Mensa Otabil - Born to Overcome
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Welcome to day number 17 of our 40 Days of Power. We are talking about overcoming limitations this week, and we’re in 1 John 5:4 — 5: «For whatever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world-our faith.» Who is He who overcomes the world? But he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. God is the source of our victory; He is the originator of our victory, and we overcome because of who He is to us. The scripture says those who are born of God overcome the world. The world here refers to the age and the systems that we live in-everything that we consider powerful in this age; that is the world. We overcome them because we are born of God.
So, what does it mean when we say something is born of God or whatever is born of God? Three things: First, for something to be born of God means it is inspired by God. To be inspired means it is God-breathed; God has breathed into it. That is how God created us in the beginning-He breathed into us. But He doesn’t just breathe into us; God also breathes into ideas and into things that we do. Whatever is God -breathed, whatever God has inspired, will overcome this world. So, if God gives you an inspired idea, an inspired concept, and you work with it, that idea-because it’s inspired by God-will overcome the world. Whatever is born of God overcomes the world; that’s the first thing: inspired by God.
Secondly, to be born of God means to be initiated by God. That means God originates it; God is the one who operates it. When something is born of God, it means that we see Him as the source of it. We recognize this is a God idea; this is not just my idea. This is God’s work, this is God’s concept, this is God’s church, this is God’s business. Once we know that He is the initiator behind what we do and we recognize Him to be so, that thing is born of God. It may be a business, it may be a concept, but it’s born of God, and because it is initiated by God, it will overcome the world. It doesn’t mean there will be no problems; there will be challenges. But if it’s initiated by God, it will overcome this world. So, no matter the battle you go through, you are guaranteed victory because what you’re doing is God-breathed and God-initiated.
Thirdly, to be born of God means to be inhabited by God. That means God lives in it; it makes room for God or allows God to operate in it. You know, many times we do things and we shut God out of them. We don’t want Him to be part of it; we don’t want Him to be part of our finances, our marriage, or our careers. But if you want to overcome, then you have to open your career to God, and open your marriage to God, and open your business to God, and open your finances to God. For it to overcome, it must be born of God.
The final thought that John leaves us with is that this is the victory that overcomes the world — our faith. Faith is hearing God’s word, speaking God’s word, and doing God’s word. So, in the midst of all the challenges facing us, you have to endeavor to walk by faith and not by fear. You have to endeavor to walk by faith and not by sight. Don’t be shaken by anything you hear, because if you’re going to overcome the world, you have to do it by faith. You have to do it by the hearing of the word, by the declaration of the word, and by acting on the word of God. If you do that, then whatever you start will overcome the world.
Let us pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, I overcome because I’m born of God. By faith, I rise above every challenge. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»