An overcomer is not perfect! He is simply one who recognizes his choices, recognizes when he blows it, and chooses to turn around and follow Christ. He is not perfect, good, or religious. However, he is willing and trainable.
In an example in the Old Testament, Joseph, who had a God-given inheritance, did not pass straight from the slave market right into the royal palace and the throne, so a one-time pardon of a sinner doesn’t entitle him to become a king or a sovereign. Much is required to prepare and fit such a person for that blessing and that total change of life. Joseph typifies the second type of inheritance given to those who overcome!
All Christians are Sons of God and therefore possess the free gift of an inheritance by birth that they can never lose. But not all Christians will receive an inheritance from the Lord because the “Inheritance from the Lord” is earned by faithfulness, obedience, and perseverance. Consider the “if’s” in the Scripture.
Inheriting the land in the Old Testament is conditional and symbolic of inheriting the Kingdom in the New Testament:
Deuteronomy 6:18 “If they [the Israelites] do what is good and right,” then they will not only go into the land, but also possess it.
Deuteronomy 19:9–10 confirms: “If they shall keep the commandment, then they will inherit the cities and the land.”
Deuteronomy 11:22–23, “If ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to Love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave unto Him, then will the Lord drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.”
Matthew 24:43 and 47 say, “If we are faithful, [then] He will make us ruler over all his goods”
2nd Timothy 2:12 says, “If we suffer, [then] we shall reign with Him”
James 2:5 says, “If we Love Him, we will be heirs of His kingdom.”
Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise
Inheritance from the Lord (co-reigning with Him) is earned, whereas, sonship is not.
An overcomer chooses to live Christ’s Life. We won’t do it perfectly, but at least we will recognize our choices and continue to choose to follow Christ as best we can.
He who receives God’s Spirit (through Jesus Christ) enters the Kingdom; but he who partakes of Christ’s Life and overcomes the world, the flesh, and the devil will inherit the Kingdom. Thus, the Millennial Kingdom will be inhabited by born-again Christians, but positions of honor will be held by faithful and obedient overcoming Christians (aka Overcomers).
Jesus spoke in Mark 9:
41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My Name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.
Your actions can cause you to lose a reward… think about it.
The Beloved Disciple wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2nd John :
8 Look to yourselves, that you do not lose those things we worked for, but that you may receive a full reward.
James wrote by The Holy Spirit in his Epistle, chapter 1:
23 If you listen to the Word and don’t live out the message you hear, you become like the person who looks in the mirror of the Word to discover the reflection of his face in the beginning.
24 You perceive how God sees you in the mirror of the Word, but then you go out and forget your divine origin.
25 But those who set their gaze deeply into the perfecting law of liberty are fascinated by and respond to the Truth they hear and are strengthened by it—they experience God’s blessing in all that they do!
Jesus Himself speaks about our works in Luke chapter 6:
46 “What good does it do for you to say I am your Lord and Master if you don’t put into practice what I teach you?
47 Let Me describe the one who truly follows Me and does what I say:
48 He is like a man who chooses the right place to build a house and then lays a deep and secure foundation. When the storms and floods rage against that house, it continues to stand strong and unshaken through the tempest, for he built it wisely on the right foundation.
49 But the one who has heard My teaching and does not obey it is like a man who builds a house without laying any foundation at all. When the storms and floods rage against that house, it will immediately collapse and become a total loss. Which of these two builders will you be?”