You will not overcome whatever you're needing to overcome if you are a secret agent Christian. Dr. Tony Evans says God's power in your life can only be evident once you choose to reveal Him. Once you have now identified with Christ. you have positioned yourself to be an overcomer.
This is the alternative broadcast, featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr. Tony Evans. It may seem logical that the more you focus on a problem, the closer you'll get to a solution. But today, Dr. Evans explains that sometimes your focus is the problem.
Let's join him as he talks about how having the right perspective empowers us to overcome challenges. To understand the key. to being an overcomer. And whatever needs to be overcome in our lives, You have to watch this. Begin to look at Jesus differently.
In Colossians chapter 2, verse 15, it says that When Jesus died, he He disarmed the rulers. of this present age. I disarmed them.
So the reason why the devil can defeat us is because he can deceive us into thinking that bullets still in the gun. But what Jesus did on the cross, the scripture says, is he disarmed them. He took away the authority.
So now you're beaten by deception. That feels like reality, looks like reality, seems like reality.
So, yeah. That's why the scripture says... In Romans 8.37, you are more than conquerors. In him who loved us and gave himself for us. That's why John 16, 33 says, in me, you're going to have peace because I have already overcome the world.
He speaks in these superlatives because it is your connecting with this risen Christ. Romans 5, 10, after he says God demonstrated his love toward us, that while we were sinners, Christ died for us in verse 8, he comes to verse 10 and he says, and we are saved or delivered by his life. Look at chapter 12 of Revelation, verse 11. And they overcame him. There's our word.
Because of the blood of the Lamb. Because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. Yeah. At one verse. will shift how you relate to Jesus.
When you shift how you relate to Jesus. He shifts how he relates to you. Because now you're relating to him as he is, not as you want him to be. Cause a lot of folk come to church Worshiping a Jesus as they want him to be. Not as he declares himself to be.
When they properly identified with Christ, they prevailed. God places victory in your reach, not in your hand. Big difference. Overcoming is in your reach. You can get it, but it's not in your hand.
See what a lot of folk come to church and they want God to drop victory in their hand. Uh oh. He puts it within your reach because he needs to see you exercise faith to get it in your hand. He says They prevailed, overcame. Because of their identification with the cross, with the confession.
And with the commitment. What does that mean? It means that they begin By the blood, he says. to understand that the cross 2,000 years ago, was relevant right now. That's why, when Paul described his identity in Galatians 2:20, he said, I am right now crucified with Christ.
Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, it's Christ who lives in me. And the life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. He says, if you want to look at my life now, I am controlled by the cross. That is? I am controlled by the work that Jesus Christ did 2,000 years ago that affects my.
decision making in the present. It is my current point of reference. In other words, the reality of what Jesus accomplished on the cross, which was why he said when he got up from the dead. Matthew 28, 19, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Translation, I'm in charge now.
I'm in charge now. I haven't come to take sides. I come to take over. I'm in charge now. I call the shots.
But he says the cross is my point of reference. Who died, why he died. And the victory that he accomplished, I'm going to transfer to today. He says secondly. They overcame him.
By the word of their testimony. Watch this now. Stay with me. You will not overcome Whatever. You're needing to overcome.
If you are a secret agent Christian.
So let's get that straight. If you're an undecided voter, You're not going to be an overcomer.
Okay? If you're a spiritual CIA representative, If you're a covert operative, Forget overcoming. Because Jesus Christ with fire in his eyes It's not trying to help. Fought to overcome. who are embarrassed to be associated with him.
He says, You deny me before men, I will deny you before my father. Matthew 10. You confess me before men, I will confess you before my father. If you don't want to be associated with me in public, you just want this private meeting with the saints on Sunday, but you don't want other folk to know that you are a follower of Jesus Christ, which was the point of your baptism when you went public to say, I am publicly proclaiming my identification with Jesus Christ. Don't be calling on me for overcoming in your life when you don't want to be associated with me.
The word of their testimony. Let me say it another way. Trying to camouflage it by talking about I believe in God won't cut it.
Okay? Using God name won't cut it. God has placed everything in the hand of his son. At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess. That Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father.
So the Father is glorified when Jesus is the superstar. Folk running around here talking about who they voting for. I'm over them. I'm over them. I don't like them.
I don't like them. Everybody got stuff on their car, stuff in their lawn, you know. And we voting, oh, but people will talk about it at work. They'll talk about it at play. They'll talk about it at sports.
We got folk going public protesting, everybody declaring what they believe in, who they believe in, even if they're not worth believing in it, because they're making their declaration. And you're going to tell me he was wounded for your transgressions, bruised for your iniquities. The chastisement of your peace was on his shoulders. By his stripes, you are healed and you can't identify with the risen Christ. He said it's by the word of your testimony.
Oh, and then he hits us with a zinger. Because he says number three And they did not love their life even. When faced with death. Whoa, they overcame him. Because of a love relationship.
that they possess with him. That transcended dying.
