Cross Creek Community Church, Pastor Dave Martin January 24, 2010

“World-Conqueror”

‘Crossing Into Victory’ Series Part 4 of 5 ~ 1 John 5:1-5

 

How Can I Be a World-Conqueror… Pew Bible page #864

1 John 5:1-5 ¹ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. ² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

 

What is a “world Conqueror”?  Someone who is experiencing victory over the world, the flesh, & the Devil… the Bible speaks of the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of live… feeding man’s sinful nature

 

How do I become a “World-Conqueror”?

1.      I Must Be Born of God – 1^st step, beginning, starting point, foundational, essential, the key ingredient…

1 John 5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

 

Survey people… how many desires to spend eternity with God in heaven???  Jesus explains how…

John 3:1-3 ¹ Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. ² He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." ³ In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth (78 times in Gospels), no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

 

Why do I need to be Spiritually “Re-born”?

·         I’m a Sinner, Separated from God - Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. NLT ; Eph 2:1-3

·         Jesus bore my sins at Calvary - 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. ; Col 1:19-23

·         By Faith, I Repent and Believe - Romans 10:9-10 ⁹ That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

 

 “Spiritually Reborn” In Jesus…

·         My sins are Forgiven… New Heart, New Life, New Love… New Creation… a brand NEW YOU

Ephesians 1:7, 2:8-9 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace… ⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast.

 

·         We are saved by God’s Grace – NOT – by works… we must be born of God supernaturally

·         Reborn, sins forgiven… God gives us a new heart… new life… new love… new POWER within

·         Sometimes people “profess” to be born again YET their lifestyle “fruit” says the opposite

·         IF you are “born of God” your life will take on a whole new flavor… from the inside out…

·         Perhaps you feel like a spiritual loser L rather than living victorious in Christ…

 

First step in being a “World-Conqueror” is to be Born of God… second step is…

2.     I Must Be Growing in Grace – Are you daily growing more spiritually mature in Christ?

1 John 5:2-3 ² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

 

·        Love God = Loving One Another

1 John 4:20-21 ²⁰ If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

o   One of the signs Jesus gave of His return is the love of many will grow COLD

o   Jesus tells us in Luke 6:27 to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”

 

·        Love God = Obeying His Commands (I love God but I do what I want to do)

1 John 2:5-6 ⁵ But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: ⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did

·         “Made complete” – fulfilled, perfected, consummated… literally accomplished in him

·         Christians MUST take serious God’s commands and obey them… to grow & confirm Salv

·         Jam 2:18… James tells us, ”show me… w/o… and I will show you my faith by what I do”

EXTRA Verses if needed… (Not on pptx)

John 14:23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

1 John 3:24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.

 

·        Obeying His Commands = Good for Us

³ This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,

John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.

·         Love is a “genuine mark” of being born of God… it goes both ways… loving God & loving others

·         BUT obedience can seem hard sometimes, His commands are NOT burdensome-heavy, weighty

·         This runs counter to our thinking… following God is a “killjoy” “boring” “impossible”…

·         Even though sin is pleasurable… ALWAYS consider the consequences of disobedience and sin…

·         Heb 11:25 tells us Moses chose to be mistreated rather than enjoy pleasures of sin for a season

·         Someday your disciplined lifestyle will pay HUGE DIVIDENDS when you stand before the Lord

·         Obeying His commands are GOOD FOR US!  (Not burdensome)

·         Remember last week’s 50 commands to “One Another”… love one another, pray for one another, encourage one another, help one another… are you obeying them???

 

First Step to be a “World-Conqueror” is to be Born of God… second step is to be Growing in love & Obedience… You will then:

3.     Be Victorious by Faith (our key verse)

1 John 5:4-5 ⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

·         This promise from God is for EVERYONE born of God… NOT just some proud spiritual “elite”

·         If you are born again… then begin believing TRUTH and begin living by FAITH

·         “Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God” (Heb 11:6) “The just shall live by faith”(Rom 1:17)

·         Understand… we are SAVED by FAITH and we LIVE our lives by FAITH… beginning to end…

·         “World Conquerors” gain the VICTORY through Faith… in God Almighty through Jesus His Son

Faith is NOT a blind leap in the dark, BUT a TRANSFER of trust to a PERSON who is incredible, powerful and alive!

 

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

 

"It [faith] is a firm persuasion and expectation that God will perform all that He has promised to us in Christ; and this persuasion is so strong that it gives the soul...possession...of those things. ~ Matthew Henry  (You just know that you know…)

 

·         Assurance of Salvation 1Jn 3:1-3; 5:12-13 (Have you been Born of God??)

1 John 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

 

·         Confidence in Prayer 1Jn 3:19-24; 5:14-17  (Are you getting connected??? Or a Busy signal??)

1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

 

·         Freedom from Habitual Sin 1Jn 3:9-10; 5:18-21  (Thank God for His Holy Spirit within us)

1 John 3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God…

 

·         Eternal Life 1Jn 2:17, 25  (What a promise!!!  ETERNAL LIFE)

1 John 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.  1 John 2:25 And this is what he promised us--even eternal life.

 

 

World Conquerors are Victorious over…

o   Sin – Rom 6:6-8, 11-14 (count yourselves dead to sin but alive unto Christ)

o   Death – Jn 5:24; Heb 2:14-15 (crossed over from death to life)

o   Judgment – Jn 3:16-18; Rom 5:8-10, 8:1 (no condemnation to those in Christ)

o   Difficulties of Life – Rom 8:35, 37-39 (nothing can separate us from the love of Christ)

o   Satan & All Spiritual Forces – Eph 6:11-13; Col 2:15 (Christ disarmed the powers & authorities)

o   Fear & Despair Replaced  – Jn 14:27, 16:33; Gal 5:22-23 (Peace leave with you, my peace give you)

o   Trials & Temptations of Life – Jn 16:33; 2Pet 2:9; 1Co 10:13 (God is faithful to deliver you…)

 

Romans 8:37-39 ³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Do you have this assurance this morning??? 

Are you Saved?  Are you Growing?  Are you Living in Victory?  YOU CAN BE A “WORLD-CONQUEROR”!

Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner.  Thank you for dying on the cross for me.  I now invite you into my life as my Lord and Savior.  Take control of my life, forgive my sins and make me your child. Help me to live victoriously in Christ…  Amen

New Life Groups beginning in Feb…  Sign up in the Lobby or on our Website!