Faith That Overcomes — Zac Poonen

The Apostle John was the last of the Apostles and he wrote the book of Revelation, which is a book especially that concerns the last days. And more than anyone else, he speaks, he uses a word called overcomer.

And as far as I know, that word is not found anywhere else in the Bible. He who overcomes, he who overcomes, it's repeated so often in the book of Revelation. And I believe that is a word especially for those who want to be ready for the last days.

Victory Through Faith

And it's not such a complicated thing. In 1 John chapter 5 and verse 4, it says, This is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. It's that simple. How do we overcome? By faith. And the Amplified Bible translates faith or amplifies faith in, I think it's Colossians 1, 4 or 5.

It's the leaning of the human personality totally upon God. Think of a man leaning upon God or a branch leaning upon the tree. The leaning of the human personality totally upon God. In total confidence in His perfect love, His almighty power and His perfect wisdom.

That's one of the finest definitions of faith I've ever read. Total confidence in God's perfect love for me. In His almighty power that He can do anything. And His perfect wisdom in the way He plans things even though I can't fully understand everything that happens.

And it's a leaning of the human personality in total confidence. It's not just intellectual confidence which is something that results in my depending upon God totally. Think about that. Meditate on it in the coming year.

Confessing Faith for Salvation

And the Bible also says in Romans chapter 10 and verse 8 and 9. That if we confess, Romans 10, 9. If you confess with your mouth, Jesus Christ is Lord. And believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead.

You'll be saved. Now there's a lot of talk today about confessing our faith. But very often they are asking you to confess that God will make you a millionaire or give you a better car or a better house.

They are so earthly minded. Like the word of God says, He who is of the earth speaks of earthly things. And He who is of heaven, of heavenly things. But here it's speaking about being saved. Not about getting a better car or a better house.

Confessing in a way that we can be saved. And that word saved has meant a lot more to me today than it meant to me when I first got saved from the wrath of God. Salvation for me today is to be saved from every wretched thing I inherited from Adam in my flesh.

We all inherited some terrible evil things because of the poison that Adam received into him through the devil in our flesh. And we can sum it all up by saying everything un-Christ like. I want to be saved from every single thing that is un-Christ like in my life, in my words, my attitudes, my thoughts, my actions, my whole personality.

That's saved. And it says here, if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, then we will be saved. So faith is something which we have to believe in our heart and also confess with our mouth.

Confessing God's Word in Spiritual Battle

I found tremendous deliverance when speaking out the word of God. Do you know how Jesus overcame Satan? Always with the confession of his mouth. Satan cannot hear our thoughts. Jesus never cast out a demon with his thoughts.

I've never cast out a demon with my thoughts because Satan can't hear my thoughts. It's always with a word. We speak a word because that's what Satan hears. And that's why it's very important for all of us to learn to confess with our mouth.

What do we confess? What did Jesus confess with his mouth? It is written. Not I want, like modern deceiving faith preachers and the faith movement teaches. It is written. What God has written, we confess that.

And it brings deliverance. We cannot confess what God, we can ask God for anything. You can, I mean little children can sit on their father's lap and ask for the moon. They can ask for anything. You can sit on God's lap and ask for anything.

But to confess that God will do something for you, you have to first of all hear what God has written. And so, let me give you an example of a man who did that in Romans chapter 4. That's Abraham. One day God spoke to him, showing him the stars in the sky.

Abraham's Faith in God's Promise

He said to him in Romans 4 .17, I made you the father of many nations. His name was Abram, A-B-R-A-M, exalted father. The Lord said, stop calling yourself Abram from today. From today you're going to call yourself the father of a multitude, Abraham.

Well, the next morning he got up and he told everybody, my name is Abraham. I'm the father of a multitude. How many children do you have, Abraham? None at the moment, but I'm going to have. Next day, what's your name?

Abraham. How many children do you have? None yet. Next year, Abraham, how many children do you have? None yet. But today, God's word is fulfilled. He had many children even in his lifetime. And today he's the father of a multitude.

