need to be able to overcome! And He reveals them to us in Scripture. So these words should be buried deeply as seeds in our spiritual mind and watered with prayer so we will grow into “oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3)
Read the passage and then I will show you the steps outlined in the verses.
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Revelation 3:7-13)
God Provided for YOU to Overcome:
- Be Christological- Christ centered (He is the one who is Holy and True) (v.7)
- He set before you an open door that no one can shut (v.7)
- He gave you some strength (v. 8)
- Keep God’s Word (Scripture, His promises, correct doctrine) (v.8)
- Do not deny His name (v.8)
- Keep His commands (God’s Word) through the power of the Holy Spirit (v.10)
- Endure patiently the trials and difficulty of the Christian life (v. 10)
- Wait for the Coming of the Lord (v.11)
- Through prayer and fasting, hold on to what you have (faith, Scripture, spiritual work/ministry) so no one takes your crown (v.11)
- Have an open ear to what the Spirit says through God’s Word (v.13)
God set before you the way to overcome. May He help us all to persevere and be overcomers through the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen!