Nike Formula of Victory

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? 1 John 5:4-5 

We are what we wear!  John in writing his first epistle is striving to get his readers to wear the apparel of "Victory in Jesus" and to "Just Do It" so as to gain the overcoming victory of living by faith.   We learned the word for “victory” or “overcoming” in the New Testament language is “Nikao” which leads us to share our own “Nike” Formula.

Nike Formula of Victory (Faith Living)
In Christ there is peace, but in the world – in our surroundings – we will have tribulation.  We will have afflictions, troubles, anguish, and persecution.  We all have pressure.  We have pressure in our families, pressure on our jobs, pressure in our finances and even pressure in our church.  We live in a pressurized world.  Everything is pressurized.  But Jesus says that what Satan meant for evil, God meant it for good.  You see, in the midst of your tribulation Jesus does not say and give up.  He does not say, well you did your best and you tried, so go on back home and cry. Jesus says be of good cheer.  He says look, cheer up because this is going to be a blessing!

We can have peace in the middle of a storm because we are in Him. We are in Him and He is in us if we are saved.  This peace moves us to the category of overcomer.  We can either be an overcomer or we can be overcome. 

We must overcome ... get the victory ... by faith.  To overcome in scripture means to hear God's voice then to follow it in obedience and perseverance.  It means to endure to the end, despite suffering, shame, rejection and death.  Revelation 12: 11 says, And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. 

To overcome does not mean to attain success, recognition, acceptance or prestige in the world or in a church. It does not mean to achieve health, wealth, prosperity or popularity. It is not our faith in ourselves but our faith in Christ that allows us to believe, love and obey to gain the victory.

John 16:33 says, "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."  Christ is the first Overcomer!  He gained the victory for us over the world, flesh and the devil.  We are already overcomers of every circumstance that awaits us, because He has overcome!  Because we are born of God we are overcomers!  We already have victory over every obstacle, every problem, and every situation. We overcome through our beliefs, love and obedience in and to Jesus Christ to receive the victory!

Faith is not believing in spite of evidence, but obeying in spite of circumstance.  Faith living is not some conjured up lifestyle.  Victorious faith in Christ is maturing beliefs, love and obedience.  It is a purposeful life of believing in Christ.  Jesus Christ always has been and always will be is our victory! 

Faith is not a power that we use to change our circumstances.  It is the assurance we have inwardly even if our circumstances do not change.  Living independently of our circumstances is what makes us overcomers.  Pushing through the pain and racing ahead in spite of the struggle, we can overcome because He already has. 

We are what we wear!  John suggests we "Just do it!"  Clothe yourself in the garments of overcomers.  Just believe!  Just love! Just obey!   Just live by faith the Nike Formula of
Belief + Love + Obedience = VICTORY!

Scripture to Claim
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’ Revelation 2:7