And it says here in Hope, verse 18. He believed so that he might become the father of many nations. And listen to this, without becoming weak in faith, he contemplated his own body. He didn't shut his eyes to reality.

It says he looked at his body, dead. He looked at Sarah's womb, dead. You know, when we look at circumstances, we don't pretend. There are faith preachers who say, don't say you're sick, say I'm healed.

How can you say you're healed? That's a lie. When a man couldn't see properly, and he saw men like trees walking, he said that. And Jesus didn't say, don't say that, confess that you're healed. No, how could he confess that?

He saw men like trees walking. Jesus said, fine, we'll pray for you again. You never have to confess a lie. Speak the truth. If somebody prayed for you, and you're sick, and you're still sick, say, I'm still sick.

But I'm praying that God will heal me. We never have to confess a lie. But if God has spoken something to us, clearly, Sin shall not have dominion over you, Romans 6, 14. Confess it, even if you're defeated.

Because that is God's word. Jesus confessed God's word to Satan. So here it says, He, with, verse 20. Romans 4, 20. Yet with respect to the promise of God, He did not waver in unbelief. This is the verse I want you to remember.

With respect to the promise of God, He did not waver in unbelief. But was strong in faith. He grew strong in faith, giving glory to God. There is only one way to give glory to God. And that's by growing strong in faith.

And I want to encourage you, by the end of 2009, you should be much stronger in faith than you are right now. That's the way you'll give glory to God all the days of this year. There may be many areas at the end of this year that you'll still fail.

But be strong in faith. Remember, it took 25 years before Abraham got a son. After God first promised him, when he was 75, that he'd have, through his seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed.

So it may take time, it may take 25 years, but keep confessing it. And it will take place. It's a good verse to remember. In India, the word 420 has got a bad meaning. I don't know whether you know that.

In Hindi, they say, Char Saav Bees. 420, it means a crooked, wicked man. Because in the Indian penal code, item number 420 deals with all these crooks and goondas, etc. So you'll never forget that verse now, right?

Romans 420. Romans, Char Saav Bees. But it's something much better than what the IPC, Indian Penal Code, 420 says. With respect to the promise of God, I will not waver in unbelief, but I grow strong in faith, giving glory to God.

The Father's Love Produces Rejoicing

So, I want you to confess eight things in this new year. Number one. God the Father loves me, as He loved Jesus. So, I will always rejoice. You see, there's a consequence of a truth. John 17, 23 says, God loves us as He loved Jesus.

God the Father loves me as He loved Jesus. So, I will always rejoice. I am as precious to God as Jesus Himself. Never forget that. It has changed my life completely. I couldn't care less what people in the world or other Christians think about me or say about me or do to me.

I am precious to God. I don't care what anybody thinks about any area of my life. I'm precious to God. He loves me as He loved Jesus. Not because I'm perfect, I'm not. I'm still struggling in different areas.

But I'm loved. I'm a person who's loved by a Father in Heaven. I'm not an orphan. And so, I will always rejoice. My joy is not because I got victory. My joy is not because I did something for the Lord or went here or did that.

Forgiveness, Confession, and Freedom from Guilt

No, it's because my Father in Heaven loves me as He loved Jesus. Number two, God has forgiven me all my sins. So, I will never live with guilt. I will never live with guilt for a single moment. Because God has forgiven me all my sins.

Every single one of them. And the only sin that God will not forgive is the sin that you don't confess. Somebody asked me once, what's the sin God will never forgive? I said, the sin you don't confess.

Because the Bible says in 1 John 1 .9, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So, whatever sin you didn't confess, that's the one God didn't forgive.

Is it so difficult to confess your sin? Is it so difficult to take the blame? Don't blame anybody else like Adam did. Confess your sin. Confess your sin to God. Confess your sin to man. If you hurt somebody, confess your sin in the circle in which you committed it.

