Articles
Power to Overcome
Many people are aware of the story of how Jesus was crucified and buried, but then arose to live again; this is the foundation of the gospel message (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Some refuse to believe, though the evidence is there and it is sufficient to cause one to believe (John 20:30, 31); others see and read the evidence recorded in Scripture and are convicted. Those who accept the truth of the evidence given and who then follow the Lord’s commands and words regarding the means of obtaining forgiveness (cf. Mark 16:16) are those who are added to the church by the Lord (Acts 2:47) and who now have the hope of eternal life in heaven.
For those who are now disciples and believers — Christians — we enjoy “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3), and that goes beyond the initial forgiveness of our sins. But every one of the blessings enjoyed by those who are in Christ can be traced back to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, and His subsequent resurrection. These things proved Him to be the Son of God, as He claimed to be, but there are a few things that demonstrate the power of Jesus to overcome — a power enjoyed by those who are His because He did overcome. How so?
He Overcame Every Temptation. We may be familiar with the story of the temptation of Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 4:1-11. The story opens with Matthew telling us, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.” It is after this “the tempter came to Him” [“the devil” = “the tempter”], and tempted Jesus to make bread out of stones, to ‘test’ the Scriptures by throwing Himself off of the pinnacle of the temple, and to bow to him in order to receive all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. We may also know that Jesus answered every temptation of the devil by beginning with the statement, “It is written.” In this and every other occasion, Jesus overcame every temptation and did not sin.
According to a 2022 American Bible Society poll, 40% of people polled aged 18-25 said they believe “Jesus Christ was human and committed sins, like other people.” Despite the upcoming generations’ perception of Jesus — which demonstrates a clear ignorance of what the Bible teaches — Jesus did not sin. John tells us plainly, “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin” (1 John 3:5). The writer of Hebrews adds, “Jesus the Son of God…was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:14, 15). Peter concurs, reminding us “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth’” (1 Pet. 2:21, 22). Let’s be clear: Jesus overcame every temptation and did not sin. Ever.
We have power to overcome every temptation. Though some may argue, we have the same power to overcome every temptation! Let us not forget the promise of God’s word: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). But we know all of us have sinned, and even Christians still will sin (1 John 1:8, 10). The problem is not an inability; the problem is an unwillingness. If we take the “way of escape” for every temptation — using God’s written word — then we, too, can overcome. We have the power to overcome temptation, and it is not in and of ourselves. Christ gave us that power, and it is up to each one of us to use it as it was intended.
He Overcame Death. Because Jesus lived a sinless life, He could be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, “as of a lamb unblemished and spotless” (1 Pet. 1:19). But we also know that Jesus did not remain in the grave. Again, the core message of the gospel included the fact “that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:4), and “He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once…After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by” Paul (1 Cor. 15:5-8). But Jesus foretold this, telling the people, “I lay down My life that I may take it again” (John 10:17), and telling the apostles three times that He would “be killed, and be raised the third day” (Matt. 16:21). It was by His resurrection from the dead He was “declared to be the Son of God with power” (Rom. 1:4).
Without a doubt, Jesus had the power to overcome death, and the writer of Hebrews adds that it was “through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14, 15). Jesus overcame both death, and the one who held its power — the devil. [I see a pattern…]
We have power to overcome death. When God created man, we can know through some logical reasoning of the Scriptures (cf. Gen. 3:23; Gen. 2:16) that the intent was for man to live forever, but the entrance of sin into the world ended that possibility — until Christ came and overcame death! It is by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead that those who are Christ’s have the hope of one day overcoming death, too.
The apostle Paul, in writing to refute the idea among even some believers that there was no such thing as resurrection from the dead, first addressed the obvious consequences of such a position (1 Cor. 15:12-19), and then addressed the assurance God’s people have because Jesus was raised from the dead: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death” (1 Cor. 15:20-26).
The point of Paul’s words here is to give assurance to those who are Christ’s that there will most certainly be a resurrection of the dead because Christ was raised. As Paul said, Jesus was “the firstfruits” — the first to be raised and not die again, but only the first; many more would follow. As Paul wrote here by Divine inspiration, “in Christ all shall be made alive.” For those in Christ, it is certain that we will be raised to live again — changed, yes (1 Cor. 15:51-53), but alive again! We have the power — through Christ alone — to overcome death!
The question now is this: Do you have the power to overcome? Have you overcome the tempter “by the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 12:11)? Do you continue, as a Christian, to overcome temptations by the “way of escape” God has provided [His written word]? Do you have, and will you have in the end, the power to overcome death, to be raised up with Christ and to be delivered to the Father to dwell with them in eternity?
You can have this power to overcome, but it can only be found in and through Christ. — Steven Harper
