You see, Jesus does not promise that overcoming the world means we will always come out on top and not be victims of the world system. He only promises to bring us perfect peace. Today in many repressive nations where Christians are being persecuted, arrested, tortured and even put to death for their faith in Jesus, even under this distress, that are rejoicing, and praising the Lord. When the United States pulled their military forces out of Afghanistan the terrorist immediately started to target Christians who were persecuted and tortured for no other reason than loving Jesus. Missionary organizations offered to bring these Christians out of Afghanistan and find a home in the free world where they could worship God without fear. However, there were many refused to leave. They said that if they left who would remain to spread the news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So they remain and many have suffered even unto death for their efforts to spread the love of Jesus. Those are the overcomers, the ones that overcame through the blood of Jesus Christ. They may appear to be the losers, but they knew their home was not in this kosmos or ‘olam.
That is only half the story. We learn that we are not only overcomers of this kosmos or ‘olam, but also overcomers of the accuser. Revelation12:10-11 tells us that this accuser stands before God day and night accusing us. The word for accuser in Greek is kategoros for a prosecutor. In the Aramaic it is also a legal term. The word for accuser is a masura which is one who surrenders a guilty person to the authorities. In Greek it is the prosecutor in Aramaic it is the police officer but in first century thought, it is one who plays both role. In fact this prosecutor is also known in Hebrew as a mesit, an influencer of evil. In Hebrew we find in Job 1:6 that this accuser is none other than hasatan. Bet you recognize that word without the definite article ha. It is not a proper name. A proper name in Hebrew would not have a definite article, hence this prosecutor is simply called an accuser. The Hebrew text will not even give the old buzzard a proper name.
So the old goat is standing before God day and night accusing us of all our sins and demanding prosecution. The Great Judge of the Universe simply replies: “Not guilty due to the blood shed by my Son on the cross.” The prosecutor replies; “Oh yeah, what evidence is there that this person has sincerely accepted your Son’s gift of redemption?” Our Judge then presents the evidenced of our testimony. The word testimony in Aramaic is sahada, which means an eye witness. In other words God will reply that the works of the individual prove his surrender to God, up to the point of even dying for the sake of the Gospel. This is the evidence of their sincerity in surrendering his life to Jesus and accepting his redemption. The greatest evidence of all is that they did not love their life over their life in Jesus Christ even unto death itself.
The kategoros or masura’ can only hang his head, tuck his tail behind him and admit defeat. This believer has overcome his accusations. The word overcome in Aramaic is zeka, which really means to declare you are innocent, to be acquitted. We are made innocent through the blood of Jesus Christ of any pollution and corruption that this world may put upon us. That is a true overcomer.
“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
Romans 8:37 KJV
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