Now that's some serious love. When it transcends die. But it's not unusual. Most parents, if they had to, would give their life for their children. Most parents.
because of the depth of their love. You have men who would give their lives For their mates, because of the depth of their love. It was a choice between the two.
So, in the human level, we know what it is to sacrifice. The life. Fallout. Right? He says to be an overcomer because he got fire in his eyes.
To see an overcomer. That's why Paul says in Luke 9, he says, I die daily. Every day when I get up in the morning, I say, I am dead to me and I'm alive to you. You are my life. You're not just a place I go on Sunday.
You're my defining definition. You are my life. If any man will be my disciple, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. That there is this understanding that I am pursuing a relationship with somebody that I want to fall in love with more than life itself. In other words, this is serious commitment.
But you probably got some serious stuff to overcome.
So this is not Casual Christianity here. Got folk running around. Oh, bless me. Oh, bless me. Oh, bless me.
So, God gets a visit once a week. And they think something miracle is supposed to drop from heaven. When is Part-time Christians wanting a full-time deliverer. He says, no, you know, you got to deal with the risen Christ now. And the risen Christ is in charge.
That's why I love what Paul says. Paul says, For me to live as Christ. And to die is gay.
Now you don't go looking for death, you don't go wishing death, but he says, But he says, for me to live is Christ. And to die is gain. Paul says, I don't know whether to stay here or to go home to be with Christ. He said. I'm betwixt and between.
If I stay here. It's to serve Christ. If I die. is to go be with Christ. And if I suffer, he says, I reckon that the suffering of this present time is not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed unto me.
So he said basically I'm in a no-lose deal. Living, dying, sorry, it's it's all Christ. And so if I've got to be rejected because of Christ. I've got to be misunderstood because of Christ. God got to be not liked because of Christ, not because of my foolishness, but because of Christ.
Then that's the way it is. Dr. Evans will return in a moment to describe the benefits of a committed relationship with Christ. But first, today's lesson kicks off a life-changing series from Tony called The Jesus Challenge. and I want to tell you about a fantastic set of resources we put together as a way to follow up on what we'll be learning over the next couple of weeks.
The Jesus Challenge is an important look at what the Lord had to say in the first three chapters of Revelation to the seven churches and to us. These eight lessons will teach you how to set higher standards, deepen your convictions. reinforce your faithfulness. and live like an overcomer. And that's the focus of the second component of this special offer.
The Companion Living as an Overcomer book, workbook, and Bible study video. all designed to help you experience victory over sin and prevail in your present circumstances. All these resources are yours as our thank you gift. when you make a donation to help keep Tony's teaching on this station. Find out more at tonyevans.
org. Or call us at 1-800-800-3222. where members of our resource team are available day and night to help with your request. That's 1-800-800-3222. I'll repeat that contact information for you after the second part of today's teaching.
Here's Dr. Evans once again. Once you have now identified with Christ. You have positioned yourself to be an overcomer. You have positioned yourself to see the move of God.
Overrule. in the circumstances of life. There must now be a shift in perspective. You must look at Jesus now differently. as the sovereign on fire lord.
Who now rules? We all believe in the sun, S-U-N. We believe in the sun, right? Everybody believes in the sun. But I don't know if too many people go around this all day looking at the sun, just walking.
Yeah, I believe in the sun because I'm looking at the sun all day. Let me tell you the main reason you believe in the sun. I believe in the sun, we believe in the SUN. The main reason we believe in the SUN is because of it we see everything else. We don't go looking at the sun all day, but we look at everything else all day.
But because of the sun, you see everything else.
Well, what's true in the physical world, because of the S O N, you're supposed to look at everything else. Everything else is supposed to be because of him shining, whether you see him or not. And therefore brought in line with him. As I've said before, I still don't wear glasses. Haven't had surgery, don't wear contacts.
And let me explain. Uh how that happens. My left eye. is off. My left eye is off.
It's like 20-50 or something.
So if I cover My right eye. and just look at you with my left eye. Things are fuzzy. Think to Fatih. Cause my left eye is a little off.
But my right eye is 20-20. See my right eyes. What they would put in the category of perfect vision.
So my right eye can see clearly, but my left eye. It's fuzzy. But because my right eye is 20-20 It compensates. For the weakness in my left eye.
So, the only reason I'm not wearing glasses is not because I'm perfect, but because I'm. Covered. My waiter overcomes my left eye.
So that my left eye becomes subject to my right eye.
So that I don't wear glasses So that I am Not submitting to the weakness, I'm overriding it with the strength. You know, I I've lost about 45 pounds. And um Thank you.
Okay.
Okay.
Now the main thing I do Is It's a treadmill. The main exercise is a treadmill. I will admit to you I am unmotivated. That's not something like I look forward to doing it. At 5:30 or 6 o'clock, or me, myself, and I, we've got to have a congregational gathering.
I am laying there in bed and I am saying. Do I want to do this today?