Don't go confessing all your secret sins to everybody. That's foolishness. That's earthly psychology. It's a lot of garbage. Confess your sin in the circle in which it is committed. That means if you hurt two people, confess to two people.

If you hurt the whole church, confess to the whole church. If you hurt one person, confess to one person. Of course, every sin must be confessed to God. And if you hurt only God, then confess only to God.

Dirty thoughts, you confess only to God. Secret sins, you confess only to God. God has forgiven all my sins, so I'll never live with guilt, because not only has He forgiven me, He's also told me, I will not remember your sins and iniquities anymore.

It must be very clear in your mind. Hebrews 8 verse 12. I will not remember your sins anymore. Confess it. God has forgiven all my sins, so I will never live a single moment of my life with guilt. I'm not gonna live any day of 2009 with guilt.

The Holy Spirit Empowers Every Task

Why should I? The blood of Jesus has cleansed me from all sin. Then thirdly, God will fill me with His Holy Spirit, so I will be strong enough for every task. God will fill me with His Holy Spirit, so I'm strong enough for every task.

Why will God fill me with the Holy Spirit? Because I'm as accepted before Him as Jesus Himself is. It's pretty daring to say it. I believe it. That's the meaning of Ephesians 1 .4 in the King James Version.

It says, Accepted in the Beloved. Accepted in the Beloved. He sees me in Christ. He doesn't see me. He sees Christ clothing me. I'm in Christ. And He accepts me in the Beloved. Therefore, He will fill me with His Holy Spirit, just like He filled Jesus with the Holy Spirit.

And when I'm filled with the Holy Spirit, I will be strong enough for every task. I will be anointed as Jesus was. Not to fulfill Jesus' ministry, not to fulfill Zak Poonen's ministry, or XYZ's ministry, but your ministry.

Each of us has got a special task. When the hand gets power, it doesn't become an eye. It cannot see. It cannot hear. But it can do things that a hand can do. It can grip things. When it's paralyzed, it's helpless.

And when the ear gets power, it doesn't become an eye. It becomes an ear. And when you get power, you will not be like me. You will not be like Charles Finney. You'll be like yourself. But a powerful Christian.

God will fill me with the Holy Spirit. Not just once. I want to be filled 365 days of the year in 2009. I'm gonna confess it. I'm gonna confess what I believe in my heart. Don't confess it if you don't believe it.

If you go around wiggling like a worm and saying, Oh God, you will never do anything for me. I'm so useless. Well, that's what will happen to you. God will do nothing for you. Because that's what you confess.

Confess. God loves you. That He's forgiven your sins. And God will fill you with the Holy Spirit. So, you will be strong for every task that you can ever face. In this coming year. You'll have power to live holy.

And you'll have power to serve effectively. I don't know what all service God's gonna call me for in the year 2009. But I know I will have power to serve effectively. I believe God will give me health.

God will give me words. God will give me the anointing. God will give me wisdom. For every single task He's appointed for me. Not for you. He won't give me the wisdom that a mother needs to bring up children.

Because I'm not a mother. He'll give me the wisdom that I need to fulfill my ministry. I will be strong enough. And you must confess this. We are so reluctant to confess what God has said. Think of Abraham.

Contentment Within God's Boundaries

He was bold to confess that what God has promised, God is able to do in my life. God will fill me with the Holy Spirit. So, I'll be strong enough for every task. And number four. God has determined all my boundaries.

So, I will always be content. He's the one who determines how much money I should earn. That's one boundary. My financial boundary is determined by God. I remember the days when my financial boundary was so small.

That was not determined by men. It was determined by God. And I was perfectly content within that. When you're not content with the boundary God has put around you, you go to borrow. When you go to borrow, you're saying to people, My Heavenly Father has let me down.

He's untrustworthy. You got to help me. Or you're saying, I'm fed up with the boundary God has drawn around me. I'm not going to stay within it. Give me some money. I'm not talking about an emergency where we can borrow and seek for help.

