Explanation of the Overcomers

EXPLANATION OF THE OVERCOMERS

Study 1 A

In this series of studies we will encounter various aspects of this “process” of overcoming. One aspect will be “the nature of growth” and why it is absolutely necessary to the Christian life. In “growing up in all things into Christ” we must experience many trials and discouragements because that is the basis of growth. Overcoming then is particularly suited to these times of tribulation because the overcomer will persevere until they conquer “in the tribulation”. In times of joy and blessings, exactly what are we to overcome?

Those who have walked a few years with the Lord and have persevered through several trials will recognize that there is a rhythm to the Christian life. In the same way that Ester was prepared to meet the king with 6 months of oil of myrrh and 6 months with spices and cosmetics, we are also prepared to meet THE KING OF GLORY. For six months the skin was opened up with beating of branches etc. to allow the oil of myrrh to penetrate the skin and become a part of the personal fragrance. For six months there was the pleasure and excitement of the spices and the beautification of cosmetics. One really needs to feel clean and beautiful before we can act clean and beautiful and feel confident in the Presence of the King.

ESTER 2:12 Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women--for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women-- [13] the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace.

This describes in type the rhythms of the Christian life. Six months of trials and sufferings and six months with blessings and joy. However, in our actual experience it seems more like 12 months of tribulation. The point is this; The overcomer will persevere through every situation because they have a revelation of the King and His eternal purpose. With Ester there was a certain competition between the young maidens to be certain that they were selected. In the church we reject any thought of competition to win the favor of the King but the overcomer has no such phobias if they have a revelation of God and His eternal purpose. They realize that the Kingdom must be entered by force. [ We can’t drift into it by accident or by gravity]

LUKE 16:16] "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.

Not only is there a rhythm to the Christian life, there is also a momentum that must be maintained. We are all aware of the fast pace and extreme momentum that we experienced in the beginning of our Christian life. Every day we took a step forward and God was moving with exciting revelations and we were walking in the newness of life. We were witnessing to all our friends and family and really expected them to be as excited as we were. We had a momentum that seemed normal and irrepressible. There is a momentum of growth that is normal to the Christian life. This is the momentum of the overcomer.

Sadly, we see so many that lose their momentum very quickly and sit idle in the day of harvest. PROV 19:15] Laziness casts into a deep sleep, And an idle man will suffer hunger. [16] He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die.

. MAT 20:6] "And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why have you been standing here idle all day long?'

Once the momentum is lost it is very difficult to get it moving again! In Physics there is the law of inertia that says that an object in motion requires less effort to keep it moving than is required to start an object moving that is sitting idle. In the tractor pulls at the fair the ones that get the load moving put all their power and weight into starting the load. Once it is moving it is much easier to get it over the finish line.

Over the years we have seen this example of losing the momentum in the Christian life recur time after time. We have experienced the frustration of trying to get people to move forward that have found a place of rest and idleness. The inertia of idleness is just too difficult to “overcome” and for that reason the people are “overcome” with idleness. The excuse is that we are too busy but it is not business that stops the momentum but idleness. Not idleness in secular activity but idleness in the spiritual life.

Forcing our way into the Kingdom requires a certain momentum, excitement, expectation and perseverance. The Kingdom is not a stationary government of relaxation, vacation and idleness. The river of God is always “flowing” from the throne of God. The river of God is not a stagnant pond, a dead sea!

Those who never take time to evaluate whether they have moved forward or not have no way to measure their progress into the things of God. If we haven’t moved for sometime it means that we have lost our momentum. The question is this: What is your progress in the last 5 years? If you are at the same place it simply means that there is no progress and there is no momentum. That means there is no longer a rhythm to the Christian life.

Since God has assigned this ministry to us of “troubling people” to keep them moving on we have offended many believers. The fact remains that we are either in the process of growing or in the process of dying. Our purpose is not to offend people but to encourage everyone not to throw away what God has already given.

HEB 10:35] Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. [36] For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. [37] FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. [38] BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. [39] But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

Because there are so many warnings like these in scriptures we fear that some will not inherit all that God has purposed for them. Our fear is that those who do not press forward WILL shrink back and God will take no delight in them.

Whether you understand it or not our desire is to see each of us overcome and inherit the New Jerusalem. This will require all the forward momentum we can achieve. There IS a rhythm that maintains the momentum. It is this rhythm of prayer and relationship that maintains the momentum. When we lose the rhythm we lose the momentum.

The Saints of past generation called this “THE ANCIENT RHYTHMS”.

In most sports in the Olympics the athletes first must find the proper rhythm for the game and then function in that rhythm. If they lose the rhythm they lose the game.


