VICTORY: CONQUERING

We are excited as we come to Pentecost Sunday.  Jesus had told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem, and they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be Jesus’ witnesses to the entire world.  It was a dramatic moment that would transform the disciples, win over 3000 souls to follow Jesus, and change the world.  The power of the Holy Spirit is still at work in our lives.  At times, it comes in a dramatic moment of a miracle, or a life change, or simply the confirmation that Jesus is the Lord of all.  Our series for this season is Victory!   It is based on the victorious moment of resurrection when the power of death is broken, the strength of sin is sapped, and the fires of hell are quenched with grace and love!  The final sermon in this series is Conquering, based on 1 John 5:1-12.  The word “victory” occurs in almost every chapter of this small letter to these early believers.  So, we can imagine they were feeling beaten, doubtful, and defeated. We can certainly understand this; we also experience these things within our lives.  While these words are not as dramatic as the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, they have a clear and compelling power to help us engage the spiritual battle before us.  John is inspired by the Holy Spirit to lift our vision to an enduring and eternal victory that conquers the fragile and fleeting powers of this world!  Yet, victory depends on what you believe and on whom you are willing to trust.  We pray that you sense the power of the Holy Spirit lifting you above the confusion, chaos, and clamoring voices of this world to the clarity of God’s power and presence as you read 1 John 5:1-12.

1 John 5:1-12: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. ² This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. ³ In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, ⁴ for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. ⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood —Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three that testify: ⁸ the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. ⁹ We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.