1 John 5:4–5: “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?”

August 21st, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

John says here that those “born of God overcome the world.” This was an incredible claim when one considers what the world was like to the original readers of this letter. Roman Caesars ruled the known western world, and theirs was the only earthly kingdom in power, besides the invisible kingdom of God. There was no middle-of-the-road position allowed, either Jesus was Lord or Caesar was Lord.

John asks, “Who is he that overcomes?” and he answers that it is the person who has faith, who believes in Jesus Christ. Only men and women who have been born again, born of faith, will be over-comers. John uses the word “overcome” three times, letting us know that there is a real conflict going on, a real battle being fought. Certainly there is an invisible, unseen war raging between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. John wrote these words to inform us, the children of God, that everything necessary for victory has already been given to us. Do we believe it? Do we live that way?

Norman Vincent Peale wrote in his book, Power of the Plus Factor, about a tattoo parlor in Hong Kong:

Once walking through the twisted little streets of Kowloon in Hong Kong, I came upon a tattoo studio. In the window were displayed samples of the tattoos available. On the chest or arms you could have tattooed an anchor or flag or mermaid or whatever. But what struck me with force were three words that could be tattoed on one’s flesh, Born to lose. I entered the shop in astonishment and, pointing to those words, asked the Chinese tattoo artist, “Does anyone really have that terrible phrase, Born to lose, tattooed on his body?” He replied, “Yes, sometimes.” “But,” I said, “I just can’t believe that anyone in his right mind would do that.” The Chinese man simply tapped his forehead and in broken English said, “Before tattoo on body, tattoo on mind.”¹

“LORD, we choose to believe You and take You at Your word today. Help us to walk as over-comers this day, in Jesus’ name.”

¹Norman Vincent Peale, Power of the Plus Factor (Fleming H Revell Co, 1987),p. 63.