1. Who is the Overcomer?

1Joh 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

2.  What do we have to Overcome? We have many obstacles to overcome in our earthly lives. We have sin, self, satan, the world, trials, troubles, temptations, and persecutions.

3.  We must continue to Overcome if we are to Become! To become the overcome we must continue to go God's way in our lives and in our church.

    Pastor, do you just accept the status quo (that's Latin for "the mess we're in!") or are you a renegade? Renegades never quit, despite the bruises. In the 18th century, Samuel Johnson wrote, "Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome." Ask yourself the ultimate question: What's stopping you from living your dreams? Maybe you need to become a little more "unreasonable." Maybe you need to become a renegade.

1Joh 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

4.  How can we Overcome? We can overcome the obstacles that we face through the inner strength that we receive from the Lord. If we have been born of the Lord anew we are an overcomer by Him. We must believe and have the faith that works in our lives. We have already been given the victory in Jesus' blood. We must continue to share the word of our testimony and love our Lord more than we love our lives.

Reve 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

A traveler tells us that he once witnessed a battle between a poisonous spider and another insect. Every time the insect was bitten, and before the poison could work, it settled on the leaves of a plant close by and sucked them, returning to the battle as strong as ever. The traveler, however, removed the plant, and although the insect when bitten went to look for it as before, it could not find it and presently laid down and died on the spot.

Likewise, if we fail to find out the secret and the source of our strength and healing amid the conflicts of life, we shall as certainly be overcome and perish in them. --Dictionary Of Illustrations

That secret strength and antidote is the blood of Jesus. In whatever way satan may have wounded us in the good fight of faith, there is power in the blood of Jesus to overcome him! --Duane V. Maxey

5.  Promises to the Overcomers.

Reve 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Reve 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Reve 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it].

Reve 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Reve 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Reve 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name.

Reve 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.