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A LIFE TO OVERCOME By Laura L. Whitley
Chapter One
God’s Purpose for You
You were created for a purpose. You were placed on this earth for a reason. Have you ever thought about that? What if the rapture really did happen today? Would you be prepared to show your good works and faithful stewardship before God? Or have you been too busy for God, busy living for the world?
It was God’s intention from the beginning to give man, whom He created in His image and likeness, dominion over the earth, to rule and reign with Him.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion . . . over all the earth . . . .” (Genesis 1:26)
Before the foundation of the world and before man was ever created, God’s purpose for man has always been to rule and reign with Christ. From eternity past, before the beginning of creation, all things were planned and created through God’s Son and for God’s Son.
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (Colossians 1:16)
What we can understand here is that God had purposed for His Son from eternity past (from the foundation of the world) the kingdom of the heavens (the rule over the earth) to give as an inheritance to man — even before man was ever created.
God’s purpose for man is revealed throughout the entire Word of God. In the Old Testament it was portrayed in types (figures, patterns, examples), and it was first offered to the Jews, God’s chosen people. In the New Testament, it was revealed in the gospels, in and through the parables, in the epistles and in the book of Revelation. When we understand God’s purpose for man, we are then able to place the topic of salvation within proper context and remove any confusion we would have surrounding it.
Because of Adam’s fall into sin, man failed to take on this position of rulership. He now had to labor in the field to prove his worthiness. Therefore, Satan continued to have rulership over the earth and will hold this position until a future time when he will be taken down. Satan, the beautifully created angel, who was given rule over the original creation, continues to hold the scepter of rulership, even in his fallen condition (the first to bring sin into the world by rebelling against God), to this present day. Satan’s rebellion concerned rulership (ascending above God — Isaiah 14:13) and as a result of this rebellion, the material creation of Genesis 1:1 under the rule of Satan, became ruined.
The earth was [became] without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep . . . . (Genesis 1:2a)
It is at this point in time that God spends six days restoring the ruined material creation, so as to establish it in preparation for an entirely new group of rulers who would be created for that specific purpose. And within His plan for man to rule, He made man a little lower than the angels so that he might prove himself worthy to replace the incumbent ruler, Satan. For man to attain the position for which he was created, to be elevated above the angels and to rule and reign with Christ, he would have to parallel that which is seen in the six days of creation (six thousand years of work) followed by a seventh day of rest (the 7th one-thousand year period, which will be the millennial kingdom). Each day for God is equivalent to a thousand years for man, as we see in 2 Peter 3:8:
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The day that Adam fell into sin, his spirit died and this is when God began His redemptive work in dealing with that death. This was the reason for Christ’s death. In order to effect the Father’s plan and purpose in respect to rulership, Christ had to die in order to pay the price required by man’s rebellion. All these events — Satan’s rebellion, the creation of man, the fall of man, Christ’s death and resurrection and the need for redemption are all part of the process to bring about the fulfillment of God’s plan and purpose for the ages, all of which point to the seventh day, the millennial kingdom.
However, Satan will do everything in his power to keep his position of rulership. With one-third of the fallen angels that left with him, he is out deceiving those that threaten him most — the Church. He has succeeded for hundreds of years now in distracting the attention of Christians from the truth of the Word by and through the formation of different man-made religions and church programs. He has been successful in blinding them from understanding the truth by twisting, falsifying or omitting parts of the Word of God; and also, by encouraging the ungodly imposition of self-generated religious acts performed by many of today’s churches and denominations, none of which have any foundation in God’s Word. Satan does this in order to disqualify those (Christians) who compose the Church from obtaining rulership during that day.
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we do no wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:11-13)
Satan’s deceitful work within the religious leaders of the past has been passed down throughout the generations in order to deter the Church from knowing the mystery of the kingdom, which is that the Church is being offered the inheritance (an action that applies only to family members [“first-born sons”]) in the kingdom of the heavens. And the time is very near.
But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3)
Churches today rarely speak of the purpose of man’s creation — to rule and reign with Christ. They simply omit Scripture concerning Christ’s second return for His Church, the judgment seat of Christ, and the millennial kingdom. Some churches teach that the kingdom of God is not a literal kingdom, using the verse in Luke 17:20, 21:
Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;
nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
During that time, Jesus was offering the kingdom of the heavens to the nation of Israel, and He presented Himself as their Messiah while in their midst. The words “within you” may also be translated “in your midst.” Thus at that time Jesus was referring to Himself. One day in the future, Jesus will rule over all, and He will share that rule with His people in His literal kingdom. And all will know when He has returned:
For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His Day. (Luke 17:24)
Within His redemptive work, God brought forth three first-born sons — Christ, Israel and the Church — to fulfill His purpose of redeeming man to a future position of rulership. And in and through Christ (the Gentiles being grafted in with the Jews to make up the Church) Christians have the rights to the inheritance, as we see in Galatians 3:29:
And if you are Christ’s then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Our position “in Christ” makes us part of the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and therefore partakers of the promises that were first given to them. However, we must meet certain conditions in order to qualify for the future inheritance, as God’s firstborn sons and as the bride of Christ. Since Pentecost, God has been searching for a bride for His Son, who will be taken out of the body of Christ (the Church) and who will qualify as co-heirs with Christ to rule and reign with Him in the kingdom of the heavens. Christ will return soon. When that time comes will you, as you stand before Him, be prepared?
Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven [lit. ‘kingdom of the heavens’], but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
Many will say to Me in that day [Day of the Lord], “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?”
And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!”(Matthew 7:21-23)
Jesus is speaking to Christians as only they call Christ by the name “Lord.” And it is important to understand that “heaven” refers to the invisible heavens connected with the earth from which rulership takes place. When “heaven” is used in Scripture, it is used in the plural sense and should be translated, “in the heavens.” Heaven means “all above” and the expression, kingdom of heaven [lit. “kingdom of the heavens’] means “a particular region in the heavens” where God reigns. Who will enter the kingdom of the heavens? “He who does the will of My Father in heaven,” according to Jesus Christ.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
He who says “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps His Word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. (1 John 2:3-5)
How can we know the will of God, His purpose for us and His commandments?
God left Christians with the most important source ever written, the Holy Bible — His Word, which is alive and powerful. A Christian cannot have a personal relationship with (i.e., know) Him without knowing His Word and abiding in it. The Word is a powerful tool and is God’s guidance for the Christian. We were given something amazing, to be implanted in our minds — the realization of how undeniably tiny we are in comparison to the heavens, yet rare and precious, that we belong to Someone greater than ourselves, and that none of us are alone.
God reveals how much He loves us and what great plans He has for those who love Him. I wish that every believer could feel that awe and humility — that hope that comes from His Word. In light of this, let us realize that His Word does not speak to the unsaved for they cannot be holy or spiritual since within them they do not possess the Spirit of God. We see this in 1 Corinthians 2:14:
But the natural [unsaved] man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The Bible was written for the saved; to teach them God’s purpose for man. It was and is not written for the unsaved. It is not about the unsaved. As an all-knowing God, He knows your heart, thoughts and intentions. When Scripture speaks of sin and ungodliness, it is speaking of the Christian. Do you believe that Christians can be unholy and ungodly? Of course they can! Christians have a sin nature and can be carnal (fleshly) Christians. In order for a Christian to know God, His plans and His purposes, he must go to His source, the Word of God. Without knowing Him, you cannot enter the kingdom of the heavens.
And if you are to understand God’s Word, you must begin where God began (the book of Genesis), and follow through exactly in the manner God set forth the structure of His Word, so that you can build upon that foundation and understand the meaning behind the events and what is yet to come. Because the Spirit dwells in you (1 Corinthians 3:16), the more eager you are to know God, the more He will reveal His Word to you by means of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, as you mature in the Word, the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth, and you will be able to spiritually discern whether something said or written is true or is false doctrine.
But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God [lit: God-breathed], and is profitable for doctrine [teaching], for reproof [to prove or convince], for correction, for instruction in righteousness [right or just living],
that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17)
For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12, 13)
The Word of God is the measuring stick that Christ will use at His judgment seat. God’s message is alive and active, penetrating the innermost parts of a person. It distinguishes the thoughts and intents of a person’s soul and exposes the spiritual motivations of a believer’s heart. The words “naked” and “open” in Hebrews 4:13 suggest complete exposure and defenselessness before God. All believers must give account to the all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-powerful God at His judgment seat one day.
A correct understanding of Scripture necessitates viewing the types from the Old Testament alongside their antitypes from the New Testament. This is the way God has structured His revelation to man. In the Old Testament, God lead His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt to bring them into their inheritance, the land of Canaan. This was the land that God had originally covenanted to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The Israelites that believed in Him were given instructions to place the shed blood of the Passover lambs over their door posts so that the Lord would then recognize a vicarious death of the firstborn. This meant that the firstborn would have died via a substitute and therefore the Lord would pass over that home. If He didn't see the blood of the substitute lamb, then He knew the firstborn had not yet died and that he had to suffer death. God led them safely out of Egypt and for forty years they were in the wilderness. God tested their faith to determine who would enter the Promise Land. Those who remained faithful to Him, that is, only Joshua and Caleb along with the children (who were now young adults), from the first generation of the nation of Israel were allowed to enter. All the other thousands of Israelites fell away, practicing idolatry, lacking faith in God, and were not allowed to enter, but were destroyed.
This is a “type” (example) for us to realize today (1 Corinthians 10:1-11). It is a word picture for the New Testament “antitype,” all Christians. In the New Testament, God sent His only begotten Son, the Lamb of God, to shed His blood for the sins of the world, so that whosoever believed in Him would be saved from the penalty of spiritual death. Since Pentecost, God has allowed each individual believer’s faith to be tested in order to determine who will be a bride for His Son and be able to enter the promised land, the kingdom of the heavens, to rule and reign with Him. Of course, God desires for all Christians to remain faithful to Him in order to be saved into His kingdom. This is His purpose for you.
