The God Who Overcomes - Lessons from the Road with BJ Emerson

There was a time I wanted to cut down my family tree. It was broken and without hope. But then something happened to change the trajectory of my family for generations. You see, God had a better idea, and he turned a string of crimes into a string of miracles. And now, we're rooted. What does it mean to be rooted in the gospel of life through Jesus? Rooted in community? And rooted not only in the Word of God, but anchored in the heart of God? Let's find out what it means to be rooted. Hey, Victoria's Living Family. BJ Emerson here. I am back with another Take a Ride video. If we haven't met yet, I like to tell brothers and sisters who are incarcerated that I haven't been where you are, but I've been where your children are. You see, my father was arrested by the FBI when I was just 14 years old, and it was a dark time for my family. Lost and without hope, I would later witness and experience the miraculous restoration of three generations in my family. Today, I want to talk to you about the God who overcomes. Now, I suspect that you all know the terrain of life can be treacherous. Every day, we face hurdles, walls, and unexpected turns. Whether we're struggling with the repercussions of our own choices, dealing with the bad choices of others, or we have just found ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time, we need help. We need a God who overcomes, and one who is able to help us overcome. So if you're struggling, and you have some things that need overcoming, you're in the right place. But a couple things before we start. Here at Victoria's Living, we love seeing your comments on these videos. It would really bless us if you can share what you found meaningful and helpful.

So please share your questions and feedback either on your tablet or through the mail to the address at the end of this video. Also, we have prepared a study guide to go along with this video, so you'll want to access that, sit down with some friends, and use it to facilitate a Bible study together. It has great questions and applications for discussion. Victoria's Living Ministries exists to deliver hope behind bars. Your story isn't over, and we're here to support you with Bible studies, magazines, and other resources. Now, in my last video, I talked about the God who rescues, where we took a ride on a horse named Bowie, who was headed for the slaughterhouse, but was rescued and is now thriving. If you haven't seen that video, go back and watch it. Today, I want to introduce you to this God who overcomes who will ride on another horse named Moe. But hang on, because there are some obstacles ahead. So, I hope you'll sit back and enjoy another ride as we talk about the God who overcomes. Let me point out my first observation of this God who overcomes. Number one, the God who overcomes is not afraid of rough terrain. Now, horses are amazing animals. They're naturally what is referred to as the God who overcomes. They're not afraid of rough terrain. They're not afraid of the wind. They're not afraid of the rain. They're not afraid of the wind. They're naturally what is referred to as sure-footed. Now, I got this insight from one of our other team members named Sheridan Correa. You should go watch her amazing videos. Horses have the remarkable capacity to move through chaos,

loose gravel, steep drop-offs, and slick mud without panic. Instead of fighting the treacherous ground or freezing in place, a sure-footed animal does not treat obstacles as barriers. It just moves smoothly over them. This sure-footedness is one of the images we see in Scripture used to describe what God does for someone who is faced with moving through hard places. Habakkuk 3.19 says, The sovereign Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. He enables me to tread on the heights. Here we see another sure-footed animal, a deer. And here's the application. God provides the stability and strength needed to navigate difficult obstacles and stand secure when the path is precarious. It says the Lord is my strength, not myself. I am not the source of strength. He is. So here's the principle. Overcoming isn't the absence of treacherous terrain. It's becoming sure-footed because you've learned who to trust when the ground beneath you isn't. Perhaps one of the terms we like to use for this is adaptability. Over time, with God's help, we grow more confident in our ability to face trials. We don't freeze up. We don't turn back. We are sure-footed because He is sure-footed, and our hope and our trust are in Him. Now, here's four signs you might be sure-footed. 1. You're able to navigate treacherous terrain without fear. You are ready for any obstacle. 2. You've learned to trust the One who overcame all. You quickly remember the Scriptures and the truth that empowers you. 3. People question or remark on your ability to cope in difficult circumstances. In situations like this, recognize that it is by His power that you can do these things and give credit where it is due.

