Overcoming the World: by Andrew Murray

 

Faith that overcomes the world “Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God” 1 John 5:5

Christ had spoken strongly on the world hating Him. His Kingdom and the kingdom of this world were in deadly hostility. John had understood the lesson, and summed up all in the words:” We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the wickedness.” “Love not the world, nor the things that are of the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

John also teaches us what the real nature and power of the world is: the lust of the flesh, with its self-pleasing; the lust of the eyes, with its seeing and seeking what there is in the glory of the world; and the pride of life, with its self-exaltation. We find these three marks of what the world is in Eve in Paradise. She “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise.” Through the body, and the pride of wisdom, the world acquired the mastery over her and over us.

The world still exerts a terrible influence over the Christian who does not know that in Christ he has been crucified to the world. In the pleasure in eating and drinking, in the love and enjoyment of what there is to be seen of its glory, and in all that constitutes the pride of life, the power of this world proves itself. And most Christian are either utterly ignorant of the danger of a worldly spirit, or feel themselves utterly impotent to conquer it.

Christ left us with the great far-reaching promise: “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” As the child of God abides in Christ and seeks to live the heavenly life in the power to the Holy Spirit, he may confidently count on the power to overcome the world.” “Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” “I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me”; this is the secret of daily, hourly victory over the world and all its secret, subtle temptation. But it needs a heart and a life entirely possessed by the faith of Jesus Christ to maintain the victor’s attitude at all times. Dear Christian, take time to ask whether you do with your whole heart believe in the victory that faith gives over the world. Put your trust in the mighty power of God, in the abiding presence of Jesus, as the only pledge of certain and continual victory. “Do you believe this?” Yes, Lord, I believe.