Matters of Faith: Victory That Overcomes The World

By Reverend J. Loren Russell, BA, MDiv

‭‭1 John 5:1-6‬‬‬‬
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 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?”

‭The Bible says that a good understanding of the Lord is based on fear, but not the kind of fear that paralyzes us or makes us respond in what psychiatrists and psychologists call the fight or flight syndrome. The psalmist writes in 111:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.

This is healthy fear; the kind of fear where wisdom is born and where a good understanding is given to all who obey the commandments of God. It’s where praises to Him endure forever. In fact, you can find scripture throughout the Bible that tells us to fear the Lord. They tell us what a healthy fear does for and to us: ‬

We are no longer slave to our fears: Romans 8:15 “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.

The Lord’s light in our lives overpowers our fears: Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?”

We can put our trust in the Lord: Psalm 56:3-4 “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?”

Even physical death doesn’t scare us: Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

God’s perfect love drives away fear: 1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.”

There is another definition of fear. It comes from a strong emotion that is birthed out of an anticipation or an awareness of danger or the presence of evil. That is where the things that I listed about the fear of God and the assurances He gives are absent. This sense of fear is False Expectations Appearing Real. It can overwhelm our consciousness and be so all-consuming that every aspect of life is impacted. Nonetheless, I want you to keep in mind that this type of fear is the anticipation of something happening to you, not the event itself. It’s just false expectations appearing real.

We have a promise of victory! We have an assurance that is so certain that it will turn those fear-filled emotions into faith-filled action. We cannot let a false sense of fear stop us from doing what the Lord has assigned us to do.

If you believe that Jesus is the son of God, know that it is Him that you serve, that He has chosen you specifically, then you are not hoping for, not looking for, not anticipating it to come sometime in the future, you already have the victory that has overcome the world. It is your faith!

God Bless +++

Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial &. Strategic Consulting, and hosts “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Soul 1 Radio, Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM. Listen by phone” at 626-226-1448. Be sure to Friend “Matters of Faith” on Facebook and email us at mattersoffaith.mof@gmail.com. Order your copy of Matters of Faith: The Book here.

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