Faith is the Victory
“I wish to know about overcoming the world.” I John 5:1-5
A better title of this may be, “ I wish to overcome the world.” A Christian should want to do that. Now an unbeliever may see the goodness and light that is in God and desire that as well, but he will have some desire especially In this time of Epiphany when we have celebrated the birth of Jesus & the coming of the wise men ( magi) to the manger.” I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6b An unbeliever is looking to see is this something I want? An unbeliever is certainly struggling with the ways of the world and seeing that these do not satisfy eternally. I remember what someone said to me when I was at seminary when I was saying I was struggling with a certain course and what I was doing to work on it, “ And how is that working for you?” We may say this to our fellow men, “ And how is that life style and belief system working for you?” We know that God has made us for Himself and that a person who has not trusted in Christ will have a life of unfulfilled needs as those can only be met in God Himself. As Augustine said, “ our hearts are restless till they find their rest in thee.”
What strikes me from this passage is the word “overcomes”. That little word in the Greek language was used of a victor in an athletic game. We hear the same word in Revelation in several places, 2:7 “ To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” 2:10 “ He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” So how do we overcome in the words of John’s letter?
We start with the new birth. For our victory is our faith. I Jn. 5:4 According to John faith begins with the new birth. Peter says this as well, “ see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently : being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1:23 That birth is from God and His Holy Spirit. Literally in John it says, “ whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ (presently) has been born of God ( past action with present and continuing results)” I John 5:1 We start with the new birth and trust that He is the Messiah….that is our King , the Messiah and Lord. This is the one who over comes the world ----a present and future victory in the life, “ and who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 5:5 So how is that working for you we may ask? This is not only life to the full now , the abundant life but life forever with God .
Secondly John says our lives must not only have faith but that faith must be real shown in love “ every one that loveth him that begat (that is God) loveth him that is begotten of him( that is all believers in Jesus the Christ).” 5:1b John talked about this through his letter, “ If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loves God love his brother also.” 4:20-21 Paul in his letter to the Galatians says it too, “ faith works by love.” 5:6 In other words our faith is shown in our attitudes and actions toward others . I like very much what John Stott in his little book on I John, “ love for God is not an emotional experience so much as moral obedience.” The Epistles of John, by John R. W. Stott.
Thirdly, and lastly we must have lives of faith expressed in obedience to God .5:2-3 “ 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.” John was writing his letter to those who had an unloving spirit yet claimed to have a special knowledge or gnosis of God. I John 3:9 reminds us ,” whoever is born of God does not practice sin.”
We all wish victory in this life. None of us live to fail . “Faith is the victory.” That hymn certainly reflects the words of this epistle. “ and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” I John 5:4
This hymn was written by a former shoe salesman who became a Baptist preacher. John Henry Yates, born in Batavia, New York, on Nov 21, 1837 was the son of John and Elizabeth Yates who emigrated from England.
After attending Batavia Union School, John Yates became a shoe seller, and later a local department manager for a hardware firm. Next, he worked as an editor of a the local newspaper.
In 1858, he was licensed to preach in the Methodist church, and was later ordained. He served as pastor of West Bethany Freewill Baptist Church.
In 1891, Yates sent “Faith Is The Victory” to Ira Sankey, who wrote the music for it. It first appeared in The Christian Endeavor Handbook and in Gospel Hymns No. 6.
Lyrics: John H. Yates
Music: Ira D. Sankey
Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise.
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled.
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.
Refrain:
Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.
His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God.
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field.
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.
On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array.
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ‘neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.
To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be giv’n.
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in Heav’n.
Then onward from the hill of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conqu’ring Name.
Let us remember to have faith in each and every situation in life.
A better title of this may be, “ I wish to overcome the world.” A Christian should want to do that. Now an unbeliever may see the goodness and light that is in God and desire that as well, but he will have some desire especially In this time of Epiphany when we have celebrated the birth of Jesus & the coming of the wise men ( magi) to the manger.” I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6b An unbeliever is looking to see is this something I want? An unbeliever is certainly struggling with the ways of the world and seeing that these do not satisfy eternally. I remember what someone said to me when I was at seminary when I was saying I was struggling with a certain course and what I was doing to work on it, “ And how is that working for you?” We may say this to our fellow men, “ And how is that life style and belief system working for you?” We know that God has made us for Himself and that a person who has not trusted in Christ will have a life of unfulfilled needs as those can only be met in God Himself. As Augustine said, “ our hearts are restless till they find their rest in thee.”
What strikes me from this passage is the word “overcomes”. That little word in the Greek language was used of a victor in an athletic game. We hear the same word in Revelation in several places, 2:7 “ To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” 2:10 “ He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” So how do we overcome in the words of John’s letter?
We start with the new birth. For our victory is our faith. I Jn. 5:4 According to John faith begins with the new birth. Peter says this as well, “ see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently : being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1:23 That birth is from God and His Holy Spirit. Literally in John it says, “ whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ (presently) has been born of God ( past action with present and continuing results)” I John 5:1 We start with the new birth and trust that He is the Messiah….that is our King , the Messiah and Lord. This is the one who over comes the world ----a present and future victory in the life, “ and who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 5:5 So how is that working for you we may ask? This is not only life to the full now , the abundant life but life forever with God .
Secondly John says our lives must not only have faith but that faith must be real shown in love “ every one that loveth him that begat (that is God) loveth him that is begotten of him( that is all believers in Jesus the Christ).” 5:1b John talked about this through his letter, “ If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loves God love his brother also.” 4:20-21 Paul in his letter to the Galatians says it too, “ faith works by love.” 5:6 In other words our faith is shown in our attitudes and actions toward others . I like very much what John Stott in his little book on I John, “ love for God is not an emotional experience so much as moral obedience.” The Epistles of John, by John R. W. Stott.
Thirdly, and lastly we must have lives of faith expressed in obedience to God .5:2-3 “ 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.” John was writing his letter to those who had an unloving spirit yet claimed to have a special knowledge or gnosis of God. I John 3:9 reminds us ,” whoever is born of God does not practice sin.”
We all wish victory in this life. None of us live to fail . “Faith is the victory.” That hymn certainly reflects the words of this epistle. “ and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” I John 5:4
This hymn was written by a former shoe salesman who became a Baptist preacher. John Henry Yates, born in Batavia, New York, on Nov 21, 1837 was the son of John and Elizabeth Yates who emigrated from England.
After attending Batavia Union School, John Yates became a shoe seller, and later a local department manager for a hardware firm. Next, he worked as an editor of a the local newspaper.
In 1858, he was licensed to preach in the Methodist church, and was later ordained. He served as pastor of West Bethany Freewill Baptist Church.
In 1891, Yates sent “Faith Is The Victory” to Ira Sankey, who wrote the music for it. It first appeared in The Christian Endeavor Handbook and in Gospel Hymns No. 6.
Lyrics: John H. Yates
Music: Ira D. Sankey
Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise.
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies.
Against the foe in vales below
Let all our strength be hurled.
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.
Refrain:
Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory, that overcomes the world.
His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God.
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith, they like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field.
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.
On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array.
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray.
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ‘neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.
To him that overcomes the foe,
White raiment shall be giv’n.
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in Heav’n.
Then onward from the hill of light,
Our hearts with love aflame,
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night,
In Jesus’ conqu’ring Name.
Let us remember to have faith in each and every situation in life.
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