Over the past two weeks we have been having a discussion on Jesus the overcomer. We are looking back on all the past lessons from this series and discovering how Jesus shows us how to be an overcomer in each situation. We looked at Jesus overcoming false identities put on him by various people. Then we discussed Jesus’ authority, healing, and being an heir with Christ. 

Today we are going to finish up our overview on the series we have called Cycles of the Messiah.  Let’s dive in!

Jesus Gives True Identity

In this next installment, we talked about what our true identity is. We discussed Jesus’ true identity and how to walk in our true identity.

Identity through Scripture

Jesus used Scripture to reinforce His Heavenly Identity. 

Let’s take a look at a passage from the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, right after His baptism, 40 day fast, and temptation in the desert:

“And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 

And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:14-21 (ESV)

Jesus read to all those in His hometown what His True Heavenly Identity was. They were confronted with the fact of His words, and how He Himself fulfilled the prophetic words from Isaiah written hundreds of years earlier.

What happened right after Jesus declared his true identity to the people? 

“When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.” Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

Jesus Overcomes False Identity

In this instance Jesus overcame the hostility and the attempt to kill him because of him declaring his true identity by just walking away. He didn’t argue, or try to persuade them that he is the Messiah. He just walked away and allowed time to prove his words as truth. 

How You Are An Overcomer

There will be times in your life when someone will try and convince you that the identity God has given you is a lie. Do not fall into the trap of believing what others say above what you know God says. 

Who does God say you are?

Like the first verse of today’s study, you are more than a conqueror.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭37‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

You are a son of God and an heir with Jesus

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ (‭ESV)‬‬

You are a warrior. I know this because of what God says in Ephesians!

“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭11‬ (‭ESV‬)‬

One thing I know is that a king doesn’t give armor to the citizens. No, he give armor to his warriors. So if God has given us armor, then he sees us as warriors!

You are courageous. Do you believe it?

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

Jesus Deals with the Toxic People

Let’s define what I mean when I use the label “toxic person.”

• Anyone who attempts to get you off the path God has set for you. 
• Anyone who tries to convince you that you are not who God says you are. 
• Anyone who tries to convince you that God’s purpose for your life is not true. 

Timothy gives us a great definition of what a toxic person is:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

We saw many examples of how Jesus dealt with the toxic people. One example we looked at was when Peter was rebuked by Jesus. 

Peter is Rebuked

First, Jesus called Peter blessed because he knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus tells Peter he was listening to the Father. Peter could only know this with his spiritual knowing. Then Jesus said that on this declaration the government of Jesus will be established (this is what the word for church means). This government will never be destroyed by the kingdom of darkness. There is nothing that Satan and his minions can do to prevent the kingdom of Jesus from succeeding in all that he has determined to happen and accomplish.

As soon as this interaction with Jesus and Peter finished, Jesus started telling the group the things that were going to happen to him in the near future. Jesus was declaring his true reason for coming to the earth to the group. This did not sit well with Peter. Let’s read this interaction:

“And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭33‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

Jesus literally goes from congratulating Peter to rebuking him and telling him he is thinking like Satan. That is a crazy turn of events! 

How did Jesus overcome the toxic people? He stood on truth. He never backed down or compromised with the truth. 

Remember, Jesus often used questions to diffuse the emotions in the interactions with toxic people. Other times he confronted the people like we see with Peter. 

How You Are An Overcomer

How do we overcome the toxic behaviors of people in our lives? The same way Jesus did. You stand firm in the truth and never back down or compromise the truth. You believe what the Bible says about you!

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭1‬ ‭(ESV)‬‬

Stand firm in the truth and do not submit to the slavery of falsehood! 

Jesus is the Prince of Peace

In this lesson, Brett taught us the truth that since we have the Prince of Peace living inside us, we carry around peace wherever we go. 

Sometimes Peace Doesn’t Look Like Peace

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Matthew 10:34 (ESV)

I think probably a lot of people have been confused about this verse.

I mean, why would Jesus, the Prince of Peace, say that He didn’t come to bring peace but a sword?

This is how I interpret what Jesus was saying: “Don’t think that I came to overlook the evil and status quo of how things are going on in this earth. I am upsetting the kingdom of darkness and how things are now. I am cutting out the flesh and bringing in the Spirit!”

And in this process, Jesus was actually bringing True Peace. Jesus is upsetting to the kingdom of darkness and the ways of the enemy. Jesus doesn’t care about destroying the works of the devil – that’s one of the things He accomplished while He was on the earth. This is Jesus overcoming false peace with true peace. 

How You Are An Overcomer

Now, just think what we could do if we had access to this kind of peace! I mean, imagine walking into a situation that’s out of control, that’s escalating, like maybe the weather like Jesus experienced or perhaps an emotional confrontation with a person, and to be able to say, “Peace! Be still” in that situation.

Just imagine if we could do this. Like, what if there was an altercation at a restaurant, and some belligerent patron of the restaurant was literally yelling at the restaurant manager, and you were able to just use the Peace of God to calm the situation down instantly?

Imagine what that would look like, how that would feel.

And many of you know exactly what I’m about to say…

Church, you have access to this kind of peace! You can come into a crazy warzone in the spirit and declare peace over the situation. The peace you carry can literally diffuse tense situations. I’ve seen it happen. 

How do I know that we have access to the peace of Jesus? Well, He gave it to us to use. He says it very plainly in John 14.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 (ESV)

So Jesus literally said He was leaving His peace with us, giving it to us to use. 

We have the peace of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, at our disposal!

How do you use the peace of Jesus? Do you come into a situation and calm the chaos with His peace? Or do you come into a situation and make it more chaotic?

Which spirit do we want to participate with? The Spirit of Peace, or the spirit of chaos? Let me tell you, the spirit of chaos is a real thing, and it is like anti-peace. It creates division, unrest, and just a general sense of uneasiness. That’s not the spirit we want to come into agreement with. We want to come into agreement with the Holy Spirit, who is our Helper, and the bringer of peace.

Here’s another great verse about the Lord of peace, Jehovah Shalom, giving us peace:

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (ESV)

Now when does He give us peace? Is it only when we’re struggling? Is it only in the good times? Is it only in the morning, or only in the evening? No! 

“At ALL times in EVERY way!”

Does this sound limited to you? I hope not. Because The Prince of Peace has access to infinite peace. And He left this infinite peace at our disposal, to enjoy, to work with, to play with, to experiment with, to impart, to soak in and live in and pray over restaurants and homes and entire areas!

You can literally come into an environment and apply God’s peace in that environment and watch it become better.

Just like Jesus, you are called an overcomer. You can use the same strategies Jesus used to overcome anything the enemy puts in your way. You no longer have to be the victim. Let’s all live as overcomers!
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