So, yeah, I know what you're talking about.
So, it's a struck. Am I really going to do this today? We have to meet it because it's not something I want to do. But,. I do want to get healthier and I do want to lose some weight.
The goal Of overcoming the weight. affects the getting up. to get on the treadmill. But it's still a it's still a problem because Walking and going nowhere is just a struggle.
So I dragged myself out of bed. Put on the workout stuff. Walk into the room where the treadmill is. Right in front of the treadmill is a chair. I sit in that chair.
And try to talk myself to getting up out of that chair. To get on that treadmill. The problem is, on that treadmill, I sweat. On that treadmill, I'm huffing and puffing on that treadmill. I'm struggling because I got this goal in mind, but I'm struggling on this treadmill.
It's a struggle.
So, what I always do to mitigate the struggle. of overcoming the treadmill and the fact that I don't want to do it. is I turn on the news.
So right in front of me I stare at the news. For 45 minutes, it has my undivided attention. That news does not take away the sweat. I don't sweat Lexicon. I'm looking at the news.
It doesn't take away the breathing, it distracts me. It gives me something else to focus on, and I discover I can go longer when I'm focusing on that than when I'm focusing on this. I gotta do this. But I try not to make this my focus. I try to make that my focus.
Because when I make that my focus, it affects how well I do this. If you really want to overcome bad enough. Then Jesus says you got to do this But the way you do this is by focusing on that. And if you understand that I have already overcome, and you're walking through this thing, you need to overcome it's sin or circumstance. But you're looking at me and you're saying, Okay, Jesus, I thank you.
You've already overcome this. You've already overcome my emotions. You've already overcome my circumstance. You've already overcome my pain. You've already overcome my addiction.
I just want to thank you that you've already overcome it. I'm sweating and I'm tired, but I'm more than a conqueror in Jesus Christ, who loved me and gave himself for me. And I just want to give you glory because I'm going to focus on the news of heaven during my struggle on earth. Dr. Evans will return in a moment with encouragement for those who doubt their life story could have an overcomer's ending.
Now, we've only had time to share about half of Tony's lesson today. but you can get the complete full-length message as part of his life-changing sermon series, The Jesus Challenge. As I mentioned earlier, we're offering all eight messages in this collection on digital download as well as either C D or USB flash drive. along with the Living as an Overcomer book, workbook, and Bible study video. It's a big package of life-changing resources, and it's our gift to you with gratitude and thanks when you make a contribution in support of Tony's ministry.
Contact us right away at tonyevans dot org to get the details and make the arrangements. Or call our twenty four hour resource center at one eight hundred eight hundred thirty two twenty two and let one of our team members help you. I'll repeat that number for you after this important thought from Dr. Evans. One of the great things all of us need in life is hope.
Hope is expectation about the future. that things will be better where I'm going than where I am or where I've come from. and the greatest hope that's given to us by God. is the hope of eternal life. That when this life is over, we immediately enter into God's presence.
and don't have to worry about the scourge called death.
So if you want to bypass death You can do that. Because there's the hope of the gospel. The good news that anyone who comes to Christ for salvation Recognizing their sinfulness and their need for forgiveness, they will be given that salvation. when they come to Jesus for it. If you want more help in getting your new life with Christ started, just visit TonyEvans.org and click on the link that says Jesus.
Tony has a quick video that explains it all. And you'll find some free follow-up resources there as well. Again, that's tonyevans.org. And one more time you can reach our Resource Center at 1-800-800-3222. Over time, our love for God either tends to grow more rich or more routine.
Well, next time Dr. Evans will explain that when routine becomes the norm, it's time to take a serious look at our priorities. Right now, though, he's back to wrap up today's lesson with this final story. Any of you who like pro wrestling, Let me explain something. It's fake.
Okay, let me explain something. If you like pro wrestling, It's fake. It's been pre-scripted. They have already decided who the winner is going to be. That has been predecided, predestined, predetermined, elected.
That's all. has decided before the match even starts. You're looking at the match and you see other other wrestlers coming out right in the nick of time to jump in the match and all that scripted. They even pay if you bleed. If you bleed, they pay you more because you made it look more real.
So they have scripted this thing. But even if you're being defeated, even if you're being thrown down, even if you're being abused, if it has already been predestined that when this thing is over, you're going to be more than a conqueror, that thing is going to turn around in some way, somehow. I know the devil's been slamming you. I know circumstances have been beating you. I know sins have been owning you.
I know it looks like the evil one is controlling you. But Jesus Christ on the cross has already prescripted that you are a winner. He's already prescripted that by relationship to him, you're overcomer. He's already prescripted that Satan has no longer any control over you. He's already prescripted.
that greater is he that's in you than he that's in the world. He's already prescripted that those folk don't control you anymore. He's already prescripted that that circumstance doesn't control you anymore. I know you're being thrown down. I know you're being beaten up, but you can now look at it and declare, I am an overcomer and I'm coming back at you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
