Overcome? Then Overcome!

“False prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep…

“The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.

“Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones… But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed.., suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed… Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray…

“These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm… Speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” 2 Peter 2:1-3,9-10,12-15a,17-19

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.” 1 John 2:15-16; 3:9

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

So many words of scripture are intended for the weary soul. Man strives and struggles and slogs and suffers, and often does not recognize the source of his slavery to misery. Tainted flesh untethered by the Spirit always gravitates to sin. Once so inclined, gravitation becomes captivation that cannot be shaken alone. Jesus came to overcome sin and death so we can overcome what stands against God.

Deceptive and numerous are the heresies and empty promises of worldly pleasure vendors. They entice and exploit with incessant allures, and we can feel overcome, weakened to the point of exasperation, exhaustion, and failure. God’s warnings expose their vapid enticements and bid us not to be overcome, but in Christ to overcome. (Philippians 4:13; Titus 2:11-12)

What desires or habits enslave us? Of what have we made idols by addiction, affection, or refusal to life without? If we honestly assess our dependencies, do we recognize the shackles of self-will, cell phones, material comforts, avoidance of conflict? Will we confess and give up what controls us, and claim Christ’s power to break the chains? Overcoming in His name and resurrection power is possible, and freeing. (Luke 22:42-44)

Father, help me recognize and refuse the devil’s wiles, and overcome with good that honors You.