Born to Overcome. 1 John 5:4-5

1 John 5:4-5

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"

It seems like I'm always fighting a battle here on earth.

If it isn't work, there's something going on with the family. If it isn't the family, it's my health. If it isn't my health, it's my car, it's always something. Sixty-four years on this planet and I can tell you- the battles don't stop. They just change uniforms.

But here's what I've learned: how you start the day determines whether you fight from victory or fight for survival.

Every morning I get up, make my coffee, get in my favorite chair and sit down with God. I have a short prayer I say, then I open the Word and dive in. Four chapters in the Old Testament. Four chapters in the New. Four chapters in either Psalms or Proverbs. That's my order. That's my rhythm. By the time I'm done, my Spirit tank is full and I'm ready to attack the day.

The day I created this piece, I was struggling. Personally. The kind of struggle you don't post about. I was doing my reading, working through 1 John, and I came to this verse:

"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world."

And the Spirit stopped me cold.

He said: "Do you really believe this?"

When the Spirit talks to you, you know it. It's not a thought. It's not a feeling. It's a voice that cuts through all the noise and lands right in the center of your chest.

Jesus said His Spirit would comfort us. And wow, that is so true. In that moment, I wasn't reading a verse anymore. I was being held. Swept up like a lamb in the arms of the Good Shepherd.

That's what I want people to experience. Not religion. Not rules. Him.

I use the color gold a lot in my art. Gold is a precious metal. Jesus is my precious Savior.

Now, I'll be honest with you, I'm not a guy with paint on his hands. I'm a digital artist now. I work on a big monitor, spreading pixels around until it looks exactly how the Spirit is leading me. No brushes. No easel. Just me, a computer, and endless possibilities. There's never a mistake that can't be undone. I take my time until I get it exactly how it should be.

Some people might say that's not "real" art. But here's what I've come to understand: God doesn't care about my tools. He cares about my heart. He's the one doing the inspiring. I'm just a guy trying to tell other folks about Jesus- now with pixel pictures.

When I lay down gold in a piece like this, I'm not decorating. I'm declaring. This is Jesus winning. Claiming victory over this world. Breaking through. Giving us hope to face another day.

Because that's what He did. He overcame this place. One step at a time. He lived it. He knows what it's like down here- the fear, the doubt, the days when you don't know if you can keep going. He walked through all of it. And then He beat it. He did that for you and me.

He calls it victory. I like winning.

Overcoming doesn't mean the battles stop. It means I can look past the hurtful and terrible things the devil wants me to worry about. I can overlook them, not because I'm strong, but because I know now, at 64 years old, that nothing will be able to snatch me from Jesus' arms.

He's got me.

And I really believe that.

If you're hurting today, if you're afraid, if you're fighting a battle that feels like it's never going to end- I want you to know something:

He's got you too.

Come to Him. Let Him sweep you up. Let Him love on you. That's what the Good Shepherd does.

— Mark