6 Characteristics of an Overcomer

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace,” Jesus remarked to His disciples that fateful night before He died. They were confused, perplexed by the foreboding statements He’d made. Yet here Christ offers encouragement.

“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer,” Jesus continued, “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Roughly 2,000 years later, tribulations persist. Evil and sin dominate the world around us.

Christians are called to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21), but this seems nearly impossible in a world steeped in sin. Our human inclinations draw us toward evil, even when we try to follow God.

How can we overcome when the odds are so stacked against us? Six key traits can help give us the strength to surmount the temptations and pressures of the world.

1. Overcomers exercise humility

To resist the temptations in the world around us, we must recognize that we can’t do it alone—we need to pray to God for help.

The prophet Jeremiah called out to God, asking Him to guide him in the right way: “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. O LORD, correct me, but with justice; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing” (Jeremiah 10:23-24).

Humility is the first step on our path to overcoming sin. As Jeremiah points out, it isn’t part of human nature to resist evil. We need God to direct our lives.

True humility comes into play when God helps us see our faults. Not only must we recognize them when He shows them to us, but we must also be ready to act. It takes a lowly attitude to repent and move forward.

Someone who puts himself or herself above all else will not be able to see clearly enough to make the changes required of those who profess Christianity. Only when we are “clothed in humility,” as 1 Peter 5:5 exhorts, can we begin the process of overcoming.

Psalm 51 is an excellent example of a humble heart before God. After committing a terrible sin, King David turned to God in sincere repentance, humbly asking for forgiveness and help. This passage is a perfect starting point for someone looking to ground himself or herself in humility while working to overcome sin.

2. Overcomers examine themselves

A reflective attitude goes hand in hand with a humble heart. Humility will take us only so far unless we also take the time to look carefully at ourselves in the mirror to assess how we measure up to the standard of Jesus Christ.

God commands His people to examine themselves. This includes an annual spiritual checkup before the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:27-31), but also regular self-examination as we go about our lives.

It is only when we reflect on our actions, words and thoughts that we begin to recognize where we’re doing well and where we’re coming up short. We can’t overcome our individual weaknesses if we don’t know what they are.

Ask God for help in identifying your shortcomings, as David did in Psalm 139: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (verses 23-24).

This can be a painful process, but it is an essential part of Christian growth.

3. Overcomers are diligent

Once we’ve identified our shortcomings, we must be diligent to bolster our defenses and increase our strength. A successful overcomer will be quick and methodical about combating sin in his or her life.

Diligence is one of the traits that Paul commends in 2 Corinthians 7:11. After identifying a sinful situation in their congregation, the Corinthians diligently resolved the matter.

Being diligent is about more than wanting to rid yourself of a sin or weakness. It is enacting useful strategies to do so. It might include deliberate action steps and prohibitions.

For example, a diligent overcomer will say more than “I want to stop using foul language.” He or she will instead say, “To avoid using foul language, I will put a dollar in a swear jar each time I slip up.” An overcomer might even ask a close friend to be a partner to encourage and hold him or her accountable. Whatever the sin or weakness, diligence is key to rooting it out.

An overcomer recognizes sin and does everything necessary to remove it. There will be setbacks, but diligence is a trait that endures through easy times and hard.

4. Overcomers practice self-control

Once we have identified points for improvement, we need self-control to help us in our endeavor.

Sometimes, people treat self-control as something that one either has or doesn’t have. This defeatist perspective obscures an important trait that everyone needs.

Self-control is a skill built over a lifetime. Like a muscle, it grows stronger when we exercise it—and weaker when we don’t. If we practice and perfect self-control consistently, day after day, we will find it easier to overcome temptations, even those that have troubled us in the past.

A diligent perspective of self-control recognizes that it applies to more than just our actions. A follower of Christ is called upon to bring “every thought into captivity” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Thoughts lead to actions and, therefore, must be controlled with equal strength. More than that, our thoughts reflect our true character, and sins in our minds are just as deadly as the sins others can see.

Proverbs 25:28 warns about a failure to control oneself, saying, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls.”

Self-control is our first line of defense against sin. If we do not regularly exercise that spiritual muscle, then we will be overcome by temptation when it arises.

5. Overcomers persevere

Overcoming doesn’t happen overnight. It is a lifelong process with ups and downs. A successful overcomer exercises perseverance, not losing heart, even when the goal feels far away.

Discouragement sets in when we aren’t overcoming sin at the pace we would like. Setbacks make it difficult to keep a positive outlook, leading to a cycle of discouragement and despair.

Perseverance involves a patient, enduring attitude that recognizes that the suffering of the long trek is not worthy to be compared to the glorious end goal (Romans 8:18). With perseverance, an individual can weather any setbacks on his or her journey, knowing that it’s all part of a lifelong process.

Overcomers focus on the end goal, not the arduous journey. Revelation 2 and 3 include several encouraging verses about the many blessings that God promises to those who overcome.

In Revelation 3:21, Jesus promises, “To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

In Revelation 21:7, God says, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

In times of trouble and discouragement, meditate on the promises in store for those who persevere and overcome the world. God will reward those who fight the hard battle and endure to the end (James 1:12).

6. Overcomers have faith

Perhaps the most important trait needed to be an overcomer is faith. Working to overcome evil is difficult. Putting our faith in the promise of God’s help makes the job easier.

God knows our weaknesses and we should ask Him to give us the strength to overcome them. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, we read, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

No matter what temptations or trials we encounter, there is a path to victory. If we take God with us into battle, we will eventually emerge victorious.

None of us has the power to overcome sin on our own. But we aren’t on our own. In God, we find the strength to prevail: “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 Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5).

The Christian commission to overcome the world is a tall order, but we are given the tools to succeed. With Jesus Christ fighting on our behalf, we have the power to overcome the world and its lusts, just as He did. Follow Him to victory!

Study more about the spiritual equipment we need in order to overcome in our Bible Journey “The Armor of God.”