Introduction
We have been told that our faith is "the victory that has overcome the world (1 John 5:4)". But what does overcoming the world mean? Surely, as it is apparent in the Scriptures, overcoming the world does not mean being free from sufferings and troubles in life. This world is not our home. We are pilgrims here. "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world (John 17:16)", our Lord Jesus Himself said. The world will do everything in its power to lure us to itself. It continuously offers us pleasures that appeal to the flesh. Being under the influence and control of the enemy, this world's fallen system takes advantage of the nature of the heart - the heart is ever seeking for satisfaction for it is the seat of all our desires. The reason why men jump from one pleasure to another is because it remains restless for God designed the heart in such a way that only Him can fill and satisfy it and bring it to true rest. Augustine once said,
You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You
-Augustine, Confessions
The world tries to package the enemy's lies in such a way that it is appealing to the eyes and it feeds them into our minds until such things become our desire to the degree that we'll no longer seek the glories of Christ.
Overcoming The World
So if overcoming the world is not about being free from sufferings, what does it mean then? It means forsaking the world and everything in it. Every saint has been granted faith by which we overcome the world. This means that every saint is not helpless when it comes to forsaking the world for he or she has faith. We cannot deny the fact that the world has its power and we were once under it and walked according to its course (Ephesians 2:1-2). Thus, to overcome it is indeed a great feat but this can only be achieved by faith. But how? How does this overcoming the world happen? How do we forsake the world by faith? We can address this by looking at an example. Let us see how Moses lived by faith.
The world-forsaking Faith of Moses
In the 11th chapter of the rich book of Hebrews where men and women of faith are listed, we see Moses who by faith overcame Egypt.
By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin...
Hebrews 11:24-25
Moses' refusal to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter and his choice to rather suffer affliction with the people of God were all rooted in his faith. It is by faith that he was able to do that. He understood that being called a son of Egypt means being given the pleasures of Egypt and enjoying them. As described in the text, the pleasures of Egypt are not godly pleasures but pleasures of sin. Now, we see here that sin indeed has pleasure in it but make no mistake for this pleasure, as described in the text, is passing pleasures. It means that whatever pleasure or joy sin can give or produce in us, it will soon pass away. It is fleeting. It does not last. Moses saw this and realized that staying in Egypt and being a prince there was not worth it. Moses saw by faith that no matter how much pleasure in Egypt he might have, he would soon become empty and seeking again.
Moses saw by faith the reality of passing pleasures of sin but he also saw by faith the greater riches in Christ.
...esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
Hebrews 11:26
Egypt has treasures but Moses saw by faith the greater riches in Christ. Egypt is rich but Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater than that. Through the eyes of faith, Moses realized the surpassing riches of Christ which all the pleasures in Egypt pale in comparison with. In seeing the riches in Christ, Moses was able to forsake the world, that is, Egypt and everything in it. This is how faith overcomes the world. The only way for us to truly leave the world behind is not only by seeing the passing pleasures of sin but also by seeing the surpassing riches of Christ.
Those who are in the world who love the world are blinded (as we were once) for they don't have faith to see (c.f. 2 Cor. 4:4). But the redeemed ones have been granted faith to believe in Christ and to embrace Him as all-satisfying, as joy and the very source of it.
The Connection of Faith and Desire
When we talk about words like "enjoy" and "pleasures", the word "desire" immediately comes to mind. Moses could have just enjoyed what Egypt had to offer and give him but he refused to stay there and chose to rather suffer with the people of God. There we see a shift in desire and the shift happened by faith. Thus, there is a direct connection between a man's faith and his desires.
A man's desire is based on what he embraces as treasure. A treasure is anything that we value the most and that which we cannot afford to lose. So if we desire worldly things, then the world is our treasure. If the world is our treasure then it will be our constant pursuit. Our grip for that which we hold dear is strong because it is rooted in the reality that it is our treasure. But let us not forget that we have been granted faith. It is through this faith that we are saved but it is also like a telescope by which we see the glories of Christ. Moses grew in Egypt but he was able to forsake his upbringing for he saw Him who is invisible:
By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
Hebrews 11:27
Moses esteemed Christ with the highest regard for He saw Him by faith. It is by faith that he was able to see Christ in His glory. So, the nature of the faith that we are given is Christ-seeing and Christ-treasuring and the more we see Christ by faith, the more He will be our desire. Like Moses who saw Christ by faith, we will surely resolve to confess and embrace that indeed, greater riches and treasures are in Him and that He is the only worthy treasure who truly satisfies the heart. So then, esteeming Christ as greater than anything in this world is what enables a man to forsake the world behind him.
A constant looking unto the Lord Jesus Christ is what the Christian life is all about. By faith, we look to the Lord and realize that this world is nothing but broken and void and that the fullness of joy and lasting pleasures are in the Lord alone:
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalms 16:11
Conclusion
Everytime this world tries to lure us to its passing pleasures, let us remember and believe by faith the surpassing riches of Christ. Seeing the Lord causes a man to forsake the world and this is how our faith overcomes the world. So Like Moses, we ought to keep our eyes on Him who is precious and worthy. Faith is not given to remove all our sufferings (remember Moses?) but that even in our sufferings, we take pleasure in Christ and we delight in Him having Him as our ultimate gain.
