Finding An Overcoming Heart

I am becoming more and more convinced, in my march toward middle-age, that overcoming as a believer is not the result of an endowment by God, but comes from a steadfast determination to win in this Christian life.

Some may disagree and that's fine. No doubt it is absolutely paramount that each of us have a living faith that propels us continually into the presence and knowledge of Christ. But, like our good friend James says.... "faith without works is dead." I don't think he had in mind a picture of believers running around proving their faith by racking up great numbers of good deeds. I believe he may have been hinting at the fact that every believing heart needs to have an ever-increasing, plod ahead, charge of the Light Brigade, mentality of overcoming the kingdom and power of the enemy.

One verse jumps off the page at me. It is found in Ephesians 5:14; "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you." Notice that the sleeper (dead guy) isn't supposed to wait around for the Lord to come and raise him. No, he is supposed to 'get up!' Once he does, once he stands, once he determines to live, once he makes that effort to overcome his sense of deadness.... look what happens. Christ shines upon him. Now I admit, I have always come at this thought from the persuassion that Christ must shine upon us before we can overcome.... That's true in regards to our salvation. We know we go nowhere spiritually if the Lord doesn't call us out of the grave. But, after salvation, every one of us is intimately acquainted with the occassional experience of dryness in our souls. In short....we need revival.

Next thought; Revival has to start with me.....not with God. I have to be the one, like the believers from Ephesus in Revelation chapter two; that were called to repent for having left their first love. I have to pick myself up by my NIKE strings and determine that I will press back into the place of God's presence. If I don't, I'll keep wallowing in the muck of apathy and increasing defeat. Nothing would please the enemy more!

So, if you are sitting around waiting for an 'overcoming Spirit' from the Lord to come and smack you upside the head....forget it. Right now, while you read this simple blog, reach your own hand up and smack yourself hard on the side of your own head. WAKE UP and get determined. Get up from your dead spot....stretch out your own heart.....get mad.....just DO SOMETHING! Mostly, cry out to God in repentence and then 'cowboy up' and be an overcomer. When you do that, Jesus will follow it up with life that comes from his 'shinning upon you!' Go for it.
Pastor Jim