When we sing, we are edified by the message of many songs—songs like “Faith Is the Victory,” “We Have an Anchor,” “Be Not Dismayed” or “Victory in Jesus.” These are sung to remind and get us thinking about our faith. These are songs that remind us to have a faith that can overcome.
We read from the first of John’s letters, “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). We forget the power of strong faith. We also read, “So that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil” (Heb. 6:18-19).
As individuals and as a congregation we need to remember to have faith in God that He has done more than what He said He would do. “Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us’” (1 Sam. 7:12). What are we doing to remember what the Lord has done for us? We pray and then we are astonished when it is answered. The trick is praying as though it is already answered. What would it hurt to be more conscious of the things we prayed for and to thank God for answered prayers and for His providential care that we take for granted so often? In Samuel’s time, the care given by God was noted and stones were set up to remember what God had done.
A question might be, “Should we be concerned about overcoming this world?” “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). It is like this because this world is a death trap (Rom. 6:23; 1 Pet. 5:7). How many of us have been swept away by life’s events, and we wonder how we got there? The remedy is simple. “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:1-2).
There are simple things that help in our lives. The most simple is faith. Everyone needs to believe in something. Paul taught Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called” (1 Tim. 6:12).