We will continue in our victory series we started this month, and has been proclaimed by the Spirit of God that this month is a month of victory for us and we started in the first week of this month by looking at how we are established as God’s own, The Establishment of God’s Own. And the Holy Spirit took us on a journey in that particular message on how that we need three critical witnesses on the earth that certifies us as God’s own and number one is the blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, not the blood of bulls or goats or rams but the blood of Jesus Christ. And what does the blood do for us? The blood is our access, it washes and cleanses us of all iniquities. And we have access by the blood of Jesus.
Listen to Podcast: THE VICTORY OF OUR FAITH
And the second is the Word, and what does the word do for us? The Word is the water that washes us, it purges us, the word washes, it renews our mind and we are washed by the water of the word and the last is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of God is the seal upon our lives. How do you know you belong to God? There is a guarantee that God put on your life and that is the Spirit. And the Spirit of God is the seal upon our lives until the day of redemption. And last week we looked at the critical pillars of our victory and we were made to understand that the weapon of our warfare is not carnal but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting down every imagination and every other high thing that exalts himself against the knowledge of Christ and we will realize that there are six critical pillars that we need, we must put them on, to be able to stand in victory all the days of our lives and we were able to see six of them last week.
And today by the instruction of the Holy Spirit, we are going to another part of that series, titled The Victory of our Faith and our text for this series is 1st John chapter 5 verse 4, and we are going to read it again today, because it’s very instructive. 1st John chapter 5 verse 4, I will read it first in the New King James Version, I will read it in the Passion Translation, and God’s word.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our Faith.
1st John 5: 4
4 You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our Faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.
1st John 5: 4 TPT
In The Passion translation, it says,
You see, every child of God overcomes the world, for our Faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world. I am going to take it again, you see every child of God overcomes the world, every child and I want you to note this key word, overcomes the world, for our Faith is the victorious power that triumphs over the world.
4 because everyone who has been born from God has won the victory over the world. Our Faith is what wins the victory over the world.
1st John 5: 4 GW
In God’s word translation, He says, because everyone who have been born from God has won the victory over the world. Our Faith is what wins the victory over the world. Now if you look at this verse very closely, there are two or three things that we will be making emphasis and reference to in this verse, Number one, that phrase of ‘for whatever is born of God’ for whatever is born of God overcomes. What qualifies you, what qualifies us to be born of God? Who is that person that is qualified in this statement? ‘Whatever is born of God’. And he said ‘overcomes the world’. And he says, this is the victory that has overcome the world, our Faith. What is our Faith? Who is that person that is born of God? And what does it mean to overcome the world? The Holy Spirit will be leading us through this, in Jesus name.
Now I would love us to start by looking at what is our Faith? Because he said this is the victory that overcomes the world. For our Faith is the victorious power that triumph over the world. Our Faith is what wins the victory, so what is our Faith? I want us to go to Hebrews chapter 11, we want to look at what is our Faith? This Faith that wins the victory, this Faith that overcomes. Hebrews chapter 11, I will read from verse 1 to verse 4, then I will read verse 6
1 Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. 3 By Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. 4 By Faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
Hebrews 11:1-4
6 But without Faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Hebrews 11:6
Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things that are visible. That verse 3, let us into a mystery of Faith, verse 3 helps us to understand a mystery of Faith that is so key and important to us. When we say our Faith, what is the foundation of our Faith? What is the basis of our Faith? This Faith that triumphs, this Faith that overcomes, this Faith that is victorious, what is it about? It said, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and evidence of things not seen. We have said it many times but what does it mean? But what does it mean to us as believers? In our daily experiences, what does it mean?
Verse 3 says by Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. He said, by Faith. Faith brings us into an understanding. There is an understanding that Faith produces. Faith is resting on an understanding. There is a platform upon which Faith rest. So, you can’t say you have obtained Faith if you are not standing on that foundation. If that understanding is not clear, you are not in Faith. It said, by Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God and you ask me, the word of God how? How do we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God? And he now went further to say, so that, in essence, the things which are seen, the things that are tangible were not made of things that are visible. Simply he is saying that tangible things were made from invisible things.
Our Faith makes us to understand that the invisibility of God, the invisibility of God’s word produce the tangibility of our experiences. We understand that by Faith. That is the understanding on which our Faith is built. I want to read verse 4, He says By Faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. Verse 6, but without Faith it is impossible to please Him, who? God.
