I've entitled this message, Nike. Now, where did you come up with
a name like that, Nike? That's the name of sports garments
and tennis shoes and running shoes and so on. And I do, in
fact, have some Nike shoes. I've got a Nike sweatsuit. I've
got a hat with a swoosh on it. Why are you calling this message
Nike? Well, Nike is the Greek word
for victory. or conquest. That's why they
gave it that name. Victory. Now, in the passage
of scripture that I just read, it says we are more than conquerors. Literally, we are hyper conquerors. We are preeminently victorious. This is no narrow victory. This is not us just getting by
by the skin of our teeth. We are overwhelmingly conquerors. How much do we believe that? Life is tough. And I know that the biggest problem
I have is me. Life is tough. Man that's born
of woman is born to trouble. We just heard as the sparks fly
upward. There are many battles to fight
and there's no time where we get off. As a matter of fact,
it seems if you look at the life of Abraham, the older he got,
the greater the trials became. And there are many difficult
battles ahead of us. And the believer's life is presented
in the scripture as a warfare. And we're called upon to be good
soldiers of Jesus Christ. and to fight the good fight of
faith. Now, the battleground that we
fight on is the world in this flesh. The devil, Satan, and what a
powerful adversary he is. And everybody is a participant
in this war. There are no buffer states. Every
man, woman, boy, and girl is a participant in this war. And there are only two kinds
of people in this war, in this battle, in this contest. You've heard me say there's only
two types of people in the world, righteous and wicked. There's
no in between. saved or lost, children of God
or children of the devil, the wicked one. The Bible makes those
distinctions. There's not an intermediate state.
But here's something I've never said before, but it goes just
as true. There's only two types of people
in this world, winners and losers. It's kind of hard to get hold
of, isn't it? winners and losers. And I hope you'll understand
why I say that by the end of this message. All who believe are winners. They are victors. They are more
than conquerors. When Paul said that we are more
than conquerors, who's he referring to? He's talking about every
believer, isn't he? Without any exception to that rule, every
believer is more than a conqueror. If you believe the gospel, what
a, by the grace of God, winner you are. This is the victory
that overcometh the world. Even our faith. That's what the scripture says.
Every believer is a victor. Every believer is more than a
conqueror. Every believer wins. And every unbeliever is a loser,
no matter how successful they may appear. You know, the Lord
said, what would it profit a man if he gained the whole world
and lose his soul? That man who gains the whole
world and loses his soul, what is he a winner or a loser? Now there are two types of people
in this world, winners and losers. Now, if I am a loser, it is all
my fault. I can't blame it on God. I can't
blame it on the devil. If I'm a loser, if I'm in that
category, the blame all lies at my door. If I would come to
Christ, He wouldn't cast me out. He said, He promised him that
cometh to me, I will in no wise, for no reason cast out. So if
I don't come, it's because I don't want to come. I've rejected him. And that, so if I'm a loser,
whose fault is it? It's all my fault. But if I'm
a winner, whose fault is it? It's all God's fault, isn't it?
He gets all the credit for that. We are more than conquerors through
Him that loved us. You know, I hear preachers talk
about people living defeated Christian lives. How can you
do that? It's impossible to live a defeated
Christian life if I'm a believer. Scripture says I'm more than
conqueror through Him that loved me. Now, that being said, I certainly do not always feel
this way. Talking about being a winner,
I wonder how many people just kind of felt deflated when I
said that. I don't feel much like a winner.
As a matter of fact, I feel like a loser. Quite often I feel like
a failure, like a disappointment. I feel like I'm the one being
overcome. Now I have some awareness when
I'm speaking of being more than a conqueror. And believing I
am, I have some awareness of my weakness. I have some awareness
of my inability to stand before temptation. How strong are you
before temptation? Do you know anything about weakness?
I know something about committing the same old sins. over and over
and over again. Now that's just the truth. Is a person like me victorious? Am I a winner? Now what does
the Bible have to say about this subject? This thing of being
a winner, this thing of being more than a conqueror, this thing
of overcoming. What is this thing of overcoming? Now To be a winner, to be a conqueror,
you have to have an opponent, don't you? You have to have an
adversary. You have to have an enemy. Now
our opponent is what? S-I-N, sin. My sinful nature. and the product of my sinful
nature, my sinful deeds. My deadly opponent is sin, the
world, the flesh and the devil. And what a strong opponent, what
a strong adversary this is. Let me show you how strong he
is. Turn to first Corinthians 15. Verse 56, the sting of death is sin, and
the strength of sin is the law. Now, a natural man will never
understand that. But someone who's been taught of God understands
all the law does is expose to me how sinful I am. It doesn't
do anything else but that. It doesn't give me the power
to obey it. It exposes to me my sinfulness. The strength of
sin is the law. It tells me of the strength,
the power, the stranglehold sin has on me to where I cannot not
sin. What is a sinner? A sinner is
someone who cannot not sin. He can't. A sinner is somebody
who all he does is sin. A sinner is someone who can't
look down their nose in moral superiority over anybody because
sin describes them. The strength of sin is the law. What a strong opponent this is. Now, look at verse 57, though. What a glorious word in the scripture.
