Rev 21:7 – He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

The promise of the Kingdom of God is for those who overcome. Seven times, for each of the seven Churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, the promise was granted “to he who overcomes”. Finally, at the end of Revelation, at the final judgment, the Lord declares: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son” (Rev 21:7). The prize is for those who possess a real faith that transforms them and makes them an overcomer. 

Jesus did not come simply to save people from hell, he came to save them from their sins and lead them to the Father. If we don’t become “more than overcomers”, in THIS life, then we completely miss the purpose of our redemption. Jesus didn’t come to widen the narrow road, but to prepare a people to follow him and walk that narrow road by His redemption and the inward work of the Holy Spirit. It does not mean that we will never make any mistakes, but that as we yield to that inward work, we will progressively learn how to overcome temptation, walk in righteousness and grow in the obedience of sonship. The sins that dogged us in the past no longer trip us up today because we have subdued them and we have put them to death, by the Spirit. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live (Rom 8:13). As we continue in this process, the Holy Spirit will continue to “peel the onion” and show us areas of our lives that are yet unrefined and need to be submitted to that inward work. It is a life-long process, but it is one that sees real transformation, real growth in godliness and maturity and produces real fruit. In fact, it is that very fruit that confirms that we are His disciples and that we *abide* in Him. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth *much fruit*: for without me ye can do nothing (Jn 15:5).

In 1 Jn 5, the Apostle John states “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn 5:4-5). By itself, it might seem that the passage indicates that as long as we just have a “form” of belief or acknowledgment in Christ for salvation, then we are covered and considered an overcomer sort of by default. But, in the same epistle, John also says this: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (1 Jn 2:3-6).

So we see that following Christ, walking in His precepts and keeping His word are all wrapped up in what it means to be a believer and have real faith.  It’s not just “the icing on the cake”, but required to be considered a faithful follower and an actual overcomer. True faith in Christ *results* in us overcoming the world, the flesh and the devil in a real, tangible and demonstrated fashion. We don’t “positionally” overcome, we *actually* overcome, in this life. This is what it means to walk in the grace of God, look for that “blessed hope” and to be prepared to see Him.

Tit 2:11-14 – For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.