Dearest friends,
This is quite a season that we have been in (and are still going through!), isn’t it?
I don’t know about you, but between Covid-19, politics and racial tensions, I sometimes find myself frozen, afraid to make a mistake.
It is seasons like this that reveal our shortcomings, yet these seasons also reveal our victories. As a follower of Jesus, my intention is to continue to go from glory to glory to glory. This means I am always in a state of improvement.
I am certainly not perfect, and it is not my expectation that I will be perfect until that day when I arrive permanently in heaven. Yet, I am a holy work in progress (and so are we all).
Although this season is hard (and I am not really enjoying it), I’m discovering that these challenging situations and circumstances aren’t tripping me up like they would have in the past.
With the Lord’s help, I am able to enter in, push through and step over these challenges.
This is very different than ignoring them or avoiding them. I know, because I have done both of those things in the past. The difference is I now find myself getting through to the other side. I believe this is evidence of what I have overcome with God’s help.
“Overcome” is such a powerful word. The second and third chapters of the book of Revelation share about God’s great promises for those who overcome.
Jesus is the ultimate overcomer. We just celebrated Easter, rejoicing in the reality that He has overcome sin, death, and the grave! Jesus promises us that we are able to benefit and learn from his ability to overcome.
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
– John 16:33 (NLT)
There is so much to overcome. Praise God that we have a teacher, a Rabbi, who is willing to train us and help us experience more breakthrough in our lives.
In Mark 9:24, a desperate father brought his son to Jesus and asked Jesus to do something. “If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us,” he said to Jesus.
Jesus recognized his lack of faith and invited him to push through his unbelief, telling him, “If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes.”
I believe that Jesus – the ultimate Rabbi – was taking this opportunity not only to heal the boy, but to train the boy’s father to overcome. And he immediately responds to Jesus, exclaiming, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Because he was humble and willing to admit that he was tripping over his lack of faith, the father was able to get himself out of the way and watch the Master Overcomer heal his son.
When we watch the Expert do what we need to learn, we grow and we overcome.
These are challenging times. We can find ourselves tripping over things from inside ourselves and from outside ourselves.
Jesus is our only hope to becoming overcomers.
When faced with a situation that feels intimidating or impossible, it is not time to trip and fall. It is time to get ourselves out of the way and invite the Master Overcomer to come into the situation and help our unbelief.
YOU are an apprentice overcomer. Jesus is your teacher and Rabbi. He knows what to do. And He will show you.
As you watch what He says and does and follow closely in His steps, you will learn. You will grow. And you will discover how to step over that obstacle.
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” -1 John 4:4 (NIV)
“…for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” – 1 John 5:4-5 (NIV)
Friends, we have the best Mentor, Friend and Teacher available to us.
He is for us. He understands us. And He is always ready to help us.
My prayer for you (and myself) in this season is that we will continue to recognize the things that we are still tripping over. And that we will invite Jesus to train us to overcome each and every obstacle we encounter.
Take heart. He has overcome the world!
Blessings and love,
Pastor Kristi