How to be an Overcomer and why it's SO important that you are!

Do not be overcome and conquered by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

This may be something you don't often hear in church these days, but I feel it's something VITALLY important for Christians to know and understand, especially in these evil days in which we live.

You see, God expects His children to be Overcomers. No, let me rephrase that, He demands that we be Overcomers. It's really not an option.

Overcome - to defeat, prevail, conquer, to overpower and be victorious

So, what are we defeating? We are defeating the devil, of course and the evil in the world. Wait a minute, we can't do that. Jesus already did that, right? Absolutely. We have no power within ourselves to defeat the devil. But if you're a true child of God, then His Spirit lives within you and you have ALL of HIS power at your disposal. But you still have a choice to use it or not. That's where overcoming comes into play.

So, what are the prerequisites for overcoming and what are the consequences for not overcoming. To find the answers, we dive into Revelation and look at Jesus's own words to His church. (That's us!)
He writes 7 letters to 7 churches in which he tells them what they are doing wrong, how to fix it, and what the reward is for overcoming.

Remember Jesus is speaking to Christians here. People who go to church and believe He is the Son of God.  If you want to skip the Scriptures, I give a summary at the end. However, it would be beneficial to read the Scriptures too.

Church of Ephesus

Condition keeping them from Overcoming
They lost their First Love.  What does that mean? I believe it means that they no longer love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, mind, body, and strength, that other things have taken first place in their lives.

Condition for overcoming

So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and repent and do the works you did at first


Reward for overcoming
To him who overcomes, I will grant the privilege to eat the fruit from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’

Punishment for not overcoming
otherwise, I will visit you and remove your lampstand. And obviously they will not get to eat of the tree of life in the Paradise of God (the lampstand represents this particular church and it will be removed from before the throne of God. Though I won't speculate on what that means, I don't think it's a good thing)

Church of Smyrna

Sin keeping them from overcoming:  None

 Conditions for overcoming
Be faithful to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life. 

Reward for Overcoming
He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death (the lake of fire).’ Revelation 2:10-11

Punishment for not overcoming
One can assume that it is the opposite of the reward for Overcoming. They will be thrown into the lake of fire.

Pergamum

Sin keeping them from overcoming
But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who are holding to the corrupt teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, enticing them] to eat things that had been sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of sexual immorality. You also have some who in the same way are holding to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Revelation 2:14-15

Conditions for overcoming
Therefore repent change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will

Reward for Overcoming
To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone with a new name engraved on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Punishment for NOT overcoming
else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war and fight against them with the sword of My mouth in judgment. (who are them? The people in the church who are committing acts of idol worship and sexual immorality)

Thyatira

Sin keeping them from overcoming
But I have this  against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess  and she teaches and misleads My bond-servants so that they commit acts of sexual immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols. ^I gave her time to repent but she has no desire to repent of her immorality and refuses to do so

Conditions for overcoming
Repent!

Punishment for Not overcoming
I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great anguish, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children (followers) with pestilence [thoroughly annihilating them], and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts  and I will give to each one of you a reward or punishment according to your deeds. Revelation 2:22-23

Reward for Overcoming 

And he who overcomes and he who keeps My deeds  until the end, to him I will give authority and power over the nations; and he shall shepherd and rule them with a rod of iron, as the earthen pots are broken in pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the Morning Star.

Sardis

Sin keeping them from Overcoming
I know your deeds; you have a name (reputation) that you are alive, but [in reality] you are dead. Revelation 3:1

Conditions for Overcoming
Wake up, and strengthen and reaffirm what remains of your faithful commitment to Me, which is about to die; for I have not found any of your deeds completed in the sight of My God or meeting His requirements. So remember and take to heart the lessons you have received and heard. Keep and obey them, and repent change your sinful way of thinking, and demonstrate your repentance with new behavior that proves a conscious decision to turn away from sin Revelation 3:2-3  

Punishment for Not Overcoming
 So then, if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.  (Hmm. I find this really interesting. It seems to be saying that if you're not walking in obedience to Christ, you will NOT know when He is coming back. Which logically implies that if you are awake, you will know)


Reward for Overcoming

He who overcomes will accordingly be dressed in white clothing; and I will never blot out his name from the Book of Life, and I will confess and openly acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels . Revelation 3:5 

Philadelphia

 Sin keeping them from Overcoming: None

Conditions for Overcoming
Because you have kept the word of My endurance I will keep you safe from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole world, to test those who live on the earth. am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (the hour of trial He is speaking of here is the Tribulation, more evidence of the Rapture)

Reward for Overcoming
He who overcomes I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God; he will most certainly never be put out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God, and My  new name.  Revelation 3:12

Laodicea

Sin keeping them from Overcoming
So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust]. Because you say, “I am rich, and have prospered and grown wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [without hope and in great need],  Revelation 3:16-17

Conditions for overcoming
I counsel you to buy from Me gold that has been heated red hot and refined by fire so that you may become truly rich; and white clothes [representing righteousness] to clothe yourself so that the shame of your nakedness will not be seen; and healing salve to put on your eyes so that you may see.....  so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will].  Rev 3:18-19

Reward for Overcoming
He who overcomes, I will grant to him [the privilege] to sit beside Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down beside My Father on His throne Rev 3:24    

So in summary, what are the conditions of an Overcomer?

• Jesus must be first in your life
• Be faithful to the point of death
• No idols or sexual immorality
• Commit yourself to obey the Lord and turn away from all sin
• Endure until the end
• Do not be lukewarm toward God

What are the punishments if you don't become an Overcomer?

• You will be removed from the presence of God
• Thrown into the Lake of Fire
• Jesus will fight against you
• Great anguish and pestilence
• Jesus will come when you do not expect Him
• Thrown into the tribulation
• Vomited out of Jesus's mouth

 

Rewards for Overcoming

• You will eat of the fruit of the tree of life!
• You will be spared the lake of fire  
• You will eat of the hidden manna and be given a white stone with a new name engraved on it
• You will be given authority to rule and shepherd the nations
• You will be dressed in white and your name will not be blotted out of the Book of Life
• You will become a pillar in the temple of God
• You will sit beside Jesus on His throne 

I don't think I need to add any commentary on this. The Word of God speaks for itself.

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