The Greek word translated "overcome" appears 28 times in the New Testament. 24 of those occasions are found in the writings of the apostle John. It appears once in John's gospel account, six times in his letter named 1 John, and 17 times in the book of Revelation. Because of Revelation's message and the frequency with which this word is used, Andy Kizer entitled his teen class study on the book of Revelation: To The Overcomers. Interestingly, in the King James Version, we find the "eth" on the end of overcome in many of these instances, indicating a continuing action. Therefore, to be an overcomer is not to just conquer once in life, but continually. And, we can conquer continually because Jesus has conquered once for all. He said to His apostles, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
Jesus charged an angel with delivering His words to John while he was exiled to the island of Patmos. The message revealed was a message of victory, conquering, and overcoming; for, Christians were being persecuted more severely than they had ever been as a whole. Furthermore, His message to the "seven churches of Asia" addressed specific sins that congregants had allowed to invade their lives and their gatherings. Jesus encouraged them to overcome. Consider His words.
"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God" (Revelation 2:7). "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (Revelation 2:11). "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" (Revelation 2:17). "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations" (Revelation 2:26). "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" (Revelation 3:5). "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" (Revelation 3:12). "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" (Revelation 3:21). "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son" (Revelation 21:7).
"For whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:4–5). John's message here is in complete harmony with Jesus' message at John 3:3–5 and Mark 16:16. Is your faith in Christ? A faith which leads to repentance, confession, and baptism? A faith that achieves victory, or overcomes, through Christ?
Clifton preaches for the Coldwater church of Christ in Coldwater, MS