But thanks be to God, which giveth us, who's the us? Every believer. Thanks be unto
God, which giveth us the victory, the conquest. through our Lord
Jesus Christ. And this is an overwhelming victory. It's not a close race. It's not
a narrow win. It's an overwhelming victory. And He gives us this victory. And because He gives us this
victory, the victory is ours. I did it. In baseball analogy, This is
a perfect game. You know what a perfect game
is in baseball? It's very rare. In baseball,
there are 27 outs and there haven't been very many perfect games
pitched. There are 27 outs. A perfect game is where not one
runner reaches base. The pitcher makes sure everybody,
all 27 are out. No errors, no walks, a perfect
game. And you know, You look at it
in human terms, a guy could pitch a perfect game, and everybody
could hit a line drive, and it just came right at somebody.
And it's really not all that perfect. It would seem kind of
like luck, you know, that he did that well. I know there's
no such thing as luck, but in sports terms, you know, we'll
use that. But in this perfect game, this
is where the pitcher throws nothing but strikes. Nobody even hits
a foul ball. Perfect. Perfect. Now, that is the victory. Maybe
that's a crude analogy, but that's the victory. A whole lot better
than that. Perfection. That's the victory
every believer possesses. Now, this victory that every
believer has is both as a spectator and as a participant. When we
talk about this victory, it's victory as a spectator and it's
victory as a participant. Now first of all, as a spectator,
turn to Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah chapter 40. Verse 1, Comfort ye, comfort
ye my people, sayeth your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem
and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished. It's already
over. She's already won. Her warfare, this battle, it's
already been taken care of. You know, when I think about
that, it just makes the tension leave out of my body to think
that it's already accomplished. My sin's pardoned. My righteousness
is established. My salvation is complete. Look
in Romans chapter 8, that same chapter uh, that we just read
about, uh, where we're more than conquerors. This is such a familiar
passage of scripture, but it just keeps getting more thrilling.
Romans chapter eight. Now, what I want to point out
as we read these verses of scripture, these verses are not prophetic. They're not talking about what
will be their history. They're talking about what already
is. Now, that's a wonderful thing
to remember as we read this passage of Scriptures. It's not talking
about how I'm going to be justified. It's not talking about how I'm
going to be glorified. This is historic. It's already happened. It's history. And if something's
history, that means it's over. It can't be changed. Now, look
here in Romans chapter 8, verse 28, and we know that all things
Work together for good to them that love God, to them who are
the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate. to be conformed to the image
of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called, and whom
He called, them He also justified, and whom He justified, them He
also glorified." This is all in the past tense. What should
we say to these things if God before us Who can be against
us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all? How shall he not? What could
possibly prevent him from freely giving us all things? Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It's
Christ that died. Yea, rather that's risen again,
who's even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us. Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it's written, for thy sake we're killed all the day long.
We're counted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these
things, we are more than conquerors. Through him that loved us, for
I'm persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Now, I'm just watching right now as
a spectator. But when the Lord Jesus Christ
agreed to be my surety, and I don't know how to use the right language
for this. I know it happened in eternity, so it's always been.
There wasn't a point in time when it happened because it happened
in eternity. This is just the weakness of
our human language. But when the Lord Jesus Christ
agreed to be my surety, I was saved. Nothing else needed. I was saved. And I'm just watching. Turn to Exodus chapter 14 for
a moment. This is a spectator sport. I
like being a spectator. I enjoy watching sports. I get
so much out of it. I really do. I'm a sports fanatic
when it comes to that. Look in verse 13 of Exodus chapter
14, And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, Stand still and
see the salvation of the Lord, which He will show to you today.
For the Egyptians whom you've seen today, you shall see them
no more forever. The Lord shall fight for you.
and you shall hold your peace." Now they were scared to death.
They had the Egyptians right there getting ready to kill them
all. They didn't know what to do. He said, don't do a thing.
