Articles
The Born Again Overcoming Sin
One that has been "born again" (John 3:3-5; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; I Peter 1:3-4, 22-23) needs to live their life in such a way as to overcome the world (I John 2:15-17). Let's look at some other things that will help Christians overcome the world.
Fear the Lord. The Wise Man said, "And by the fear of the Lord one keeps away from evil" (Proverbs 16:6b). Fearing the Lord is not being afraid of Him. Being afraid is being scared or timid or cowardly; distrusting our future; being apprehensive. Fearing the Lord is simply showing honor or respect for or reverence to God and that means that we obey His every command. Again Solomon said, "fear God and keep His commandments" (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Remember that God sees all. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place watching the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3). Would you say that or go to that place if the Lord Himself were with you? Remember - HE IS!
Watch the company we keep. "Be not deceived: evil communications (companions, NASB) corrupt good manners" (I Corinthians 15:33). Is this really true? Israel was led astray by their association with the idolatrous Canaanites (Deuteronomy 20:17-18). Solomon was led astray by his idolatrous wives (Nehemiah 13:26). Do you have a hard time overcoming the temptation to drink alcohol? Then, stay away from the bars and folks that drink. Do you have a hard time giving up the drugs? Stay away from the people that you know that sell or use drugs. Do you have a difficult time remaining faithful to your spouse? Stay home where you belong and act like a married person.
Keep busy doing good. It's not enough to just not do evil, we must replace doing evil with doing good. The apostle Paul says, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). Folks that keep themselves busy doing good things don't have the time to get into trouble. God's people are "zealous of good works" (Titus 2:14).
We must be constantly examining ourselves. "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" (II Corinthians 13:5). Too many spend all their time examining others. Instead, we must be constantly aware of ourselves. Are we practicing what we preach? "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed" (James 1:22-25).
God has blessed us with many ways to overcome the world. Are you overcoming? “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13.
