You OVERCAME

You overcame by the power of the cross that rest on Calvary

You overcame my chains that once bound me to things I held near

Your overcame my darkest night with just a ray of Your light

You overcame the lust of my flesh that led me back to more of the same

You overcame my despair where I once believed I had no hope or destiny

You overcame the lies in the night that left me empty and full of dread

You overcame the unbelief that kept my feet from walking by faith

You overcame the doubt that said I had nothing good left to believe in

You overcame the worry that held me for far too long, keeping me from living my today’s

You overcame my shame said that I would “never be wanted”

You overcame the fear that ate my soul with nothing left to give

You overcame the demons of darkness that serve the father of the spiritually dead

You overcame the devil himself with one act of Your Love

To the God who was, and is, and is to come…

You reign victorious!

John 16:33- "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have OVERCOME the world."

Romans 12:21-"Do not be OVERCOME by evil, but OVERCOME evil with good."

1 John 2:14- "I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning.  I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you, and you have OVERCOME the evil one."

Revelation 21:6-7- "And He said to me, 'It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.  He who OVERCOMES shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My Son.'"

1 John 4:4- "You are from God, little children, and have OVERCOME them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."

1 John 5:4-"For whatever is born of God OVERCOMES the world; and this is the victory that has OVERCOME the world---our faith."

(Emphasis all mine)

The book of the Bible that holds the most references (from my research) to the word overcame, overcome, or overcometh (in KJV) is Revelations with 13 references within its 22 chapters.  However the piece about this that I found so interesting (and it highly likely this lesson was just for me, but just in case...I thought I would share!) is that of those 13 references, 7 of them come in the portions of scripture dealing with the 7 churches.  The reason I find this so intriguing, is in the importance this shows us that as true believers (being defined as the one who loves, abides, bears fruit, and endures till the end.  See John 13:35, John 15:7, John 15:8-10, and Matthew 10:22) we MUST endure in our faith in Jesus Christ, until the end.

This is how we overcome our flesh, the world, and Satan.  This is Satan's counterfeit product of the Trinity-our flesh, the world in which we live, and placing himself as the father. (James 3:15)  However, the Word clearly states the only thing he is a father of...is lies! (John 8:44)  Within Revelation, God is once again reminding us of how important it is to walk through the trials, distresses, and persecution that may come in order that we might OVERCOME and receive the inheritance He has for us in the New Jerusalem (see Rev. 21:6-7 above)

That is why it's not okay for people to believe that prayer, in and of itself, is what saves them; it is praying by faith and through the a power that is not our own, living it day by day by faith.  For further study to see just how passionate the LORD is on the subject take a look at the words He spoke to the 7 churches.  For a start, take the word overcame and see the ways in which He applies it.  I don't know about you, but it has brought new meaning to me as His child being able to overcome, because Jesus Christ already has for me!  As you study His word sweet sister, may you have eyes to see and ears  to hear. (Matthew 13:6) I love you my sister of the faith, never stop pursuing the purity of His Word.

• Revelation 2:7-Ephesus
• Revelation 2:11-Smyrna
• Revelation 2:17-Pergamum
• Revelation 2:26-Thyatira
• Revelation 3:5-Sardis
• Revelation 3:12-Philadelphia
• Revelation 3:21-Laodicea

Listen to Jeremy Camp's "Overcome"

The Shepherd's Love



"The Lamb" by Stephen S. Sawyer



My heart is beaten, bruised, and broken

Bleeding within me from the past and present

I cry out in my distress to My God

Knowing only He can save

I plead for mercy and compassion for my heart can bear no more

Yet trials came and still all the more causing my heart to feel cheated

Of blessing above

Satan’s lies prowled about me, surrounding me in confusion and frustration

Overwhelmed with choices I reached for the nearest thing

Satan’s lies were what I came to believe

Twisted and turned I couldn’t tell up from down or left from right

I cried to Jesus beseeching Him to save me from despair

Yet I heard nothing

I felt Him, I saw the affects of His Love

Everywhere but in my own hurting heart

I was lost and had gone astray

All I could see was the 99 sheep with the Shepherd…yet could not reach home

My Shepherds face looked pained and I saw His eyes rest on me

He steadily walked towards me reaching His staff out to me

Yet I was fearful and angry

Why had He not come for me sooner? Why had he left me for so long?

Then the Shepherd was before me looking into my face

As if he was reading and searching my innermost being

Seeing every thought and emotion

He knelt before me and held open His arms

A smile breaking across His magnificent face

I hesitated, not understanding all I had gone through

Not understanding why I had wandered away from my Shepherd

Gently He spoke, in a soft and soothing tone

“Return to me beloved, for it is the only way your heart can be healed.

I love you and desire you for you are my bride.”

“But Shepherd,” I cried, “I have turned to man to fulfill me and taken hold of Satan’s lies…they bind me!”

The Shepherd replied, “My little, lost lamb, I will break the cords of strongholds.

I will lead you with cords of Love. Nothing can overcome My Love!”

“Oh, Shepherd”, I said, “Will you heal my bleeding heart?

Will you take away the wrong choices I have made?”

“Lamb, healing comes in My time, but you must first enter once again into My Love.

As for your wrong choices they must stay as reminders to you and others

The path you must each take.

I will still use those choices to glorify my Name.”

“My head understands My Lord, but my heart is still searching!”

