To overcome is not to attain some marvelous spiritual stature to which only the most extraordinary individuals could aspire. Overcoming is a simple, direct, day-to-day process. It is the normal Christian experience.

We either are a winner or a loser.

The Lord Jesus advised us we should deal with the evil presented to us each day, that the next day would take thought for the things of itself.

Each day, each disciple of the Lord is given a daily portion of evil to overcome. The evil is a challenge to our peace, our rest in the Lord. The challenge may be something new or surprising or it may be a constant irritation we have dealt with for many years.

It may be a severe temptation or a blazing dart of accusation from a close friend or church member. In this case, if we do not go immediately to the Lord our whole personality may be set on fire with the spirit of Hell.

God permits the evil to come against us so we may learn obedience and be transformed into the image of Christ and pressed into union with Him. If we would obtain the good that God has in mind for us we must take every such burden immediately to God in prayer, asking Him to remove it or else give us wisdom in dealing with it.

As we attempt to give to the Lord Jesus the irritation, pain, or lust of our challenges, the adamic nature desires instead to grumble and fight or to act in some other sinful manner. When we do not yield to our animal nature and instead begin to seek the Lord's peace, His grace enters us and we are transformed into His image and pressed into union with Him. Thus a part of us is crucified and in its place is created the resurrection Life of the Lord.

Our adamic nature much prefers to yield to unlawful desire, or to blame people, or circumstances, or even God for our discomfiture, our pain, our frustration. But when we yield to such enticement we bring the darkness of evil into our personality. When we force our way out of the prison God puts us in we destroy what God is accomplishing in us.

When we indulge in the luxury of blaming people, our husband or wife for example, or our circumstances, we do not grow in the Lord; instead we grow in bitterness and anger. We criticize others or seek revenge.

The same lust that destroys the defeated believer produces Christ in the conqueror as he overcomes the lust through Christ. The same fear and worry that drive joy from the double-minded church member create faith and power in the victorious saint. The same pain that causes the overcomer to grow in Christ results in bitterness, resentment, and hardness of heart in the nonovercomer, the defeated Christian.

God expects every Christian to be an overcomer. The rewards we normally associate with the Christian life are given to the overcomer, not to the defeated church member.

There is no authority or power in Heaven above, or on the earth, or in the dark regions beneath the surface of the earth, that can prevent the Christian from leading the victorious life each day of his pilgrimage on the earth. We can be perfect each day although we have not as yet been perfected.

The only forces that can prevent the life of victory are our own unbelief, disobedience, and stubbornness. God has made every provision. Christ is making intercession. But we are the ones who decide each day to overcome the evil or else to give in to evil and to blame and manipulate others, seeking to force our will in order to regain our happiness.

The just live by simple faith in God in all matters. The unjust take matters into their own hands as they seek to determine their own circumstances and destiny.

Look to the Lord and He will give you peace. Let go and let God! (from The Conqueror)