They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. Revelation 12:11 (NIV)
Within overcomers is the ultimate secret of victory that destroys any
consideration for reputation, safety, comfort or freedom. They make themselves a
willing self-offering patterned on Christ’s own life—a repeated message in the
gospels. Not just martyrdom, but loyalty to Jesus ahead of comfort, safety and
security.
In March 2007, a co-worker had the joy of training a group of Arab Christians
who were preparing for an outreach to various Muslim countries in North Africa.
His teaching focused on bringing glory to God and also on a biblical
understanding of opposition, persecution, hardship and possible martyrdom. The
students ended the week with a declaration, as they stood up one by one,
committing themselves to live to the glory of God. They declared to live a life
to be forgotten so that Christ can be remembered.
A month later two outreach teams from the school travelled to Sudan. One team
was sent to the Juba Mountains in partnership with a local church. The team was
staying in a village and went out to a rural area to show the JESUS Film.
While they were travelling in a truck back to the village at about 10:30 pm,
they were ambushed by armed gunmen. The truck driver drove away as quickly as
possible, but a number of Sudanese and Egyptians on the truck were wounded in
the shooting. Three Sudanese and one Egyptian were killed.
They first drove franticly to the nearest town looking for a clinic to tend
to the wounded and the dead. With no facilities or medicine there, they then had
to drive a further five hours to the nearest hospital for help. The darkness and
hopelessness turned the journey into an eternity. The questions, the fear and
yet the serenity of it all made it seem surreal. When they finally reached the
hospital it was too late for Daniel, one of the wounded Egyptians. Daniel died
in the arms of one of the leaders. His last words to his faithful friend
reflected the words of his commitment to his beloved Saviour: “Tell my father
that I died for the glory of Jesus.”
Two years later, our co-worker trained another group who were again on their
way to Sudan. The group committed themselves to go back to the very region of
the traumatic event, not despite the tragedy but because of the
tragedy.
Our co-worker concluded, “I realized anew that the battle is real but also
that victory only belongs to those who participate. So often I hear Christians
say ‘we are more than conquerors!’ You can only say that if you are part of the
battle.”
When martyrs meet torture and death without fear, they demonstrate power over
Satan’s attempts to try and control us by fear. Evil is defeated because it
cannot ultimately win. Then you are an overcomer!
RESPONSE: Today I recommit myself to live a life to be forgotten so that
Christ can be remembered.
PRAYER: Jesus I adore You; lay my life before You; how I love You.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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