“Swoosh!”

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith.  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God… 
1 John 5:1-5

We've all seen and heard of the Nike slogan "Just Do It" with the famous swoosh catching our eye.  It stresses the fact that we need to "just do" whatever it is we are doing.  Nike promotes the thought that if we run or play our guts out, sweat, and do “it” consistently, we will not only be in great shape but victorious.  Of course, they stress buying and wearing their apparel . . . that’s what makes them successful! 

In an internet article entitled "We Are What Wear", a Susan Willis was quoted to say, "As we buy, wear, and eat logos, we become the henchmen and admen of the corporations, defining ourselves with respect to the social standing of the various corporations."

We may not like to think it is true, but we are "admen" to the social standing of others by the apparel we wear.  We only need to look around to see that just about everyone promotes a distinct wearable message.  What message are we wearing and promoting spiritually?  Throughout the scriptures we are told in illustrated imagery to wear the message of Christ.

• Put on the Lord Jesus ... Romans 13:14, Galatians 3:27
• Put on the new man created according to God ... Ephesians 4:24
• Put on the new man renewed in knowledge according to the image of Christ ... Colossians 3:10
• Put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,  longsuffering ... Colossians 3:12
• Put on love ... Colossians 3:14

We are what we “put on” or what we wear!    Like any good advertising agent, John brought us a design of success.  Let’s call it "The Nike Formula."  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

You see, the Greek word translated overcomes is Nikao which means “to get the victory.”  In other words, victory = Nike.  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!" to gain the overcoming victory of living by faith.  From head to toe, cap, shirt, shoes, we need to be wearing the Nike (victory) formula so as to gain the victory of Christ in our lives. 

So over the next few days we will see what is needed to live overcoming lives filled with the victory Christ desires us to experience.

Scripture to Claim:
…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.   2 peter 3:18