The comfort of heaven helps to keep us and sustain us through dark hours, but it is not, and should not ever be, the focus of the Gospel we preach. Scripture promises us not that Jesus would rescue us from a world on the brink of overcoming us, but that in Him we would overcome the world:
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. 5)Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (I John 5:4-5)
What this means is that when we live and think and act like Kingdom citizens, we can experience success, victory and fruitfulness; not in the "sweet by and by" but today, this week. It means that we can overcome right now. We don't have to be or remain victims of our circumstances. We can avail ourselves of our Kingdom citizenship and all its blessings, rights and benefits to help us rise above our circumstances; either to change them or to prosper and move forward in spite of them. Kingdom living does not sit back meekly in submission and defeat before the onslaught of the world. Kingdom living moves forward with confidence, advancing forcefully in the wisdom, power and boldness that are ours as children of God.
Keep this in mind, there is nothing outside of us that is bigger than what is inside of us. That is what John meant when he wrote:
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (I John 4:4)
Now, that is an unbeatable formula for victory. If we are being overcome by the world, then we are not experiencing what the Lord wants us to have. My favorite phrase is "You need to get a clue" because something is missing. If life is beating us, then either we have gotten the wrong good news, which is the same as bad news; or we have gotten no news at all. The good news is that in Christ we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, and all the resources of that Kingdom are available to us to help us live in victory on a daily basis in the here and now.
"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. 5)Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (I John 5:4-5)
What this means is that when we live and think and act like Kingdom citizens, we can experience success, victory and fruitfulness; not in the "sweet by and by" but today, this week. It means that we can overcome right now. We don't have to be or remain victims of our circumstances. We can avail ourselves of our Kingdom citizenship and all its blessings, rights and benefits to help us rise above our circumstances; either to change them or to prosper and move forward in spite of them. Kingdom living does not sit back meekly in submission and defeat before the onslaught of the world. Kingdom living moves forward with confidence, advancing forcefully in the wisdom, power and boldness that are ours as children of God.
Keep this in mind, there is nothing outside of us that is bigger than what is inside of us. That is what John meant when he wrote:
"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." (I John 4:4)
Now, that is an unbeatable formula for victory. If we are being overcome by the world, then we are not experiencing what the Lord wants us to have. My favorite phrase is "You need to get a clue" because something is missing. If life is beating us, then either we have gotten the wrong good news, which is the same as bad news; or we have gotten no news at all. The good news is that in Christ we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, and all the resources of that Kingdom are available to us to help us live in victory on a daily basis in the here and now.