PART 1 I AM AN OVERCOMER

Introduction

Many people that are showing up or no longer attending church have a desire for God’s love, joy and peace to be operational in their lives on a consistent basis but are unable to see this become a reality.?

Issues and teachings may have occurred that have caused personal injury and an unreasonable exercise of power, such as:

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●There were no repercussions implemented when someone in leadership is caught committing a publicly known egregious sin (e.g., adultery, fornication, extortion, homosexuality, drunkenness, etc.).

●Being coerced to sell your home or property and giving all the proceeds to the church.

●Having to be baptized in water after repenting of your sins to God the Father and professing belief in Christ as to who He is and what He has accomplished to complete the salvation process and become a member of said church.

●Proving that you have become born-again by exercising the gift of speaking in tongues.

●Not depriving God of His financial due by mandating the giving of 10% of your income.

●The teachings of the church are absolute truth and anyone who questions such will be considered divisive and asked to leave.

●Family members and friends who aren’t church members are to be disassociated with.

●The personal sins of believers whose indiscretions were addressed in private will be made public.

●Members will be pointed out in church services if they haven’t attended faithfully and will be asked to explain why they didn’t show up.

●Participation in church functions? is mandatory.

●Having been taken advantage of sexually or financially by someone in leadership.

●Been told that only God will handle a leader’s indiscretion and mind one’s own business.

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In this atmosphere, it’s unlikely that the teachings concerning developing the qualities of the fruit of the Spirit are being expressed in the messages from the pulpit. What sin is, is convoluted. Specific sinful actions are, in certain instances, condoned. Obedience to church authority is unequivocal. God’s presence is thwarted corporately and individually.

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No wonder God’s love, joy, and peace isn’t effectual in our lives. We’re so preoccupied with all that’s going on around us that God’s viewpoint and power is neglected or negated. Hopefully, this book will help you reestablish your fellowship with God and learn how to overcome those personality traits, inclinations, weaknesses, lusts, or passions that are part of our sinful nature and inhibit our relationships with ourselves, God, and others.

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There are those, I’m sure, who, after reading this book, will believe that I advocate that everyone become church-independent. This isn’t my goal or intention. I hope each believer will begin to apply the principles in this book and be able, through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit’s power and guidance, to put his or her spiritual life back on track.

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Philippians 2: 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.??

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The Apostle Paul instructed the Philippians believers to work out their own salvation. The words work out in Koine Greek mean to put into practice in their daily [living] what God had worked in them by His Spirit.1 At salvation, each believer has received the Holy Spirit along with additional blessings, such as we’re: seated together with Christ in heavenly places, complete in Him, made the righteousness of God in Christ, etc. What inhibits these spiritual realities from becoming effectual in our experience is the inability to work out our salvation. These words refer not to justification but sanctification, victory over sin and the living of a life pleasing to the Lord Jesus.2

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For godliness to be expressed in our lives, we need to recognize the divine qualities of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and appropriate and put them into practice. Spiritual growth begins with us. And as we advance spiritually, we’ll become aware of teachings that enhance our walk with God and those that don’t. Then, we’ll be able to make the right decisions as to whether we should continue to co-labor in a particular assembly or receive spiritual direction to go somewhere else.

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Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

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May, as you read this book, become an overcomer in your experience so that all that God has made you to be at salvation will be evidenced in your circumstances and interactions with other people.

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Where Do We Begin?

Let’s start by taking a look at some fundamental scriptural truths.

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●We’re all born with an old, sinful nature.

This contains lusts, desires, weaknesses, inclinations, and passions, which can be the basis for good deeds and the sins of the mental attitude, the tongue, and the overt actions.

Matthew 15:18-19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

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●Salvation is based on two things: repentance of sins to God the Father and belief in His Son, Jesus Christ.

The unbeliever proclaims that they’re a sinner and expresses the desire to turn from their evil ways.

They profess belief in Christ as the God-man, who pre-existed time, coexisting eternally with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, and came to earth and took upon Himself the form of a man, died on the cross, paying the penalty for the sins of all humanity and forgiving all of them, rose from the dead on the third day, never to die again, and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father, which causes them to receive the indwelling Holy Spirit and a bundle of spiritual blessings, thus becoming born-again.

Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

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●One of the blessings received at salvation is the believer becoming a new creature, i.e., a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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●The Holy Spirit wants to teach us personally about who Christ is and who we are in respect to His church.

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? ? ?

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:??? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? ?

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Ephesians 2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

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●After receiving the Holy Spirit’s indwelling, we should allow Him to exercise control upon our souls.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

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●The Holy Spirit wants to regulate our lives so that we’ll manifest His spiritual qualities of character.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.????

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●The main reason why we’re not able to exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives is because we allow our old sinful nature to remain in control of our thoughts, words, and actions.

Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

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●How is the Holy Spirit allowed to have control of our souls?

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Through Confession of Sin

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

As we learn to recognize sin (mental, verbal, and overt) in our lives, we must confess it to God the Father. This will restore lost fellowship with Him in time, recover the filling of the Holy Spirit, and remove the misery of the soul through reaping what we sow. And if we’ve sinned against someone, we should also go to them and acknowledge it.

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Learning, Memorizing, and Applying God’s Word

Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:????? ?? ? ? ??

1 John 2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

We should learn and memorize God’s Word because it reveals to us the mind of Christ. Then, we should meditate upon it throughout the day. As trials and testings come before us, hopefully, we’ll think with and express God’s prescription for the issue at hand, thus developing the fruit of the Holy Spirit, which has been placed in our spirit by the Holy Spirit.

Now that you’re aware of some basic truths, what we’ll talk about next are called strongholds. What are these, you ask? Let’s find out in the next chapter.

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Endnotes

1Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament, 2000, 28 December 2023?https://www.biblesoft.com >.

2Weust’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament Pc Study Bible version 5, 2005, 28 December 2023

?https://www.biblesoft.com >.

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