And seek to repay it. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about a covetousness and a greed that does not allow you to be satisfied with the boundary God has drawn around you. Be satisfied with the boundary God has drawn around you.

And when He increases that boundary, be satisfied with that. Never compare yourself with somebody else's boundary. Confess with your mouth, God is the one who has determined all my boundaries. Not only financially.

He's determined the size of house you're to live in. If you can get a better house, take it. But don't complain. Ever. He's the one who's determined the type of job you're to have. Don't complain about that.

He's determined the place where you're to live. He's determined which church you should belong to. He's determined the brothers and sisters. Who are to be your brothers and sisters. Don't complain against that.

Don't make your own life miserable. In every area, say to yourselves, confess it with your mouth. It is Almighty God who drew my boundaries. And therefore I will not complain. I will always be content.

I'll be content with the way God made me. Say that to God. I'm not asking Him to make me fairer or better looking or more intelligent or cleverer. Yes, more hardworking. But my basic makeup, God made me that way.

He wove me in my mother's womb. I'm content with the way God made me. I have no complaints. And I'm happy with the spiritual gifts He gave me. I'm not in competition with anybody else. Because I'm content.

God's Commands Are for Our Good

And I will always be satisfied. And I'll never, never be jealous of another human being. When I confess that God determined my boundary. Number five. God's commands are all for my good. So, I want to obey all of God's commands.

Every single command of God that He's given is for my good. Little babies don't understand that the commands their father gives them is for their good. And so they say, no, I won't do it. How stupid those babies are.

Every father and mother knows here that every bit of, every commandment we give to our children is for their good. But those stupid children don't understand it. And there are a lot of stupid children of God who don't understand that every commandment He has given us in the New Testament is for our good.

It's for our protection. It's to make us spiritual. It's to make us holy. It's to make us overcomers. It's to make us useful in His service. It's to make us spend a worthwhile life on this earth before we leave and meet Him face to face.

Every command when He tells you not to do something. When you tell your two-year-old child, get, throw away that knife, throw away that blade, don't take it. The child looks at that shiny blade, why doesn't my dad let me play with this blade?

That's how foolish many of God's children are. When God stops them from something, they wonder why. Confess with your mouth this year, God's commands are all for my good. So I want to obey all of God's commands.

Every single one of them. Without exception. And how will you know what God's commands are? You got to study the scriptures. You can't know what God's commands are if you don't read the word of God. I'll tell you honestly.

I search the scriptures to find out if there's something I haven't obeyed. Because then I'm missing some good God has for me. You're missing a lot of good God has for you if you haven't discovered what God has commanded.

I would suggest that you study the scriptures. Even if you're the most selfish person here. Do you know the most selfish thing you can do for yourself today? Study the scriptures. That's the most selfish thing you can do for yourself in the new year.

Because there you'll discover the wonderful things like we heard a little earlier. What eye has not seen and what ear has not heard. And has not entered into the mind of man. The things, the wonderful things God has prepared for us now.

And it says in 1 Corinthians 2 that verse,. But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit. So, you won't search for those commands unless you believe they are for your good. One of the greatest lies the devil has succeeded in convincing men and women all over the world for 6 ,000 years.

Is that God's commands are a burden. They're too difficult to obey. You try, try, try. You'll never be able to keep them. It's impossible to overcome sin. That dirty habit you got, you'll always be a slave to it.

How long are you going to believe the lie of the devil? How long are you going to believe that God commands you something which is impossible to obey? Expose the lie of the devil in this coming year and say, No, Satan, God's commands can be obeyed.

Trusting God with People and Circumstances

Every one of them, small and big. If he tells me to build his church, to be a co-worker with him in building his church, He will do it. Be a co-worker with God. Number six, God controls all the people and events that affect me.

And so, I will always give thanks for all people, for all my circumstances and for everything that comes my way. God is the one who controls all the people and all the events that affect my life, that affect me.