“And it shall find Me my lamb. DO NOT take those burdens upon you!

Can you command a heart to obey?

No child, I draw the heart in My perfect timing for My perfect plan.

Will you come my lamb? Will you return to your Lord who has never forsaken you?”

Slowly I crawled to Him, humbled by His grace

I nestled against the chest of the one who knew no sin and yet took my place

Restoration and deliverance was in His hand!

I wrote this poem back in 2002, after a painful and spiritually eye opening year.  Since I was a child the picture of Jesus as the Shepherd, carrying a lamb in His arms had always been my favorite.  It was a picture I saw in my head during my intense times of fear. That He would not leave me or forsake me.  However, it was with a new revelation that I saw that picture in a fresh way.  I was a lost lamb, and my Savior left the 99 to come and get me (Matthew 18:12-14),  and bring me back into the fold. Our "lost" souls come in various ways-walking away completely from who God says we are, believing the lies the Enemy is feeding us, partial disobedience or obedience (which is STILL disobedience), or falling into a pit of darkness and broken in a place of despair. 

No matter the context, The Shepherd can lift us up from the darkness with His strong hand.  It's just a matter of us embracing our weakness, and that we cannot save ourselves-not with intelligence, biblical knowledge, or common sense.  Without Him we are NOTHING...nothing.  Do we believe it?  He is the one who redeems, restores, replenishes our souls to want to live again...for Him. 

If you are in a place of being lost, reach your weak hand to Him, and let His strong hand bring you up again. (Psalm 40:1-5)  If He has brought you out of that place (maybe more than once), than be faithful to speak of His testimony to others of  His great work in you. (Psalm 119:14) Be of great courage sister, be weak with the One that is strong, and He will impart all the strength you need. You belong...to Him and with Him.  I love you.


*Reccomended Fiction Reading:  "The Shepherd's Voice" by Robin Lee Hatcher

Celebrating Peripety (Reversal of Destiny)

Lord Jesus,

No words can ever express the praise, worship, thanks, awe, adoration, gratitude, and overwhelming love I have for You my King in reversing my destiny!  You took me from a path that was not of You, and reverse it all back to You.  Only You Jesus, my King, only You!

If you can turn curses into blessings (Deut. 23:5), You can turn   my poor choices into Your thoughts and ways replacing my own   (Is. 55:8-9) .  That is what You began in me 5 years ago-  embracing Your best plan for my life over my hearts desire for a “good plan”.  But is anything truly good without You in the midst of it? (Luke 18:19b) I have come to see in very REAL, BIG, LIFE CHANGING ways that I produce nothing good without You.

I don’t have to be intentionally disobeying to not follow after Your best plan.  All too often I try to be the one to discern Your will, and even though You desire me to seek You, (Ps. 119:10) You also desire me to do that with a heart that will wait upon You (Ps. 62:5, 147:11) ; and trust in Your ability to speak into my heart (John. 10:4) through the revelation of the Holy Spirit                         (John 13:7, 16:13-15) .

You have taken me from a place of former darkness, where I was blind to Your Truth and introduced me to Your astounding marvelous Light. (1 Peter 2:9)  Once You have opened my eyes to these Truths, how can I then go and embrace the sin and willfully sin against You? (Ps. 19:13)  Oh Lord, keep me from walking back into the pit (Ps. 40:2), but let me walk through the power of the Holy Spirit as a child of the Light. (Eph. 5:8) Grant me the strength through the fiery trials (2 Peter 4:12-13) to embrace the purity of the Word, the whole megillah-beginning to end, and not be ashamed of the Gospel (Ps. 119:6) .

Thank you LORD Jesus, that while my ordinary days are making me wonder where You are or how You are working, Your Providence is at its best...displayed in the unseen and ready to come into my everyday with a burst of radiant color that reveals Your glory!  You never forget my calling and that You are at work within me. (Phil. 2:13)  Despite my “stab in the dark” attempts in life, Your wise ways can have there way with me!  You are the one who uses the weak to shame the strong, to teach us as Your children to boast in nothing but You, our God. (1 Cor. 1:25-27,29)

Thank you for not viewing me with my sin, but You see my sin/flesh crucified with Your Son, my Groom, Jesus Christ. (Gal. 2:20, Rom. 6:6)  As a result, You see me clothed in a robe of righteousness (Is. 61:10) calling me BLESSED, CHOSEN, ADOPTED, ACCEPTED, HOLY, BLAMELESS, REDEEMED, FORGIVEN, AND LOVED through the power of the cross, putting my sin to death by my Redeemer, Christ the Lord (Eph. 1:3-13).

To all of this I must say, because of You I know what true forgiveness and healing is.  My heart applauds You, my King of Kings, that you have turned what was “suppose to be” into what You intended me to be!  I lift my hands in praise for You, my Jesus, who is better than life. (Ps. 63:4) You make it all worth living for, because my God is for me, what come against me? (Ps. 56:4)  Nothing and no one, is bigger than the shadow of the Almighty where I dwell (Ps. 91:1) , and that is simply worth singing about! (Ps. 147:1)

I love You Lord Jesus, I love you so.  Keep me from getting lost in anything but You, and “Open my eyes to behold wonderful things from Thy Law”-Psalm 119:18.

Thy Will and Thy Way I Pray,

 Amen and Amen!