Do you feel like you are an overcomer? Are you overwhelmed by the evil in this world? The cancel culture? You’re not sure you can recover from a friend’s harsh words. Be of good cheer! Through Jesus, we are overcomers.

The women of Calvary Chapel Beaumont are studying Romans. This week, we studied Romans 12:9-21. A brief overview of the teaching is below. If you want the full teaching, please click on the YouTube video below.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Romans 12:9

When we love without hypocrisy, we will abhor evil, and we can cling to what is good because as Christians, we are one with the Lord. Jesus overcame the world. Because we are one with Jesus, we are overcomers through Jesus.

“But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”

1 Corinthians 6:17

When we cling to Jesus, we’ll begin to genuinely love like Jesus because we’re one spirit with Him. Remember, we’ve presented our bodies to God as a living sacrifice, and the Holy Spirit is renewing our minds. 

Through Jesus, we are overcomers! We can cling to what is good.

Cling to what is good.

Tweet

In the following verses, Paul describes what genuine love and goodness look like in serving our brothers and sisters in Christ AND in blessing our enemies. 

I’m struck by verse 14, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” “Persecute” means to pursue in a hostile way, to be mistreated.

At first, I thought verse 14 didn’t fit. But we can suffer hurt and trouble in the church family. At those times, we need to pray and bless those who hurt us, rather than condemn them. 

John 3:17 tells us that Jesus didn’t come into the world to condemn the world but to save it. He came in love to conquer evil. 

Evil was overcome by the Supreme Good … Jesus.

Friends, are we condemning others for stumbling when we stumble, too? 

In Numbers 12, we read the story of Moses’ sister, Miriam, and his brother, Aaron, criticizing and challenging Moses. Moses was the meekest man on earth and did not respond to their ranting. 

But God did. He struck Miriam with leprosy and Moses prayed for Miriam and asked God to heal her. God healed her after 7 days.

Love prays and blesses no matter what.

Tweet

We are called to a love that prays and blesses others no matter what.

Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Romans 12:20

Andrew MacLaren writes of this verse, “It is clear that the ‘coals of fire’ which are to be heaped on the head are meant to melt and soften the heart, and cause it to glow with love.”

Romans 2:4 tells us that God’s goodness leads us to repentance—turning from our sins. 

In verse 20, Paul refers to Proverbs 25:21-22:

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the LORD will reward you.

Proverbs 25:21-22

Goodness shown to those who try to hurt us may make them ashamed, and they may question their actions. They might even repent or ask for forgiveness. 

Our job is to bless, not to judge. Our job is to cling to what is good and genuinely love the person while despising evil. 

Romans 5:8 tells us why Jesus came into the world.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Romans 5:8 t

Jesus came in love. His goodness overcame evil. 

 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

John 16:33

Jesus overcame evil with His goodness!

Tweet

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith.

1 John 5:4

We can have a complete and final victory over evil. 

Paul wrapped this passage in love and goodness. In that gift are nuggets representing love … prayer … hope … patience …  service … humility … generosity … empathy … joy … peace … worship … many blessings united in the goodness and victory of Jesus.

JESUS HAS OVERCOME!

THROUGH JESUS, WE ARE OVERCOMERS!

Questions to Consider

1. What steps can we take to overcome evil with good in our lives?

2. How will our answer influence our thoughts and actions this week?

Be of good cheer. Jesus has overcome the world! Through Jesus, WE ARE OVERCOMERS!

Featured Image from Pexels.com.