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness,
Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, and saw My works forty years.
Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known My ways.’
So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest [My Kingdom — The 7th Day of Rest].’” (Hebrews 3:7-11)
The land of Canaan is a type of the future kingdom of the heavens; and in order for individuals to have the rights of inheritance and possession in this land, then and in the future, they had to belong to the family of God as sons. In other words, they had to be saved individuals; and in the passage above, the children of Israel were indeed children of God. We see this in 1 Corinthians 10:1-5:
Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers [Israel] were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,
all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
all ate the same spiritual food,
and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
However, because of their unfaithfulness and disobedience to God pertaining to the land, all adults but two were barred from entering into that land to enjoy its blessings. The outcasts of Israel were left with a great loss.
And just as the Israelites under Moses were eternally saved and called out of Egypt to realize an inheritance in another land, so Christians under Christ are eternally saved and are being called out of the world to realize an inheritance in another land, separate from the earth — a heavenly land.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
The word inherit or inheritance is kleronomeo (G2816), which means “to be an heir” and Kleronomia (G2817) means “a possession.” Upon our belief in the Lord, we then have access to this inheritance as sons of God because of our positional standing in Christ, handed down from the lineage of Abraham. We have been born again to receive this inheritance — we have been redeemed for a purpose. However this inheritance is a reward to be received in the future and is not automatic, but conditional. It is dependent upon one’s faithfulness to God. Only then can one be considered God’s firstborn son and therefore qualify to become the bride of Christ. The word reward is misthos (G3408), which means “pay for service; wages.” And because this salvation is inherited and therefore part of our reward, it must be earned through faithful obedience to the Word of God after we have been born again.
. . . knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:24)
You may be saying, “I am not interested in a reward or in ruling and reigning! I just want to be able to enter the kingdom — that is good enough for me.” But God says that your understanding is limited to the possibilities that He has in store for you. God called you to rule and reign. He has given you the Holy Spirit as a guide to provide for you a course of growth that will enable you to have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of the heavens. Imagine yourself experiencing the joy and fulfillment of being accepted by God Almighty at His judgment seat, of angels placing crowns on your head, and of ruling and reigning by the side of Jesus Christ. This is God’s will for you.
Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10, 11)
A Christian who comes to a full understanding of God’s plan and purpose will begin to lay hold of the “hope” that is set before him. This “hope” is mentioned throughout the New Testament, and when properly understood, will transform him from a life of being self-centered to one of being Christ-centered. Today so few people are interested in the deeper knowledge of the Word of God. They are content to be babes in Christ throughout their life, ignoring the meat of the Word.
God has so much more planned for the Christian’s future, yet most are unaware. The hope that God instructs us to hold relates to the gospel of the kingdom, and is our motivation for overcoming the trials we face here in order that we might reign there. It centers on our anticipation of the appearing of our Lord in the air and the establishment of His kingdom. The “hope” of the Christian is that he has qualified to enter the kingdom and occupy a position of rulership with Christ.
. . . looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. (Titus 2:13)
. . . but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:2-3)
How many Christians have this hope? Not many at all. Sadly, most Christians do not have any hope for the future kingdom. Not many hope to see the Lord. What a shame this is, knowing that a life in the kingdom serving Christ will be the most awesome and glorious life one could possess, and it cannot be compared to the best life with all its riches here on earth.
The following prayers you are about to read are from Paul, which he offered on behalf of the Ephesians and the Colossians. These prayers are a most significant revelation from God, which merit our closest attention and earnest study.
The Ephesians, eternally saved and growing in grace, are addressed by Paul who now prays that they will receive the full knowledge of God’s Word.
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
do not cease to give thanks to you, making mention of you in my prayers:
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe . . . . (Ephesians1:15-19a)
As soon as he heard of the faith of the Colossians, Paul began interceding by praying to God for them.
For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9-14)
What a revelation! God has laid out His plan of redemption since eternity past and has qualified those Christians whom He foreknew would walk worthy of the Lord to be partakers of the inheritance in the age to come. This is what these prayers reveal — our purpose in Christ and how to obtain it.
God’s will is that we abide in faithful obedience to His Word so that we will be victorious in our race of the faith. This means walking in the Spirit, being transformed like Christ. God has made it clear to “do business” until He comes (Luke 19:13). This means to show that you are worthy to enter the kingdom by growing in the Word, doing good works for Him and eagerly awaiting His return.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:1, 2)
God’s purpose is to redeem man to the position for which he was originally created.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth — in Him.
In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,
that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:7-12)
God’s calling is a heavenly calling to His kingdom. He is calling all Christians to abide in His Word and overcome their life in this age in order to be qualified for inclusion into that kingdom. Life here on earth is only for a little while, just a temporary dwelling. We Christians are not to be a part of this world, but separate, awaiting our true home — a heavenly home.
These [Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Sarah] all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. . . .
But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13, 16)
God’s will, purpose and calling is the same for all Christians — that they may be qualified to rule and reign with Christ in the coming kingdom age. And the time is near.
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