To him that overcometh . . .

Being a forgiver is a basic requirement to be an overcomer. But forgiving others can be done out of compulsion, if a Christian does it merely because he knows that God requires it. In other words, it might be possible to forgive without actually agreeing with God in the matter. Likewise, a person might be obedient, submitting to the will of God, and yet not agree with His will. And two people who disagree can only walk together if there is unconditional love between them. Unconditional love does not mean that they are in agreement. Hence, all of the earlier requirements that we have listed are really things that we must learn while we walk the earth as God’s servants. Agreement is not so much a lesson to be learned as a state of being in which we walk by nature. Genesis 2:24 says,24 For this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.For some, the idea of becoming “one flesh” is purely a physical, sexual encounter. For those with more understanding, they see that it also indicates being of one mind and soul. But there is something even deeper to this. It is becoming one spirit. Yet on all three levels, the foundational concept set forth is unity, or agreement.For this reason Jesus Christ left His Father (Yahweh) and Mother (El Shaddai) and came to earth to “cleave to His wife.” (This is not to say that Yahweh, El Shaddai, and Jesus are different individual Gods, as some may think. This is not the place for such discussion, but in a manner of speaking, to fulfill Gen. 2:24, Jesus had to come to earth where His bride lived in order to become “one flesh” with her.)Logabe

An overcomer is one who is in agreement with God. Agreement is the most important ingredient of a New Covenant marriage depicted by Sarah, the freewoman.In Galatians 4:22-31 the apostle Paul speaks of the two covenants as being depicted by Hagar and Sarah—that is, the bondwoman and the freewoman. In biblical times there were two distinct kinds of marriage. If a man married a bondwoman, they had more of a master-servant relationship. Such a wife had fewer rights and certainly had no voice in making any family decisions. Her husband may have granted her that privilege, but he was under no obligation to do so.This is a Hagar-type marriage covenant. It describes also the relationship that Israel had with God when they were married at Mount Sinai. It was an Old Covenant marriage, and in Exodus 19:5 Israel had to swear to be obedient to God as her Husband. Israel became God’s servant-wife. This is not bad, but neither is it fully the kind of marriage relationship that God wants with His people. He is looking for more, and that is why He built into His plan the fact that He would eventually divorce Israel (Jer. 3:8) and make a New Covenant that was based upon better things.The New Covenant is portrayed by Sarah, the freewoman. A marriage based upon the New Covenant is not built around the idea of obedience, but the idea of agreement. When a married couple is in agreement, what need is there to speak of obedience? It would be irrelevant, because there is no further need to command one’s spouse to do something. Authority is exercised only when there is a lack of agreement, and the one in authority must order the other to do his will.For this reason, God has no intention of marrying non-overcomers. An overcomer is one who is in agreement with God (Jesus Christ). An overcomer knows His mind or seeks until he knows it. And when he discovers the will of God, he finds himself in agreement—or continues to seek understanding until he finally comes into perfect agreement with Him. In the course of learning and spiritual development, of course, the overcomer may not understand the mind of God immediately, but meanwhile, he will obey as a good servant. But he is not satisfied simply to do the will of God. He is driven to seek to understand the mind of God until he comes to full agreement.To disagree with God is to lack understanding. If we could see the universe as God sees it, we would all understand why God does what He does, and there would be no disagreement. The problem is that we do not view the world with the divine perspective. This does not automatically change as soon as a person accepts Jesus Christ and is justified by faith in a Passover experience. Neither does a person come into full agreement with Him when he is filled with the Spirit through the Feast of Pentecost. It requires a person to develop spiritually into a Tabernacles relationship, “that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19).Thus, when we apply the Old and New Covenant marriage principle to Christian individuals, it becomes apparent that when we first come to Christ, we are not suddenly spiritually mature. Our relationship with Christ begins as a master-servant relationship, even as that seen with the House of Israel in the Old Testament. We must learn obedience first, because that is the first step in our growth.Logabe

"Do you know what God is calling you to overcome?"I am sure I will be called to overcome lots of things in my life. Right now Jesus is helping me to overcome fear that my family has put in me. He is teaching me that I can't fear everything because I can't do his will if I fear. 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."Have you done it?"I'm in the process."Do you think you will do it?"Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

The function of the divine law is to give us basic principles and guidelines that are written down and applicable to all men. We are then admonished to be led by the Spirit, so that we may come to understand the mind of God and learn to apply those written principles properly. Israel under Moses was given a written law, but this was no substitute for following the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night—both of which represented the Holy Spirit’s leading. Neither did the Holy Spirit’s leading contradict what God had written in the law. Both came from the same Source and have always been in agreement.Thus, the purpose of a believer’s spiritual growth is to begin with obedience and end with agreement. I would also go so far as to say that no man apart from Jesus Himself has ever been able to bypass the obedience stage, because no man starts out always in full agreement with God. This was as true before the cross as it is afterward. And thus, while we claim to be under the New Covenant even today, it is more accurate to say that this is our goal, rather than what we have attained.This is also why John spoke of the “marriage supper of the Lamb” as if it were yet future (Rev. 19:9). God has no intention of marrying any body of people in a New Covenant marriage until they are in agreement with Him. He married a Hagar at Sinai, but He will only marry a Sarah the second time. This is why only the overcomers will inherit the first resurrection to rule with Him (Rev. 20:4-6). A Sarah wife has tremendous authority in a New Covenant marriage, because she does only what her Husband does. She exercises her authority as if it was Him doing it—and it IS Him doing it, because they have become “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24).Logabe

(TallMan;64367)
Do you know what God is calling you to overcome?Have you done it?Do you think you will do it?
1 John 5:4-54 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NKJVThe children of God have been born again of the Spirit by God and they have already overcome this world in Christ.Richard

I think i struggle alot, but I think i will eventually pull through.

"Does any other member of this forum have anything to say about what the most essential thing for a Christian is?"To have wisdom. Knowledge is a collection of information but without realizing what to do with it, one has nothing. Wisdom will allow one to experience Christianity as a way of life and not just a religion. This is the foundation and all else branches off of it.Blessings to ALL who love Father,Cedarhart

(TallMan;64861)
Thanks Kahtre.Does any other member of this forum have anything to say about what the most essential thing for a Christian is?
Luke 10:27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.