O is for OVERCOME

There is no barrier too big, no religion to strong, no heart too hard for the power of the Lamb to overcome. We walk daily in his authority and victory.

Jesus, the Slain One, overcame the enemy, sin and death. He is the only hope of the nations, and he calls us to walk in his victory as we die daily to ourselves.

He calls us to persevere in him, yet he does not call us to labor for him toward victory. He has already won the victory. He calls us to overcome—and actually says we have overcome (I John 4:4, 5:4). It is from the position of overcoming, that we labor with him—whether on the mission field or supporting mission in some other capacity.

We have faith that he has already overcome the world and every barrier to his glory filling the whole earth must therefore come down. But how do we walk it out?

I was reminded of this at a weekly prayer time we have at Frontier Ventures. We were crying out for the Gospel to break forth in the midst of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As we gathered in small groups to pray, a friend confessed, "Sometimes I just don't know how to have hope in these situations. The conflict—the enmity between them—feels hopeless. It's hard to pray into the issues with a sense that it can change." I was struck by his vulnerability and also troubled by his comment.

In my brain, at least, I know that with God all things are possible. Yet, I still felt troubled, so I asked Him what he thought of my friend's comment. How do we pray with hope?

The Lord gave me a picture of a hand extended, palm up. In it was a pile of seeds. The hand scattered the seeds, casting them to the furthest corners of the earth. I knew in my heart it was a picture of John 12:24:

"Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds."

I felt the Lord reminding me that we do face humanly impossible challenges in the world. The task of world evangelization alone is daunting, not to mention the reality that the world is full of conflict and brokenness and obstacles to his Kingdom come. Yet, he says, "Take heart, for I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). He could easily send forth laborers into the harvest field who were longer living for themselves but for him who overcame.

I was filled with faith to pray. I was filled with belief that he would send provision for mission, which can sometimes seem like a neglected focus in the church. I was filled with encouragement that he doesn't view our problems the way we do, but overcame with a sense of joy at the reward set before him (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus is the real pioneer! He has more than enough strategies, plans and provision to see that his dreams for us and for every nation are fulfilled. He gives us faith that lifts us out of the daily plowing and to-do lists and reminds us that he goes before us.

He accomplisheshis salvation and shalom through his surrendered ones—through those who did not love their lives but gave them up (2 Corinthians 5:14)—that all might praise his glorious wisdom in accomplishing the impossible through his little seeds, his children, and through the overcoming power of his love.

May testimony arise among all nations of his overcoming love, through his overcoming ones.

This blog post was written by Jonathan Pon, Creative Director at Frontier Ventures