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10-6-2019 Weekly Message

Meditation of the week: Psalms 29:1-11

Text: 1 John 5:1-15

Word title: Blessing of those who overcome the world

          For the past six thousand years, since Satan the Devil  illegally robbed the earth from God’s hands has been still reigning in the world. The Devil rules the present world by giving his power to the principalities and powers , to the rulers of the darkness of the world, and to spiritual evils in the high places (Ephesians 6:12). Satan the Devil had the power of anointed cherub in heaven, and now rules the world with his power even after he had fallen and cast out to the earth. He became the Antichrist, but he still exercising his power until he is judged unto execution.

          But four thousand years later, God finally appeared in this world in the name of Jesus, taking care of the sins, death, and curses of the world, dying, and resurrecting to judge the Devil. God has made Him both the Lord and the Christ. Because of this, only Jesus, who became the Christ and judged the antichrist, the devil  has overcome the world. Therefore, in order to overcome the world, we must believe in Jesus, who is the Christ, and enter into Him. Also, only those who overcome the world in Christ are freed from the power of the world’s ruler, the Devil, and do not go to hell where he is to be cast in the future.

         God gathered only those who were born of the Holy Spirit to be united in the church of God, who believed in Christ Jesus, and the church of God received the authority to prevailed the gates of hell. As for the power to overcome the gates of hell, the Lord Jesus  clearly spoke to His disciples:

” And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18).

           Hence, when Apostle John testified of the power to overcome the world, he certainly confirmed of the faith of Jesus as the only Christ:

” Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

2By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

3For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

4For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? ”(1 John 5: 1-5)

          Apostle Paul also testified of those are saved in the Christ:

” Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

…. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. ” (Ephesians 1: 3-7, 13-14)

          That’s right! Anyone who believes in Christ Jesus and is born again by the Holy Spirit is sealed with the Spirit of promise, and  the Holy Spirit will not leave until the day of redemption that is the day of Rapture when the body of sin is to be resurrected. That is what Apostle Paul testified of the eternal security of salvation.

        Through the covenant that God gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not only God’s chosen people, Israel, but also the children of God saved in the age of grace, God gave the promise of eternal blessing. It is so called the blessing appeared in the Old Testament as well as the New Testament.  When God called Abraham about four thousand years ago, he blessed him and gave the word of promise:

” And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

3And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.“(Genesis 12: 2-3).

          When God spoke to Abram, he said, “In you, to your seed.” In other words, all the nations shall be blessed through his future descendants. The Holy Spirit, through Apostle Paul testifies of who is his seed:

” Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.” (Gal 3:16).

           That’s right! When God spoke to  Abraham that all nations in him shall be blessed, they shall be blessed to receive eternal life by believing in Christ Jesus who is to appear in the world in the future whether they are Jews or  Gentiles without discrimination. Therefore, God gave  the blessing of being saved through the Gospel of Christ. Apostle Paul testified of this:

” For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

17For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. ”(Romans 1: 16-17)

         Four hundred and thirty years after God spoke to Abraham the promise of eternal life, God gave the law through Moses. Thus He made all people under sin. The Holy Spirit gave Apostle Paul the  testimony of the reason:

 ” And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

18For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.….. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

23But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

24Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. “(Gal 3:17,18, 22-25).

          That’s right! Under the covenant given to Abraham in Christ Jesus, through the faith in Christ Jesus, we are liberated from the curse of the law and overcome the world under the devil’s reign in Christ Jesus.

         Therefore, we who became children of God became heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Although We suffer for the Lord Jesus in this world, it is for us to receive the glory together with him.  This is the Apostle Paul’s testimony to the Saints in Rome saying that  the present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will appear to us.

          Before the Lord left His disciples from the world  to heaven spoke uunto the disciples:

” These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

Amen! Hallelujah!