Romans 8, 28, God works together, makes everything work together for good to those who love him. Let's confess that. Let's confess, I don't know what's going to happen next week. I don't know what's going to happen the first of January, in a few minutes.

I don't know what's going to happen on the second or third or February or March or June, July, August. I got no clue. But I have a dad in heaven, who knows all the way up to the end of 2009 and all the way up to the end of 2090.

Wherever we will be then, perhaps in heaven, most probably there. But he knows it all the way till the end. And therefore, I know nothing is going to take him by surprise. And not only that, he never allows a trial to come to me, which is too much for me.

He will meet every need of mine. He can solve every problem. One of the great messages I get from the miracles of Jesus is this. God can solve every problem. I took a series of studies once on all the miracles of Jesus.

With the overall title, God can solve every problem. That's the message I get from the miracles. Whether there's no wine, he can solve that. Not enough food for people, he can solve that. Somebody is sick somewhere, he can solve that.

It doesn't matter what the problem is. So many people, somebody is deemed possessed, he can take care of that. That's the message I get from the ministry of Jesus. I never see anyone coming to Jesus and Jesus scratching his head and saying, Boy, that's a tough one.

How do I do that? How do I handle that one? Never. Not even once. He's the same yesterday, today and forever. Confess it. Tell the devil. There was never a person who came to Jesus with a problem that Jesus couldn't solve.

I don't know what your problems are, my brother. I don't know what more problems you're going to face in the next year. But I can tell you one thing right now without a shadow of doubt. Jesus can solve them.

All of them. And solve them better than your crazy solutions. So confess it. God controls all the people. God, and He'll meet every need of mine, solve every problem of mine. If I honor Him, He'll honor me.

And if I seek His kingdom first and His righteousness, all the other things I need upon this earth will be added to me. I don't have to go running after them. They'll be added. They'll be thrown into my lap like a bonus.

Because I spent my life seeking His kingdom and His righteousness. God is going to make everything work for my good. And so I will always give thanks. I'm never going to murmur or complain. Why do you murmur and complain?

When you murmur and complain, you're saying, Oh, God couldn't solve that problem. Or God is not able to solve it. Or He's not willing to solve it. Or you're confessing something worse. The devil is more powerful than Jesus Christ.

Please remember that. When you murmur or complain about anything in the coming year, you're thereby saying indirectly, the devil is more powerful than Jesus Christ. Maybe you have confessed that in the past, but never again.

Christ's Victory over Satan Removes Fear

You're going to confess to the one who lives in me, the one my father in heaven is greater and more powerful than anything that Satan can ever do. Number seven. Jesus defeated Satan and freed me from his power.

So I will never be afraid. Satan cannot harm me. I will never be afraid in 2009. Because Jesus defeated Satan 2 ,000 years ago. I'm not going to live in anxiety or fear anymore as to what Satan can do to me next.

I know his end. He's going to be cast into the lake of fire. He's already been defeated. I know that Satan's whole attitude towards me changed. Listen, Satan's attitude towards me changed when he discovered that I knew that he was defeated on the cross.

I knew he was defeated on the cross. He lost his power over me. He tries to keep that fact hidden from so many Christians who know that Jesus died for their sins on the cross. Satan was defeated on the cross.

Confess it. Tell the devil to his face that he was defeated. Confess with your mouth, Jesus defeated Satan. My savior defeated you, Satan. You were defeated on the cross. They overcame him, it says in Revelation 12, by the word of their testimony.

Not testimony in the church. Testimony to Satan. They testified to Satan. You were defeated on the cross. And therefore, I will never be afraid of you, Satan. I'll never be afraid. I will not fear what can man do to me.

Becoming a Blessing to Others

I will boldly confess. The Lord is my helper. What can man do to me? Number eight, finally. God wants to make me a blessing. That's the promise of Abraham. Galatians 3 .14 says, it's for us. The blessing of Abraham is for us.