Remember we said in 1st John chapter 5 verse 4, that we will be making emphasis on some phrases. ‘Whatever is born of God’. Now He says, but without Faith, it is impossible to please God. Without Faith, it is impossible to be born of God. For he who comes to God, he that must be born of God must believe that God is, you must believe in the invisibility yet the tangibility of God. You must believe in the invisibility of the Godhead, yet in their tangible presence and evidences in your life. You must believe that God is and that He is a rewarder. Even though you cannot see him, he rewards those who diligently seek him, those that pant after God, those that long after God. Though invisible, they believe in the tangibility of his personality, those are the men and the women that are born of God who have Faith.
We are going back to 1st John chapter 5, please just follow and I trust that the Holy Spirit will make it clearer to us as we go along because this is not just the conventional one, we are not just talking about Faith, quoting Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1, that we quote, Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The Holy Spirit wants us to understand it in graphical terms. 1st John chapter 5, now I am going to read from verse 1 to 8; we are going to read those 8 verses and understand the sequence of it now.
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—[a]our Faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
1 John 5:1-8
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ, whoever believes, do you see your Faith? We are looking at what is our Faith? Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. So, we are asking the question. For whatever is born of God, who are this people? Now they are introducing us to them. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. So, if you love the word, if you love the son. You must also love the Father. He said, verse 2, By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
Verse 3, for this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our Faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? You know we are going back to verse 1 now. Now see verse 6, this is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. Verse 7, For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. May the Lord bless the reading of his word, in Jesus name.
Verse 8 was our emphasis when we were talking about the establishment of God’s own, what establishes you on the earth is this three that agree as one, the Spirit, the water and the blood but what establishes your Faith, what our Faith is built upon is in verse 7, for there are three that bear witness in heaven, your Faith is not of the earth, your Faith is as is in heaven. That’s why when Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray, He got to a point and he told them when you want to pray, pray in this manner. Matthew chapter 6 verse 10.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6: 10
So, what we are simply saying is that for your Faith to be grounded, you must believe in the invisibility, yet the tangibility of the trinity, the Father, the word and the Holy Spirit. If you believe just that the Father exists and you believe in the Son but not in the Holy Spirit, your Faith is not complete. That’s why Priscilla, Aquilla and her husband will take a man like Apollos and take him aside and say brother, you are passionate but your Faith is not yet founded correctly and they spoke to him about Jesus and the Holy Spirit and then, he was able to go on in that fire. See, the foundation of our Faith is in the agreement of the trinity.
In that verse 7, for these three bear witness in heaven, our Faith is not of the earth, it’s not in mundane things, our Faith is spiritual and it is heavenly and that is why our Faith must be in agreement of this three, He said, for these three bear witness in heaven- the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit. That is our Faith. Our Faith is in the belief of the invisibility yet the tangibility of the trinity, the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit. So everyone, when we talk about the victory that overcomes the world not the victory that overcomes the earth. Remember they are two different things. The world talks about a system. The earth is a territory. The victory that overcomes the world’s system is our Faith and you cannot overcome what is on the earth by what is of the earth. That’s why the Bible says that he that is above, is above all.
We must understand it. When Jesus was talking to his disciples in Matthew chapter 6 verse 10, let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. That prayer cannot be answered if you are not in Faith and what is that Faith, your belief in the invisibility yet the tangibility of the trinity, the love of the Father, the grace of the Word and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit- that is the foundation of our Faith. That’s why in Romans chapter 10 verse 27, the Bible says, Faith comes by hearing, you keep hearing about God, you keep hearing about his works, you keep hearing about the love of the Father, you keep hearing about the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, you keep hearing about the fellowship and the communion of the Holy Spirit. That is how Faith is being built because you will now start believing in the invisibility of the trinity, the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit. That is Faith.
That’s why the Bible says in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1, that now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen. What you are hoping for will become tangible but will be evidenced on things that are invisible. So, when we are talking about those that overcome, we are talking about those that cannot see yet believe. And that’s why I want us to see a Scripture in Matthew chapter 18, 18 to 20 which will help us to also see light in this. Matthew 18:18-20, Jesus made an emphatic statement that will help us to understand the basis of our Faith.
