Nicholas Moore 10/14/09
We often hear the word "overcome" and a myriad of thoughts and emotions run through our minds ranging from the human degradation of slavery to modern uprisings throughout our planet as the proletariat strive for equal rights on every front. MLK, Ghandi, Mother Teresa and Lech Walesa are just a few internationally recognized individuals that possessed powerful "overcoming spirits."
But in the mind and heart of a Believer, the ultimate "overcomer" is Christ Jesus. The word overcome is a "kerygmatic" word (one possessing an emphatic declaration of authority, power and influence) that urges the individual to "go and TAKE the VICTORY." The Greek word for overcome is "hettao" Gr: #2274 (hayt-tah-o): which means to vanquish; to struggle against (over); to control, to subjugate; exercise dominion over; to conquer, to prevail and to get the victory.
There appears to be a dual meaning to this word; a part of the definition states, "to be inferior, " to be completely overcome by (someone or something); to bow (down) together (in submission to another). In this, I see a causative effect; the first requirement is to submit to God's authority by seeing what God sees and the effect is that you will be "overcome" by His love, grace and mercy!
It is critical to understand that overcoming will not be absent of fear. "Uncertainty" is the thing that we are most afraid of. Overcoming, in essence, is conquering that thing that our senses cannot detect in the "physical" realm. Fear paralyzes us and it bridles our faith. it is necessary to maintain the proper "spiritual" posture in the Presence of God.
Jesus walks on the Sea in (Matt. 14:22-33) and we witness how fear cripples the ability of the disciples to "hear" Christ and overcome the situation. The disciples couldn't hear Christ because they "heard" the boisterousness of the wind and the waves crashing against the boat. Fear set in among them. The men had to be saying, "My faith is not lining up with what I'm seeing! My present reality (in the flesh) is keeping me from the Presence of God's realities (thereby allowing me to walk on the sea as well). That CANNOT be Him walking on top of the water! Nobody can do that! How could He have overcome gravity?"
Herein lies the psychology of the flesh. The first reaction is fear, then disbelief and finally, doubt. Peter asked Jesus if it was Him, to beckon him to "come." Jesus said "Come" (which was an open invitation for anyone who would "hear" Him to actually "overcome" and walk on the sea with Him). Notice, Jesus did not say, "Come Peter," He just said, "Come!"
What Jesus was really saying was "Overcome!" He was saying to the men, "Who was it that told you to come?" (If you BELIEVED in ME, ALL of you would have come to ME). How many of us are just like the disciples? How many of us hear the call of the Lord God and take our sweet time responding? How many of us who "know" Him are eager to serve Him? How many of us recognize the power in His words?
Fear causes us to STOP MOVING (or overcoming); and when we stop moving, WE SINK! Jesus' finally thought as He watched Peter go under the water may have been, "You stopped moving because you think I'm dead!" Selah...
"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith." (1 John 5:4)
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