Have You Overcome the World Yet?

by Brian Shilhavy

There are certain truths written in the Bible that are so simple, that they hardly need any commentary or explanations.

One of those truths is in 1 John 5:5: Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Here is the context of this verse within the first 5 verses of the 5th chapter of 1 John.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.

This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world.

This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:1-5)

Of course, I am quoting an English translation of this verse which was originally written in Greek, so it is always helpful to define words.

John, who was perhaps the apostle who was closest to Jesus, used the word “world” a lot in his letter, 23 times in 5 chapters.

The original Greek word is κόσμος (kosmos), which includes not just the Earth, but the entire universe.

Let’s look at some other verses where John used this word, kosmos, in this letter.

In the following 3 verses from chapter 2, he used it 6 times:

Do not love the world or anything in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

Here is another use of this word:

Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. (1 John 3:13)

And here is a section from the 4th chapter that uses it a lot, including 3 times in verse 5:

This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.

This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. (1 John 4:2-5)

And here is the last time he used it at the end of his letter:

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. (1 John 5:19)

So here is the question every single human being still living on planet Earth has to answer today: Do you want to stay in the world which is under the control of the evil one, Satan, or do you want to overcome the world instead?

It is a simple question; it really is.

When you tune out the noise from the media and perhaps the people around you and just focus on this simple truth written thousands of years ago, it is so easy to see that there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who serve the one currently ruling the world, so that the world will love them, or those who have overcome the world, and that the world now hates.

And who is it that overcomes the world?

Only he who believes that Jesus is the Christ and believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

That’s it! There’s nothing in between.

Oh, but one more thing.

When you are spiritually born of God and declare this truth that only we who believe that Jesus is the Son of God overcome the world, that belief offends some people, those people who belong to a religion that specifically states that Jesus is NOT the Christ (Messiah), and NOT the Son of God.

That is the modern-day Jewish religion, and some of the people in that religion do not like it when you say that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

They are offended by that statement, and pretty soon I think they are going to have laws and powerful people backing them up so they can stop you from getting a job, prevent you from gaining employment, put you in prison, and perhaps even murder you, for publicly stating the truth that Jesus is the Son of God.

So yeah, it is a very simple truth, but the Holy Spirit is leading me to warn everyone today, it is also a very costly truth, and could, in fact, cost you everything.

I don’t think that will happen to too many people in the United States, however, because they love the world too much, and their new King has just been elected and is promising to make the world a better place.

Most Americans will choose their idols instead, because they love the world too much, and will therefore follow the spirit of the antichrist.

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. (Last words of John at the end of chapter 5.)

Published on December 8, 2024

7 Comments

John K December 9, 2024 at 9:10 am - Reply

The thing I can’t wrap my head around is that if I am not supposed to love anything in the world, why was I put in the world to begin with? I recall reading somewhere in the Bible that Jesus commanded his followers to sell or give away everything they own. Well, if that is the standard, I have a LONG way to go. Who here possesses nothing but the clothes on their back?

Brian-Admin December 9, 2024 at 10:40 am - Reply

Hi John,

You were uniquely created by God to serve him, and to find out why he put you into this world is best answered by him. Have you ever asked him?

The one time where it was recorded that Jesus said to someone that he needed to sell all his possessions and give it to the poor was specific instructions to one individual, based on his circumstances, and not a general command or principle for everyone.

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 

“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.” 

“Which ones?” the man inquired. 

Jesus replied, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.'” 

“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. (Matthew 19:16-22)

Hope this helps. God deals with us as unique individuals whom he created for his own purposes, and getting out of “group think” is sometimes the best solution, and seek God directly and learn how to discern his voice and leading in your life. 

It’s a relationship, not a religion that follows rules and regulations applied to everyone indiscriminately.

John K December 9, 2024 at 12:13 pm - Reply

Yes, that’s the passage I was thinking of. Thanks for the response. As basically a Bible beginner, I’m finding I need to read with more nuance rather than taking certain things as absolutes. Consider Romans 13: “Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” Well, what if the authorities mandate another vaccine? I guess I need to consider the times in which such things were written.

Brian-Admin December 9, 2024 at 12:16 pm - Reply

Yes, Paul’s letter to the Roman believers who were living in Rome at the time were under very different circumstances than what we are now experiencing, and the English translation of that passage is not very good. See:

https://created4health.org/exposing-christian-myths-the-bible-does-not-teach-that-believers-should-always-obey-the-government/

Geo Bothwell December 9, 2024 at 4:22 am - Reply

GOD’S son Jesus Christ is my way, my truth, and my life, which, in this antichrist demonic worlds’ love of money is at the root of all, that is now beyond EVIL. Our individual salvation, rests with CHRIST alone!

GP December 9, 2024 at 3:42 am - Reply

This world has nothing for me to look forward to. The evil today in my eyes is at another level. The “churches” today cannot be called the Assembly anymore. Just about everything liberal including the LGBTQ agenda and Zionism has crept into the “church.”

Most who are attending “churches” today are spiritually blinded by the state calling itself “Israel.” Just last Sunday, at a Bible study, I’m still hearing the person leading the study stating the people in “Israel” are YHWH’s chosen people. Just about everyone agreed with that statement. I guess we can throw out Galatians, Ephesians, and Romans, books that were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

The “churches” have already bowed the knee to the world when the Covid scam took hold. The only thing left for them to do now is bow the knee to their “man of peace” and not to the Prince of Peace. Their current king is filling his Cabinet with billionaires and Zionist-loving members.

I hate this world. I am looking forward to the world my spiritual father, Abraham, was looking forward to, the world where its cities are designed and built by YHWH Himself.

Zane December 8, 2024 at 7:06 pm - Reply

I Agree Wholeheartedly.  The True follower of the Way, Jesus Christ the Son of God has nothing to fear. In Christ we have overcome the world, by his power in and through us we can and do overcome the world.  In Australia over the Weekend a Synagogue was Burned in a firebombing that to me has all the Red Flags of a Psyop about it.  Already State Governments are talking of toughening the Laws so that Jews are “Protected” and Freedom of Speech is Further Suppressed.  To Call Jesus Christ the Son of God will soon be hate speech, as will sharing the Gospel in Australia. However the true Follower of Christ has Nothing to fear Regarding the decrees of Men. Peter and John when Arrested for Sharing the Gospel by the Zionist Jews of their day Replied: )

” We ought to Obey God Rather than Men.  The God of our Fathers Raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and Hanged on a Tree. Him who God hath Exalted to be a Prince and a Savior and Repentance to Israel and for Forgiveness of Sins. And we are his Witnesses to these things: and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God have Given to them that Obey him.”   Acts 6:29-32.