Just stand there and see the salvation of the Lord. The Lord
is going to fight for you. Look down in verse 23 of the same
chapter. And the Egyptians pursued and
went in after them into the midst of the sea. even all Pharaoh's
horses, his chariots and his horsemen. And it came to pass
that in the morning watch, the Lord looked under the host of
the Egyptians through the pillar of the fire and the cloud, and
he troubled the host of the Egyptians and took off their chariot wheels
and they dragged them heavily." What did the Israelites have
to do with any of this? Not a thing. So that the Egyptians said, let
us flee from the face of Israel for the Lord fighted for them
against the Egyptians. Now this is a spectator. I'm
just watching to see what He has done. When He said it is
finished, my sin was defeated. It was blotted out. It was washed
away. It was made to be no more. And
every believer was justified, freed from sin. And what do I
have to do with this? I'm just looking. I'm watching.
Stand still and see the salvation of our God. Now, would to God
that you and I could enter into this. to stand still and just
watch Him. Watch Him as my surety. Watch
Him become flesh. What a glorious victory that
is when He became a man. I was thinking while I was thinking
about this point, I was thinking of the eternal God getting in a womb
and becoming one with the human seed, the seed of woman. And
you've got the God-man. What a victory I have in that.
I just stand and watch. I think of His obedience, His
perfect life. I stand and there's my righteousness
before God. I think of His faith even on
the cross when He was forsaken like you and I don't know anything
about. He was totally forsaken by God even then. He said, My
God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? He believed God completely
even then. Look at Him in His death. what
He actually accomplished by His death. The complete salvation
of everybody that He died for. Look at Him as He is raised from
the dead for our justification. Look at Him as He ascends back
to His Father, the Savior of His people. Look at Him as He
intercedes for us now. Look at Him as He comes back
as a ruling, reigning as He is, as He is. Salvation is a spectator
sport. And I know a little bit something
about this. I have no doubt that the spectator
rejoices in his victory because I know the way I feel just on
a human level when my team wins. You know, if UK wins tonight,
I'm going to wake up in the morning and I'm going to be so excited
about getting them pouring over the paper. I'll read the box
score. I'll read the articles. I'll read them over. I'll read
the same article three or four times. I'm just enjoying it. I know
that you think, what's wrong with you? I don't know. But that's
the way I am. I mean, I'll just read it over
and over again. I just enjoy it. I'm just so happy. And then
if my team loses, when I wake up, I just dread going out and
getting the paper and opening it up and reading it. When my team wins, I win. I guarantee
I'm just as happy as they are. And when my team loses, why? I understand this thing about
being a spectator. But not only is this victory
something we're a spectator of, this is something we participate
in. And we are equipped to win this
battle. Now turn to first John chapter
five. Verse four. For whatsoever. Is born of God. over cometh the world. Now, how can I know if I've been
born of God? Well, let's go on reading for whatsoever is born
of God overcome at the world. And this is the victory that
overcome at the world. Even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the
world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? Look back in verse one of chapter
five, whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of
God. Now, do you hear what that says?
Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? Do you believe that
he's God's anointed prophet? He's God's anointed priest and
that he's God's king. Do you believe he's God's Christ?
Do you believe he's the Messiah? You say, yes, I do. Then my dear
friend, you've been born of God. That's what the scripture says.
Receive that. Don't say, well, what about this?
And what about this? Just forget about all the whatabouts. Believe
this. If you really believe that he is God's Christ, you've been
born of God. Look what verse 5 says, Who is
he that overcometh the world, who wins this victory? But he
that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God. Now, do you believe
that Jesus is the Son of God? Do you believe that He is the
uncreated, eternal Son of God? The second person of the Trinity. God manifest in the flesh, God's
Christ, the one who cannot fail, the one who has all power, the
one who's absolutely sovereign, the one who utterly and completely
reigns, the one who can't fail in what he does because he's
God. Do you believe that he's the son of God? Do you really
believe that? You know, that poor Ethiopian eunuch, He's heard
Poro, he blessed Ethiopian eunuch. He's heard Philip preach the
gospel and they come up on water and he said, here's water, what
hinders me from being baptized? If there's some reason why I
shouldn't be baptized, I wanna know, give me a reason. Here's
water, what hinders me? And Philip said, if you believe
with all your heart, you may. And he answered, I believe that
Jesus Christ is the son of God. He didn't say, I believe I'm
saved, or I believe I'm converted, or I believe God's something.
He didn't say anything like that. He said, I believe that Jesus
Christ is the son of God. You believe that? Do you believe
that? Then you've been born of God. That's what God's word says.
