What/who is an overcomer?

[shawn]

This idea of overcoming, or being an overcomer keeps coming up in my life.  What does it mean to you?

[Seth]

To me it means to "overcome the world." That's alot more than overcoming other people. I think it goes inwardly when you study out the NT. Peter urged unbelievers to be baptized in the Spirit and be saved from this wicked generation. To overcome, therefore, is to come out of the darkness and into the light, to become a new creation in Christ and not return to your former bondage.

[shawn]

I think many believers return to their bondage in some form or fashion as I believe our change is a process rather than an event.   :2c:

[Seth]

I definitely agree with that.

Phil 3:12
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

[shawn]

Great verse. 

[Rhodes]

Yes, great verse Seth...that passage I believe, is about overcomers. Paul says he wants to press on for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. That upward call is I believe the First Resurrection which is only for overcomers from every eon. Those who are not in that first group shall have to wait till the end of the 1000 years to be raised. Overcomers are those who have cooperated with the Holy Spirit in their lives being obedient to him. Paul goes on to say there are many who walk, but I tell you with weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Jesus...their god is their belly etc..but you have us for an example. Paul again is making a distinction between those who overcome sand those who say they are Christians but live for their carnal appetites...not obeying the Spirit. This is intensely personal. What the Spirit commands me he may allow for you and vice versa. Things like telling you to stay in that little town or to take that low pay job, or to marry that person (though they are not your type outwardly) or to not get married! all sorts of things He lays before us to bring us into His holiness, without which no one will see the Lord....an overcomer is one who has been matured by God through many tests and trials...I see that that even if we are not in the first resurrection , in the second we will still be in the same process with the Spirit bringing us into perfection/maturity in Christ..this can take ages/eons...up to us.

[sheila]

......Rev ch 2 and 3 counsels specific areas/things that need to be dealt with to be an overcomer......to me that is the

  definition of 'overcoming' or a test-stone.  Seven eyes on one stone..remove iniquity in one day.  The testimony of

   Jesus Christ.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: @ Rhodes.....I see from your post you've obtained wisdom from above that has to be walked out in shoe leather. Very few understand God is the God of the covenant, and covenants will HE make, according to the will and desire of the Spirit, and not according to the carnal fleshly appetites of men. Welcome to the board..... :iagree:

[sheila]

   somewhat offtopic..but not really.....I just come across this little article and had to post it. :banana:

     Ministry gifts

   Apostle'; sometimes want to take over the whole world and get frustrated at other's because they don't understand

  the Lord is aying..'go take it from the devil"

  Prophets sometimes get disturbed because everyone else can't see what is clearly right in front of their face,if

they would only look.

  Evangelists sometimes think the whole world is on their way to hell

   Pastors sometimes think that all people need is the gift of the pastor so they don't have other ministry gifts

   Teachers sometimes think all the rest of the ministry gifts are wild and goofed up and proablably demon possessed

   because everything they teach does not start with #1 and end with #7

   the TRUTH............we all see things differently and need each other. We must accept the fact,pray for one another

  and work togather.

[ed]

Yes, great verse Seth...that passage I believe, is about overcomers. Paul says he wants to press on for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. That upward call is I believe the First Resurrection which is only for overcomers from every eon. Those who are not in that first group shall have to wait till the end of the 1000 years to be raised. Overcomers are those who have cooperated with the Holy Spirit in their lives being obedient to him. Paul goes on to say there are many who walk, but I tell you with weeping that they are enemies of the cross of Jesus...their god is their belly etc..but you have us for an example. Paul again is making a distinction between those who overcome sand those who say they are Christians but live for their carnal appetites...not obeying the Spirit. This is intensely personal. What the Spirit commands me he may allow for you and vice versa. Things like telling you to stay in that little town or to take that low pay job, or to marry that person (though they are not your type outwardly) or to not get married! all sorts of things He lays before us to bring us into His holiness, without which no one will see the Lord....an overcomer is one who has been matured by God through many tests and trials...I see that that even if we are not in the first resurrection , in the second we will still be in the same process with the Spirit bringing us into perfection/maturity in Christ..this can take ages/eons...up to us.

Made me think of
Luke 4
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

All of these will overcome in Christ Jesus.

.