4. You choose the difficult path. You lean into obstacles, and you're not obsessed with being safe. As you can see in this video, my friend riding the horse is leaning over for much of the obstacle course. She is leaning into the obstacles. So let me review so far. With our trust in Him, God grants supernatural sure-footedness to conquer obstacles. Let's move on to see how. My second observation of this God who overcomes is, the God who overcomes provides truth in times of temptation. Let's look at how Jesus demonstrated how to overcome before His ultimate victory through the cross and His resurrection. In Matthew 4, 1-11, after fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, Jesus was physically famished and completely vulnerable. In this state of weakness, Satan hurled a series of intense trials at Him. First, there was a test of identity and provision, where Satan tempted Jesus to turn some stones into bread to satisfy His hunger, challenging His trust in the Father's timing and provision. You see, the tempter challenged Jesus' identity, and He also challenges ours. Then, there was a test of faith and presumption, daring Jesus to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the temple to force a miraculous theatrical rescue. Even when the enemy tried to twist the Word of God, Jesus knew not only the Word of God, but the heart of God in each circumstance. Lastly, there was the test of shortcuts and compromise. Here, the devil offered all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for a shortcut to glory. So how did Jesus overcome these temptations each time? We find the answer in the phrase, It is written. Jesus stood firm on truth. He anchored Himself entirely in the Word of God, quoting passages such as, Man shall not live on bread alone, to shut down every lie and temptation from the enemy. So even before the cross, early in His ministry, He showed us how to overcome temptation and the deception of the enemy, lies that we are told, intended to break us and defeat us. Overcomers resist temptation with divine truth. We too can overcome by the Word of God. Hebrews 4.12 says the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword. There is nothing else like it with the power to help us overcome. This brings me to my third point. The God who overcomes has followers who are overcomers. Here, I want to look at another scripture.

Romans 8.37 says this, We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. The key here is through Him. We've all tried long enough in our own strength. It is only through the One who overcame everything that we can be conquerors. We take on His character and His power as we abide in Him. We start to look like Him. What does this look like? Perhaps with questions from people like, How can you be so patient in stressful situations? Maybe people ask, How are you not freaking out right now? I think about the story of Jesus in the boat with the disciples found in Matthew 8.23-27. Then He got into the boat and His disciples followed Him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him, saying, Lord, save us, we are going to drown. He replied, You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, what kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him. You see, in the boat, Jesus had peace because he was abiding in the Father. And I wonder if the secret is not just to have faith in Jesus, but also have the faith of Jesus.

Ultimately, Jesus overcame death, hell, and the grave through his victory on the cross. In him and through him, we have life and victory over the obstacles we face and the deceptions and accusations of the enemy. Jesus overcame everything that through him we could have peace and life through him in this life and the next. If your God is not an overcomer, I would suggest that he is not a God at all. If the God you are putting your trust in does not live up to what I've described here, I'd suggest asking Jesus to reveal himself to you. He is worthy of being followed, and that's what I'm challenging you with today, because Jesus is the ultimate overcomer. Have you told him that you need his help? Here's where you can start. Pray with me. Lord, I need your help to overcome obstacles in my life. I thank you that you overcame for me so I can live in victory. Help me to walk in that victory today as I trust in you, your timing, and your goodness in my life. I thank you that you have good things in store for me. Today, I choose to follow Jesus, the one who overcame death, hell, and the grave, so that I might have life and have it more abundantly now and forever.

Amen. Thank you all for joining me. God bless you, and we'll see you next time. Thank you for watching our broadcast. Are you an incarcerated brother or sister who needs encouragement? Write to us at Victorious Living Correspondents, P.O. Box 2751, Greenville, North Carolina, 27836. To view Victorious Living Magazine in its entirety, please have your chaplain contact us at 352-478-2098, or email us through our website at vlmag.org. We are happy to provide our Victorious Living Magazine free of charge, in bulk, with or without staples.