18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Matthew 18:18 -20
He said, assuredly I say to you, whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, why did he say this? If your Faith is of the earth, why should it be bound in heaven? He said assuredly, I say to you, whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. If your Faith is earthly, why do you need a heaven experience to make an earthly impact? Because your Faith is in heaven. I don’t know how best to put it but I trust the Holy Spirit to make you understand it, your Faith is not of the earth. Your Faith is heavenly, it is spiritual. Yes, that’s another way to put it. It’s spiritual. That’s why he said whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. So, this particular passage, Jesus is making us to understand something, I want us to read it further, again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in where? In heaven. Verse 20, for where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them.
What is Jesus saying to us here? He said, your Faith brings about a heaven on earth experience for you. So, Faith is about an experience. It’s about a life. And that life is premised on an understanding that we read in that Hebrews chapter 11 verse 3, for by Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God. By Faith! We understand heaven on earth experiences. We can’t explain it. Mortal man can’t receive it. It has to be by Faith. How do you explain to people that a man died on the earth, Jesus Christ and within the three days before his resurrection, he went to hell and stripped the devil of all powers and authority? How do you explain to a carnal man that the love of God that you cannot see is the reason you are breathing? How do you explain to a carnal man that when you pray in tongues and you connect in the spirit, you connect with realms and experiences that you cannot explain with words. It’s by Faith.
And the Bible says in that 1st John chapter 5 verse 4, every child of God overcomes the world-our Faith. This heaven on earth experience, this belief in the invisibility yet the tangibility of God is the reason why we have victorious power that triumphs over the world. The world’s system cannot understand our belief. We have such a belief system that for the world is foolishness. How can you just say you sit somewhere and you hear a voice talking to you, this is what you should do, you should be a self-made person. You should decide what you want to do and do it. Why should you be waiting for a voice? Why should a still small voice be leading and directing your life? But this is our Faith. And this is the Faith that overcomes the world. It brings the whole world to her knees. Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven. Now understand this, the Bible says, Jesus has been given a name that is above every other name. At the mention of the name of Jesus because understand what our Faith is, we have Faith in the trinity and we have Faith in the name of Jesus, the name that is above every other name.
Why is it that when you are a child of God, born of God, why is it that when you mention the name of Jesus, hell is set lose, demons tremble, the devil becomes uncomfortable because of our Faith in that name, when we agree. That is what Jesus was saying to us in Matthew chapter 18 verse 18- 20, He said where two or three of you shall agree concerning a thing on the earth, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven because the three, 1st John chapter 5 verse 7, agrees in one. The trinity agrees in one name. The Father is glorified in the name of Jesus. Jesus is the power and the wisdom of God and the Holy Spirit testifies of him. So, when we mention the name of Jesus, it’s not just an ordinary name. It’s an agreement, it’s a name that agrees the trinity and it brings us victory. It brings the world to his knees.
He said, whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, if you say there will be no rain, there will be no rain because we identify you on the earth as an Ambassador so heaven responds, heaven responds to your request on the earth because your Faith is in heaven. Your Faith links you to the heavens, your Faith connects you to the heavens where the real power is because the spiritual controls the physical. Romans chapter 8 verse 37-39;
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8 : 37 -39
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, for I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come, nor heights, nor depths, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us, look at it, from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. This affirms that the love of God, even it agrees in Christ Jesus and the Holy Spirit witness of it. So, we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. Our Faith is in the invisibility, yet tangible proofs of his power. Jesus is not in man, He is in God. Our Faith is not in mundane things, it’s not in structures, it’s not images. Our Faith is in the invisible trinity that agrees as one and gives us backing on the earth. So when we say we are conquerors, we are overcomers, understand we have a divine backing from heaven. That’s why if you are a believer, don’t be afraid of the activities of the devil. That’s why the Bible says, understand that greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Greater! Because your Faith is the platform in which God moves heaven in your life.
So, you are a heavenly ambassador. You are more than conquerors. Apostle Paul said, I am persuaded, there is nothing , nothing can separate us from this love because with Faith comes love. When you love somebody to a point, you believe the person no matter what the person does. That’s why you will hear the Apostles say things like, you know what I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live but this life you see me living, I live by Faith. I live by Faith, did you hear that? I live by Faith, I live believing in the invisibility yet the tangibility of God, by Faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I live by Faith. The just shall live by Faith and not by sight. We don’t live by what we see. We believe in the invisible. God says it, we believe it and that settles it. The reason why our Faith is the instrument? Jesus said something, I want us to see it, Luke 18: 8, Jesus said something very profound. Luke 18:8, Jesus said something in that particular verse that is so profound that we need to see it and hear it.
