Overcomer

One of the most demeaning names we can call someone is “loser.” Yet, we flash the “L” sign on our foreheads and pin the derogatory label on another just for fun. But we know that being a loser is a universally dreaded position to occupy in life. Everyone wants to be a winner.

The world may not always see Christians as winners. Many erroneously refer to believers as losers and worse. They’re missing the mark. A much more reliable source has a different take on who we are. The Word of God calls us overcomers, victors and  conquerors. Why do we have these designations? Is it our skills as athletes? After all, the Bible does say that we are runners in a race. But that’s not it. How about our abilities as fighters in God’s army? The Word clearly states that we are in a battle and  we’re to fully arm ourselves for the spiritual fight. However, skills fighting the good fight don’t make us winners. It has nothing to do with our performances as good believers. We are overcomers only because we believe in Jesus.

We cannot do anything to overcome because Christ has already done it. Our job is to believe in Him. The Apostle John could not have been more explicit:

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5).

Yet we spend too much of our lives feeling defeated. Even though the Bible says we have won in Christ and will win in the end, believers ignore the scoreboard and bemoan their apparent deficiencies. Meanwhile, those apart from Christ and destined for defeat seem to live with confidence. What causes this upside-down perspective on life?

Unfortunately, Christ-followers tend to gauge their levels of victory by comparing themselves to the world’s standards rather than the promises of God’s Word. Sometimes we contrast our lives with our unbelieving neighbors and friends and feel we come up short. Then, because we may have achieved less or had less, we might conclude we’ve lost the game of success.

The unhealthy response to overcoming this feeling of being losers compared to the world is to claim that God guarantees us worldly success in Christ. Victory becomes having the best of everything materially. It’s just a matter of mustering enough faith. Simply believe and  you can have all the world offers and even feel like a winner. No longer will your un-Christian  coworkers and acquaintances consider you a loser, especially if you have enough faith to acquire better stuff than they have.

Those who promote this false outlook on winning use the same biblical passages teaching us that we in Christ are victors, conquerors and  overcomers. But they then turn to the world to see how victory, conquering and  overcoming look. However, the Bible is our mirror, not the world.

Overcomers in scripture were generally not winners by the world’s criteria. Instead, most of our faith heroes look like the world’s biggest losers by secular standards. While those who pursue material wealth seek the world’s approval, biblical conquerors “gained approval through their faith” (Hebrews 11:39).

It doesn’t matter how much you have or what you have lost in this world. The opinions of those around you are not what counts in the final analysis. Regardless of the pressure you feel from the world, or the stress of your current circumstances, sincere belief in Christ puts you in the overcomer category. It’s not about denying the reality of what’s happening in your life. Instead, despite it, embrace your faith in Jesus. Live in obedience to Him. The world may call you a loser. Just know you’ve already won.    

 “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” —Romans 8:37