	EXPLANATION OF THE OVERCOMERS Study 1 A In this series of studies we will encounter various aspects of this “process” of overcoming. One aspect will be “the nature of growth” and why it is absolutely necessary to the Christian life. In “growing up in all things into Christ” we must experience many trials and discouragements because that is the basis of growth. Overcoming then is particularly suited to these times of tribulation because the overcomer will persevere until they conquer “in the tribulation”. In times of joy and blessings, exactly what are we to overcome? Those who have walked a few years with the Lord and have persevered through several trials will recognize that there is a rhythm to the Christian life. In the same way that Ester was prepared to meet the king with 6 months of oil of myrrh and 6 months with spices and cosmetics, we are also prepared to meet THE KING OF GLORY. For six months the skin was opened up with beating of branches etc. to allow the oil of myrrh to penetrate the skin and become a part of the personal fragrance. For six months there was the pleasure and excitement of the spices and the beautification of cosmetics. One really needs to feel clean and beautiful before we can act clean and beautiful and feel confident in the Presence of the King. ESTER 2:12 Now when the turn of each young lady came to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women--for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women-- [13] the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the king's palace. This describes in type the rhythms of the Christian life. Six months of trials and sufferings and six months with blessings and joy. However, in our actual experience it seems more like 12 months of tribulation. The point is this; The overcomer will persevere through every situation because they have a revelation of the King and His eternal purpose. With Ester there was a certain competition between the young maidens to be certain that they were selected. In the church we reject any thought of competition to win the favor of the King but the overcomer has no such phobias if they have a revelation of God and His eternal purpose. They realize that the Kingdom must be entered by force. [ We can’t drift into it by accident or by gravity] LUKE 16:16] "The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since then the gospel of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. Not only is there a rhythm to the Christian life, there is also a momentum that must be maintained. We are all aware of the fast pace and extreme momentum that we experienced in the beginning of our Christian life. Every day we took a step forward and God was moving with exciting revelations and we were walking in the newness of life. We were witnessing to all our friends and family and really expected them to be as excited as we were. We had a momentum that seemed normal and irrepressible. There is a momentum of growth that is normal to the Christian life. This is the momentum of the overcomer. Sadly, we see so many that lose their momentum very quickly and sit idle in the day of harvest. PROV 19:15] Laziness casts into a deep sleep, And an idle man will suffer hunger. [16] He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul, But he who is careless of his ways will die. . MAT 20:6] "And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he said to them, `Why have you been standing here idle all day long?' Once the momentum is lost it is very difficult to get it moving again! In Physics there is the law of inertia that says that an object in motion requires less effort to keep it moving than is required to start an object moving that is sitting idle. In the tractor pulls at the fair the ones that get the load moving put all their power and weight into starting the load. Once it is moving it is much easier to get it over the finish line. Over the years we have seen this example of losing the momentum in the Christian life recur time after time. We have experienced the frustration of trying to get people to move forward that have found a place of rest and idleness. The inertia of idleness is just too difficult to “overcome” and for that reason the people are “overcome” with idleness. The excuse is that we are too busy but it is not business that stops the momentum but idleness. Not idleness in secular activity but idleness in the spiritual life. Forcing our way into the Kingdom requires a certain momentum, excitement, expectation and perseverance. The Kingdom is not a stationary government of relaxation, vacation and idleness. The river of God is always “flowing” from the throne of God. The river of God is not a stagnant pond, a dead sea! Those who never take time to evaluate whether they have moved forward or not have no way to measure their progress into the things of God. If we haven’t moved for sometime it means that we have lost our momentum. The question is this: What is your progress in the last 5 years? If you are at the same place it simply means that there is no progress and there is no momentum. That means there is no longer a rhythm to the Christian life. Since God has assigned this ministry to us of “troubling people” to keep them moving on we have offended many believers. The fact remains that we are either in the process of growing or in the process of dying. Our purpose is not to offend people but to encourage everyone not to throw away what God has already given. HEB 10:35] Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. [36] For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. [37] FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. [38] BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM. [39] But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul. Because there are so many warnings like these in scriptures we fear that some will not inherit all that God has purposed for them. Our fear is that those who do not press forward WILL shrink back and God will take no delight in them. Whether you understand it or not our desire is to see each of us overcome and inherit the New Jerusalem. This will require all the forward momentum we can achieve. There IS a rhythm that maintains the momentum. It is this rhythm of prayer and relationship that maintains the momentum. When we lose the rhythm we lose the momentum. The Saints of past generation called this “THE ANCIENT RHYTHMS”. In most sports in the Olympics the athletes first must find the proper rhythm for the game and then function in that rhythm. If they lose the rhythm they lose the game.