[eaglesway]

   somewhat offtopic..but not really.....I just come across this little article and had to post it. :banana:

     Ministry gifts

   Apostle'; sometimes want to take over the whole world and get frustrated at other's because they don't understand

  the Lord is aying..'go take it from the devil"

  Prophets sometimes get disturbed because everyone else can't see what is clearly right in front of their face,if

they would only look.

  Evangelists sometimes think the whole world is on their way to hell

   Pastors sometimes think that all people need is the gift of the pastor so they don't have other ministry gifts

   Teachers sometimes think all the rest of the ministry gifts are wild and goofed up and proablably demon possessed

   because everything they teach does not start with #1 and end with #7

   the TRUTH............we all see things differently and need each other. We must accept the fact,pray for one another

  and work togather.

By the grace of God I say to you let no man esteem himself more highly than he ought, but to regard himself soberly, since God has given each one a measure of faith Ro 12:3

Each one of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, and so become good stewards of the grace of God in its various forms. 1 Pet 4:10

And Jesus washed their feet and said, as I have done unto you so ought you to do unto one another.

[eaglesway]

When considering the aspects of Christ's character that demnstrate an overcoming life, meekness, gentleness, kindness, forgiveness tolerance and humility are given(imo) far too little attention. There is no holiness where pride is. There is no grace in self-will and presumption. There is no love in selfish ambition or bitter jealousy. Cleaning the outside of the cup  makes a person SEEM to be an overcomer, but really, it is the old man whom we are overcoming and he lives in us until we live in Christ.

I live, yet not I, but Christ lives through me and the life I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God......

The renewing of our minds is not about knowing more spiritual stuff, it is about the mind of Christ, "For I am meek and lowly of mind and I will give you rest."
It is about seeing from the eyes of our hearts as Christ sees and holding whatever knowledge, wisdom or gifts we have received in the wisdom of humility.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: My  :2c:. The "offices" are a description of the portion of our inheritance that shows how the Holy Ghost does His works, ie. the HG does the works. The fruits of the Spirit are a description of His "emotions" being produced in us, AS He works.

The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy IN the Holy Ghost. The Kingdom is not a place, it's the nature of a person after the above has been used to mold and implement that nature, the nature of the KING. Blessings....

[eaglesway]

The Kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy IN the Holy Ghost. The Kingdom is not a place, it's the nature of a person after the above has been used to mold and implement that nature, the nature of the KING. Blessings....

:iagree:

[sheila]

love your post John,excellant counsel,as always. But I wish to add one thing,my brother.  He is all about opening up the

scriptures to us and setting our hearts afire through it,too sometimes[Road to E mm anus    were not our hearts burning

in us on the road when He was opening the scriptures to us?       :friendstu:

[eaglesway]

I agree Sheila.

   Yet as we seek, the context, or foundation of all we learn must be held within the character of Jesus (the radiance of the Father's glory and express image of His nature- all things hold together by the word of His power). When revelation is captured and nested in the divine nature, the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace(tree of life). and all things hold together.  When it is captured and nested in the mind of man, his zeal and his ego robs the word of life(tree of knowledge of good and evil).

Thats why the fruit of the spirit is so important as a gauge of what we are sowing.

If we discern the tree by the fruit it bears, we can look to whether things are holding together/gathering or coming apart/scattering. Now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Why? to make room for trees of life, bearing fruit in season. Peace.

[sheila]

Amen,brother..... :HeartThrob:

[Rhodes]

When considering the aspects of Christ's character that demnstrate an overcoming life, meekness, gentleness, kindness, forgiveness tolerance and humility are given(imo) far too little attention. There is no holiness where pride is. There is no grace in self-will and presumption. There is no love in selfish ambition or bitter jealousy. Cleaning the outside of the cup  makes a person SEEM to be an overcomer, but really, it is the old man whom we are overcoming and he lives in us until we live in Christ.

I live, yet not I, but Christ lives through me and the life I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God......

The renewing of our minds is not about knowing more spiritual stuff, it is about the mind of Christ, "For I am meek and lowly of mind and I will give you rest."
It is about seeing from the eyes of our hearts as Christ sees and holding whatever knowledge, wisdom or gifts we have received in the wisdom of humility.

Wow, great to read that John...what happened to your website by the way? The link does not work..
Blessings
Dennis

[eaglesway]

DENNIS! Hi brother.


Ah, I probably need to renew the domain....will check it out. In the meantime it will open from this url

www.hell-is-a-myth.webs.com