8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find Faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:8
I tell you, He was giving a parable about the persistent widow that kept going to a judge and see how he finished that parable in verse 8, I tell you he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes will he really Faith on the earth. Jesus was not concerned about other things, he didn’t say will he find church? He wasn’t saying whether he was going to find denominations. He wasn’t talking about whether he was going to find brethren, you know, assembling together. He said, will he find Faith? He said, when the Son of Man comes, will he really? Will he really find those that believe even though they have not seen, those that have been hearing that Jesus is coming and they have not seen him coming yet believe.
Those virgins that have their lamp and have extra oil, even though the bridegroom is tarrying, they still waiting, they are waiting with extra oil, with Faith that is dogged, they are waiting believing the invisible and know that it is still tangible. He said when He comes, will he really find that kind of Faith? Will he find believers, men and women that are born of God and they are still standing? Jesus was concerned about Faith and no wonder He said this is in Revelations chapter 2 verse 7. There are so many of it but I am going to read just a few of it. When he was talking to the seven churches, this is how He used to finish his statement with them , He started with the loveless church in Revelations chapter 2 verse 7;
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
Revelations 2 :7
He said, He who has an ear. What He is saying to them he is also saying to you. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, who is he that overcome? He that believes that Jesus Christ is Lord. He that believes in the invisibility and yet the tangibility of the Godhead. He that believes! He said, to him who overcomes, I will give to eat. Remember where we read in Hebrews chapter 11 verse 6, He said it is impossible without Faith to please God, for those who come to God must believe that He is and he is a rewarder. And listen to the reward, He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him, those that by Faith are following him every day. He said, to him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life which is in the midst of the garden of God. He that overcomes!
What was he talking about? Those that overcome the world, the believers that overcome the world system, those that are not consumed by the pressures of the lust of the eyes, of the lust of the flesh and of the pride of life, those that are not consumed by the world system but those that triumph over the world by Faith. This is the way you can triumph over the world, by Faith. What is your belief system? In whom do you belief? What do you believe? This are the things that will keep you standing, what you believe. In verse 17, he said to the compromising church.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ’
Revelations 2:17
He who has an ear, I love this intro. Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes. The reward is for those that overcome. That’s why He said, those that lay their hands on the plough, that started out in Faith and look back, they are unfit, that plough is your Faith. They that lay their hands on the plough, is not talking about a physical instrument, its talking about a spiritual instrument-your Faith. They that lay their hands on Faith and now turn back and say see I am not doing again, I am not believing anymore. He said, they are not fit for the kingdom. They are not fit. So, reward is for those that overcomes. He said, I will give some of the hidden manner to eat, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone, a new name written which no one except him who receives it.
He said, He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches, what is the spirit saying to the churches now? Build your Faith! Build your Faith! Build your Faith! That’s what the spirit is saying to the churches, overcome! Be an overcomer! In your daily walk, be an overcomer. In the assignment that God has given to you, be an overcomer. In your family, be an overcomer. You’ve been single this long and you are trusting God to be married. Don’t let the pressures of the world to triumph over you, triumph over the world by your Faith. Believe God, your husband is coming. You’ve been barren for this long and God said, you will carry your own child, and they are saying come and take this, come and take that. Believe God, you will triumph over the world by your Faith. You are trusting God for resources and it looks as if it’s not coming, you are still where you used to be. Believe God, you will triumph over the world by your Faith.
What do you believe? In whom do you believe? Remember that Scripture in Matthew 18: 18-20, It said when two of you shall agree, concerning a thing, it will be done. And that is so instructive. It will be done. My Father in heaven will do it for you because you believe. Do you believe in God? Do you believe in the love of God for you? Do you believe in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ towards you? Do you believe in the fellowship and the communion of the Holy Spirit? Do you believe that you will hear a voice behind you saying that this is the way walk in it? Do you believe in the leadership of the Holy Spirit? This is the victory of our Faith. Our