Through the Holy Spirit. What is that? I will make you a blessing to all the families of the earth. That means you, who got the blessing of Abraham through the Holy Spirit, you're gonna be a blessing to every family that you meet.

As you were a curse in the past and a nuisance and a problem to others, you're gonna be a blessing. God will make me a blessing. I can't make myself a blessing. I can't try to be a blessing. I'll make a nuisance of myself.

But I say, Lord, I believe you are gonna make me a blessing. And so I will be a blessing to others. What a wonderful thing. What a wonderful way to live on this earth. Being a blessing to other people.

Confessing the Eight Promises of Faith

Fulfilling our earthly, the purpose with which God brought us to earth from our mother's womb. So let's confess these things from the beginning. Will you say with me? Number one. Say with me. God the Father loves me as He loved Jesus.

So I will always rejoice. Now say it from your heart. Number two. God has forgiven me all my sins. So I will never live with guilt. And number three. Say it with faith. God will fill me with His Holy Spirit.

So I will be strong enough for every task. Number four. God has determined all my boundaries. So I will always be content. Number five. God's commands are all for my good. So I want to obey all of God's commands.

Number six. God controls all people and events that affect me. So I will always give thanks. And number seven. Jesus defeated Satan and freed me from his power. So I will never be afraid. And number eight.

The best of it all. God wants to make me a blessing. Now the emphasis is on the word will. So I will be a blessing to others. Praise the Lord. What shall I say? According to your faith, be it unto you.

It will be so. So amen means it will be so. What are we going to say? Amen. It will be so. We've got two or three minutes before we enter the new year. It's not that December 31st, January 1st is anything special.

But it's a very good time once a year. God has made the cycle of the earth going around the sun. Such that we can take stock of ourselves once a year. And examine ourselves and say Lord. By your grace it's going to be different.

Repentance and Surrender at the New Year

In the days to come. Let's bow before God. Let's bow before God. In these closing moments of the old year. Say Lord I want to finish. I want to forget the things that are behind. I want to confess every sin right now.

Everything unconfessed. And the first opportunity I'm going to confess to man as well. But I want to finish with the old. I want it all under the blood of Jesus. Gone, cleansed. And you said you won't remember it anymore.

Lord I made a mess of so many areas. But please forgive me. It's going to be different I believe Lord. Lord I mean it. I made many resolutions in the past. But it's never worked. But I'm not going to give up.

I'm not going to give up. I'm going to try again this time. I'm really going to seek you. And I confess these things. And I'm going to keep confessing these things throughout this year. And I believe by the time I come to the end of the year.

It's going to be completely different with me. Yes Lord. You're a rewarder of those who diligently seek you. I want to seek you diligently this year. I want to put you first in my life. I want Jesus to be Lord of my life.

And if you've never, anybody sitting here, any child. You've never asked Jesus to come into your heart. I want you children. Please say to Jesus right now. Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sin.

Be my savior and my Lord. Begin a new year as a newborn child of God. Right now, you children. Make sure that Jesus Christ has come into your life. He'll come in. If you ask him to come, he'll come in.

Ask him to come in right now. In the silence of your heart. Say Lord Jesus, come into my heart. I want to turn and be a good boy and a good girl from now on. Help me. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Let's spend a few moments in silence.

As we cross over into the new year. Make your silent transactions with God. Mean every word. He listens to you. He will help you. Faith is to believe. That God is more eager to bless you. Than you are to be blessed.

And if you can believe that God is more eager to bless you. Than you are to be blessed. Then you have faith. If you think that you are more eager to have God's blessing than God is to bless you. Then you still are in unbelief.

Get rid of that. Lord, I believe. You are more eager to bless me. Than I am to be blessed. You are more eager to forgive me. Than I am to be forgiven. You are more eager to fill me with the Holy Spirit.

Than I am to be filled. Lord, my heart is totally opened. As I enter the new year. Surrender to you.