Overcoming in Him

Last Sunday I had the privilege of hearing a powerful message from my senior pastor, Apostle George Brantley, out of 1 John 5. The core of his message dealt with the fact that keeping God's word is not a burden (v.3). This point can easily be passed over, but we have to take a deeper look when we hear a statement like that. How often do we actually approach obeying the word of God as something we have to do rather than our privilege as His children? I know that I personally have done it many times. In some situations we can come across like the child who says, 'okay Dad, whatever you say', when we'd rather do something else. Now, don't get me wrong, there's a place for us of dying to our will to obey His, but there should come a point in our lives when the keeping of His word is not a burden, but a joy because He has graced us to do it. Not only are we given the task, but the strength and resources to do it by our everlasting, loving, merciful and gracious Father.

As we believe in Jesus and keep his word, we become His children who overcome the world, victorious in Christ (1 John 5:1-5). His love never fails, and when we realize that He loves us and graces us to do His will, our approach to keeping His words becomes much brighter, hopeful, directed and full of purpose. How great is the grace that He has lavished upon us in order for the mystery of His will to be know and done by us (Ephesians 1:7-10). It's a great day when you know that regardless of what you face, in Him you overcome the world.