This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Look in 1 John 4, verse 4. You
are of God, little children, and have overcome them. You've
won. These false prophets, the spirit
of Antichrist, the false prophets he's talking about. You're of
God, little children. You've overcome them because
greater is He that's in you. than he that is in the world. Look down in 1 John 2, verse
14. I've written unto you fathers
because you've known him that's from the beginning. I've written
unto you young men because you're strong and the word of God abideth
in you and you've overcome the wicked one. Now, how is it we've
overcome the wicked one? Because the Word of God abides
in us. The Word of God is the Lord Jesus
Christ, Christ in you, the hope of glory. And what's the evidence
that he abides in you? His words. Oh, his words are
words of spirit and life. You believe him. He says you've
overcome the wicked one. You've overcome the devil because
greater is he that's in you than he that is in the world. Now,
the greatest thing that you'll ever do in this life is believe. That's the greatest thing. To
simply believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. You see, if
you believe He's the Son of God, you can trust Him to be able
to do all He said He would do. Revelation 12. Verse 11, And they, every believer, and
they overcame him, the great dragon, they overcame him by
the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony,
and they loved not their lives unto death. They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb. That's my victory. The blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's my win. That's my victory.
Christ's blood. And this is what I testify to.
I'm bearing testimony right now. This is my victory. This is my
salvation. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
I'm testifying to this. This is what I know. And you
know what? By the grace of God, and I know
only by the grace of God, but by the grace of God, I'm willing
to die for this. I've not, I mean, I've loved
my life in this way every believer feels about this. You know you'd
chicken out apart from the grace of God. You realize that. You
know how weak you are, but you know by the grace of God you
would die for this message. Overcame him by the blood of
the Lamb. Now, I want to close by considering
the spoils of this victory. Every believer is more than a
conqueror. He's a He's a spectator of what
the Lord did and the Lord's win is his win. And he's a participant
in this thing. He's born of God and he overcomes
the wicked one. He overcomes the world and so
on. He does that. But let's, let's look at the
spoils of this. And this is really what inspired this message. I was looking at all the, you
know, the, the seven letters to the churches, they all end
with an overcome. To him that overcometh, to him
that overcometh. Every seven, every one of those seven epistles
ends with the, to him that overcometh. Look in Revelation 2, 7. This
is to the church at Ephesus. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh,
and that's every believer. Overcoming by the blood of the
Lamb, this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our
faith, believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. To Him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is
in the midst of the paradise of God. Look in verse 17. No, verse 11, I'm sorry, Revelation
2, 11. He that hath an ear, let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. He that overcometh
shall not be hurt of the second death, which is talking about
hell. That's the second death. There's therefore now no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus. One who overcomes is not going
to be hurt at the second death. Look in verse 17. He that hath
an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden man of Christ,
the true bread, and will give him a white stone, and in that
stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saith he that
receiveth. I've got a new name. The name
of the Lord Jesus Christ is my name. I'm in Him, Jehovah Sidkenu. This is the name wherewith she
shall be called, the Lord our righteousness. That one who overcomes,
He's given this new name, not my old name. I'm known by that
name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my name before God. His name is on my forehead. Look
in Revelation 2.26, And he that overcometh and keepeth
my works, unto the end. And I'll tell you what, by His
grace, I'm keeping His works. Yes, salvation is by works, His
works. And I'm holding on to it with
all my might, God-given grace. I'm keeping His works to the
end. To Him that overcometh and keepeth my works to the end,
to Him will I give power over the nations. And he shall rule
them with a rod of iron as the vessels of a potter shall they
be broken to shivers even as I received of my father and I'll
give him the morning star Look in Revelation 3 5 He that overcometh the same shall
be clothed in white raiment That's the wedding garment of the believer,
the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I'll not blot
His name out of the book of life, but I will confess His name before
my Father and before His angels. Now, can you imagine the Lord
Jesus Christ confessing your name before the Father? That's going to happen to every
believer. Revelation 3.12. Him that overcometh, will I make
a pillar in the temple of my God? And he shall go no more
out, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name
of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh
down out of heaven from my God, and I'll write upon him my new
name." Now look in verse 21. Revelation three to him that overcometh. Well,
I grant, will I graciously bestow to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and sit
down with my father. in his throne. And to everyone
who overcomes, they're going to sit with the Lord Jesus Christ
in the very throne of God. Now, what can I say about that?
I don't even know what to say other than we are more than conquerors through him. that loved us. Everybody who believes that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God, you're a conqueror. And everybody that
doesn't, you're a loser. Let's pray.